Level up your time management skills and improve your ability to balance competing demands and tasks!
Originally published January 2022
Time management strategies for med students are designed to help you become a more focused, motivated, and efficient learner. They’re also a great long-term investment. Time management is something you’ll need when you’re a physician dealing with competing demands and have a million different things to do. So the sooner you get a handle on it, the better.
If time management has never been your thing, don’t worry. Here’s some ways to improve your time management skills now, so you can be a better med student and more effective physician in the future!
1. Prioritize your tasks.
Effective time management doesn’t just help you finish tasks. It helps you finish the right tasks at the right time. When you start preparing to better manage your time, don’t simply write down the tasks you need to accomplish. Instead, categorize them by when they need to be finished. Write down tasks you need to accomplish within different spans of time. For example, which need to be done this week, in the next two weeks, in a month, two months, a year, etc.
Next, critically evaluate each task on that list. Are any tasks time-sensitive and important? Plan to do those first. Are any tasks extraneous? Consider whether they need to be tackled at all. Take this opportunity to also write down any broad goals you have. Where would you like to be in one month, six months, and one year? What do you need to get there? Are there any personal obligations that may emerge along the way? Reframe those obstacles as goals to work toward.
2. Redefine tasks.
Many tasks during college and medical school are long-term responsibilities. When planning your schedule, refine your long-term projects into smaller, action-oriented goals. For example, segment the goal of passing your Step 1 into separate, achievable actions, such as: 1) finishing two passes through a Step 1 question bank and 2) learning the content of the First Aid review book.
While you likely aren’t able to quantify exactly how much time you need to finish the thousands of questions in your question bank, you can estimate by dividing the number of practice questions by the number of days you have left. Then, use this goal number of questions per day to most effectively plan your study schedule.
When planning your schedule, refine your long-term projects into smaller, action-oriented goals.
3. Block off your time.
In addition to organizing how you’ll accomplish certain milestones in the future, you can organize how you’ll spend individual hours of individual days. Keep your system simple! Whether you use an online calendar such as Google Calendar, a physical planner, or a sticky note a day, be sure that your time management system is portable, easily accessible, and efficient.
To achieve that, it’s important to use the right approach. If you keep your to-do list on your laptop, it won’t help you when an afternoon clinic appointment is canceled and you find yourself with a free hour in the middle of your busy neurology clerkship. Likewise, if you spend 30 minutes color coding your schedule each Sunday, you may be wasting thirty minutes of valuable relaxation that helps you approach the upcoming week with renewed vigor.
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4. Create external systems that foster focus.
If you struggle with focusing, change your environment so that your surroundings work for you, instead of against you. For example, if you’re studying for Step 1, consider taping a few practice questions to the wall in front of your desk to remind you to approach similar questions on test day with confidence. That way you’ll be looking at them if your mind starts to wander.
If your phone distracts you, consider turning off all unnecessary notifications and instead scheduling regular reminders with your daily tasks on your phone’s calendar.
5. Acknowledge your emotions.
Although we often think of timing and tasks in analytical ways, time management is deeply connected to our emotions. For example, we feel stressed under pressure and joy when we accomplish our goals. More broadly, effectively using a to-do list doesn’t involve plowing through tasks with minimal effort simply to cross off items. It involves using your to-do list as a strategic tool to help you focus your energy and productive time in the most useful way.
Reframe tasks you “need to do” as tasks that you “get to do” because you’re taking an interesting class or participating in an initiative you’re passionate about.
Although it’s helpful to frame time management in a consciously positive way, challenges will arise and you may feel overwhelmed or worried. When anxiety arises, it’s important to acknowledge the experience and make a conscious decision to adjust your schedule with an unplanned break (or choose to keep going).
Keep in mind that daily goals aren’t fixed obstacles. They’re flexible ideas that exist in your imagination and you can adapt to the challenges that arise.
Final Thoughts
These five time management strategies can really help you on your journey to becoming not just a better med student, but eventually, a doctor that’s on top of their game. And the sooner you get started, the better. Why wait on it?
Start being a better version of yourself by mastering the art of time management. I know you’re busy, but if you follow the guidelines provided here, you’ll find that your schedule actually becomes a bit easier. Good luck and reach out if you need any assistance!
Looking for more (free!) content to support you through med school? Check out these other posts on the blog:
