Time Management in College: Monthly Calendar

Last week I told you about the weekly rhythm I use to manage my life one week at a time. It was inspired by a little index card that I was given to write my semester schedule of classes. I didn’t get to college with too many tools in my toolbox. Having a structure to plan around was so critical!

Another tool I used was a month-at-a-glance calendar. I needed to track deadlines and other date-specific information. So, I used a desk calendar that I sometimes tacked to the wall.

The Monthly Calendar

The idea was to capture pertinent dates from each class syllabus. Tests, projects, problem sets, papers, and anything else that was important for school. I wish I had used it more to intentionally pace myself with projects and papers. 

If I had that to do over, I would use the monthly calendar to schedule study time and make my own deadlines for each stage of projects or for reviewing test material. I still have dreams sometimes that I’m sitting for a test that I didn’t start studying for until the night before. 

(All-nighters are nothing to brag about, by the way. They are typically evidence of poor planning—they were for me! I learned to plan better after the pain of those times. I’m sure someone has a story of when the all-nighter was unavoidable, but “unavoidable” and “cool” are two different things!)

Back to the actual advice: use a monthly calendar to ensure big things don’t sneak up on you. Include anything that affects your life. In addition to important dates for each class, I noted holidays, birthdays, and special events. I wrote down whatever I knew I wanted to work around to get good grades, work my campus job, and have a social life! I could see what I had coming up and then worked to be ready.

How it helps me as an adult

When my kids were little, this level of detail in planning was sufficient. For years I carried a planner that looked like this.

As the kids got older and began to have schedules of their own, I learned to plan for one week at a time using the monthly calendar items. This is one of my favorites for a monthly view. 

At this point, only what affects the whole family goes on the big calendar by the back door. I note when we have athletic events, vacation or work trips, church events, birthdays, and when we’re celebrating anything, etc. I use the monthly view to determine if we need to add some downtime because there is too much going on. Conversely, if we have a light month, I can reach out to schedule dinner with friends or a family game night.

As my kids are launching and not living under my roof, we will be transitioning to a digital calendar so we all know of big events and travel schedules.

For myself, I use the monthly calendar pages in my Full Focus Planner. This is where I enter my medical appointments and social engagements. I use this view for the “big picture” planning within the Full Focus system.

How it can help you!

If you’re reading this and are in college or know anyone headed to college, my advice is this: use a digital tool to keep track of dates and project timelines for all classes. The bonus of technology is that you can set up reminders and alarms. You can also create events within a shared calendar that can be accessed by multiple people.

It all boils down to visibility about how you’re committing your time and how to be intentional in what you do to manage those commitments. The monthly calendar alone will likely not be enough for managing your time, but it is an important part of a comprehensive system.

The Perfect Planner?

Reach out if you have any questions about a planning and calendaring system that works for you. I’m certified to train on the Full Focus Planner system, and I think it is a robust system. However, I believe the perfect planner is the one you will use!

YOU have to enjoy the tool–it doesn’t matter how great it is for someone else.

If you have questions about my planner or how you can best use the tool you already own, reach out!