A postgraduate programme like a PhD involves more self-directed study than you might have experienced on an undergraduate degree, which means you’ll need to develop strategies to meet these time-management and workload demands. 

You might also be studying part-time in which case you’ll need to organize your studies around work or other commitments.

Managing your workload will help you get the most out of your studies, and allow you to keep your life balanced.  Staying organized means you’ll stay motivated, be more prepared when it comes to deadlines, and help you with work-life balance.

The suggestions and guidance on this page will help you manage your time.

Image: Flotographic Arts CC-BY 2.0

• Set short-term goals – Your thesis is a very large body of work, try to concentrate on smaller, manageable goals.  Perhaps set yourself weekly deadlines.  You’re more likely to stick to these, and you can easily track your progress.
• Keep a journal – You might find it useful to plan your time by reflecting on what you achieve each day.  Spend a few minutes writing down what you have done; you could even comment on how you feel about the tasks you’ve been working on.  The good thing about a journal or notebook is that you can carry it with you, so you can jot down any thoughts or ideas as they come to you, wherever you are.
• Track your work time – Everyone works differently, but it is a good idea to be aware of how much time you spend studying.  You might like to set aside a block of time or a set number of hours each day, rather like a job.  Obviously you can be flexible, but it can be useful to create a working pattern.  Also, set aside time away from your studies – overworking rarely leads to good results.

Jobs.ac.uk has some more great ideas for managing your time. 

The following Time Management Checklist has been adapted from the Vitae web pages for the wider research community:

•     Identify your priorities
•     Set clear objectives for each area of your work
•     Devote time to planning as well as doing
•     Work backwards from deadlines. Identify key stages and split large tasks into manageable sections
•     Record your daily/weekly plan on a calendar that is easy to access
•     Do not let other activities get in the way of your priorities
•     Develop a good filing system so that you do not waste time looking for information. Keep your working area tidy
•     Do not respond to email as soon as it arrives. Check email at set times of the day and accommodate any incoming tasks into your plan
•     Manage other people’s expectations of you. Learn to say ‘no’
•     Do one thing at a time
•     Reserve activities that require most brainpower for your best time of day. If you are not a morning person, use the morning for more routine or physical activity
•     If motivation is a problem, give yourself small incentives to help you tackle important tasks

More useful tips on time management are available here

Work with your supervisor(s)

A good way to manage your time is to make good use of your relationship with your supervisor(s). They are here to guide you and to help you progress on your work. 

They can help you setting deadlines for your work. It is important to stick to the deadlines you set with your supervisor(s). Maintaining regular communications with your supervisor(s) will also help you when things to do not quite go to plan. 

Your supervisor(s) will also keep you aware of any internal deadlines. For instance when annual monitoring reviews are due. 

Some reading on time management

One of our academics who delivered sessions on Self-management: A beginners's guide to maximising productivity while minimising stress recommended the books below. 

The are in the library. Look for them on library search.