Time Management Strategies to Thrive Online
Update: As of December 2019, Jami Rush is Dr. Jami Rush upon completion of the Doctorate in Ed. Leadership program. Congrats, Dr. Rush!
Online students have a lot on their plates. Many juggle work, family, and social lives on top of school. 
Jami Rush knows the balancing act well. Beyond her roles as wife, mom, and Director of the 杏吧专区 Learning Center, Rush is also pursuing her doctorate in .
She offers some tips for staying on top of your studies, so you still have time for the 杏吧专区渆verything else.杏吧专区
Keep a calendar
It杏吧专区檚 something students hear over and over because it杏吧专区檚 important. Get organized and make it a part of the morning, afternoon, and nightly routine, says Rush.
In a hybrid program, it杏吧专区檚 wholly her and her cohort's job to be proactive about assignments between face-to-face meetings.
杏吧专区淚f I didn杏吧专区檛 have my planner... I start to feel anxiety just thinking about not having it,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淓ach week I make sure I'm working toward whatever project or assignment that will be due.杏吧专区
She encourages students to maintain their regular coursework schedule even if there杏吧专区檚 a holiday or other break.
杏吧专区淒on杏吧专区檛 use that as a chance to completely disengage from your schoolwork. Keep your scheduled class or lecture times in your calendar and follow through with it,杏吧专区 she says.
Doing so will keep you on-task and allow you to see where you can enjoy down-time without falling behind.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 OK every now and then to say, 杏吧专区極K, I need to have fun,杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿 Rush says. 杏吧专区淵ou need to have that balance where you杏吧专区檙e not stressed all the time.杏吧专区
As a working nurse practitioner, Dr. Samantha Lilley says setting a schedule was key. That's how she maintained work-life balance while earning her M.S. in Nursing online and her Doctor of Nursing Practice online.
杏吧专区淚 didn杏吧专区檛 just hope I had time to spend with my daughter or hope we had time for a date night,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲e planned park days, we planned family time. If I wouldn杏吧专区檛 have, I don杏吧专区檛 know if it would have ever happened.杏吧专区
Track your progress
Remember that you are responsible for your progress. It杏吧专区檚 your job to know how you杏吧专区檙e doing in a given course.
Rush recommends keeping track of all feedback you杏吧专区檙e given to prepare for future exams and projects.
杏吧专区淭here杏吧专区檚 relief when you calculate your grades and you can make a 39-F on the final and still finish with an A,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淥n the flip side, you may see, 杏吧专区業 need to make a 76-C to finish with a B or an A.杏吧专区櫺影勺ㄇ鴿
Knowing where you stand lets you stay focused and know when you need to reach out for help. That way, you can connect with other students or take advantage of tools for online students to meet your academic goals.
杏吧专区淭here杏吧专区檚 no guarantee you杏吧专区檒l be told how you杏吧专区檙e doing. It杏吧专区檚 on you,杏吧专区 says Rush. 杏吧专区淣obody wants you to fail, but you need to make sure you take control."
杏吧专区溞影勺ㄇ鴺How am I doing?杏吧专区 is completely OK to ask.杏吧专区
Give yourself breaks
Using the Pomodoro Method, set a block of time to work before taking a break to scroll Instagram.
Rush learned about this technique during a lunch-and-learn held by Grad School. It杏吧专区檚 been a game changer for getting things done.
It works like this: set a timer for 25 minutes of work, take a 5-minute break, and then repeat. After four work sessions, take a 30-minute break, which Rush says 杏吧专区渇eels like Christmas.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淎nybody can focus on a task for 25 minutes. Whether it杏吧专区檚 reading for 25 minutes or writing for 25 minutes, studying or making your flashcards. Whatever it is,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淔or four rounds of 25 minutes, a little less than two hours, there杏吧专区檚 so much accomplished because you杏吧专区檙e not distracted. It杏吧专区檚 a wonderful technique.杏吧专区
Several apps and websites exist to help with this technique. Some even offer settings to block specific websites (think Amazon, Facebook, etc.) or shut down functions completely to limit distractions.
Build a support system
A semester is 15 weeks, not forever. Rush says it杏吧专区檚 crucial to find people who understand that.
杏吧专区淚'd tell them, 'I杏吧专区檒l likely say no to you because I have something else that can't wait,'杏吧专区 she says.
As an online student, those boundaries are especially important.
杏吧专区淚f you were a student on campus, would you be asked to skip class to go to work? Would you be asked to skip class to hang out with your partner or to start dinner early?杏吧专区 Rush asks. 杏吧专区淲hat would be the expectations if you were on campus? If you set those early and maintain them, it'll become habit for you and the people in your life.杏吧专区
She also suggests finding a partner to hold you accountable.
"Find someone with a common goal. You need someone to encourage and challenge you,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淵ou work together in that regard.杏吧专区
