Time Management
Time is one of your most valuable resources - especially when you're juggling lessons, planning, uni applications, enrichment, and actual life. Whether you’re heading to university, an apprenticeship, a job, or a mix of all three, knowing how to manage your time well is a real game changer.
In this article, we’ll explore what good time management looks like, how your tutoring year has already sharpened this skill, and what tools and habits will help you stay on top of your game beyond Yipiyap.
What Is Time Management Really?
It’s not just about being busy or ticking off endless to-do lists. Good time management means being intentional about how you spend your time - knowing your priorities, planning ahead, and learning to say no when needed.
It’s also about balance: protecting your energy so you don’t burn out, while still showing up fully for the things that matter.
What You've Learned Through Tutoring
Whether you realised it or not, your tutoring placement has already taught you loads about managing your time:
1. Sticking to a schedule
Working in schools means running on tight timetables. You’ve learned to be punctual, structure your sessions to fit set periods, and transition between tasks quickly.
3. Prioritising Tasks
From lesson planning and feedback to enrichment sessions and admin, you’ve had to figure out what’s urgent, what’s important, and what can wait. Knowing how to spot your top priorities is a skill for life.
2. Planning Ahead
You’ve planned lessons, prepped materials, and adapted on the fly. These are massive transferable skills - and they’ll come in handy when you’re juggling deadlines in the future.
4. Setting Boundaries
Learning to say "no" (politely!) when you're overwhelmed is part of managing your time well. You’ve probably had to do this when your timetable got overloaded - that’s good practice for any workplace or uni setting.
Tools and Tips to Take With You
Here are some go-to strategies to help you stay on top of your time now and in the future:
Use a planner or calendar:
Whether it's a physical diary or Google Calendar, keeping a visual schedule helps you map out busy weeks, prep for deadlines, and avoid clashes.
Try time-blocking:
Break your day into chunks and assign specific tasks to each block. For example:
9–10am: Prep uni application
10–11am: CV edits
11–11:15am: Break
This helps avoid multitasking and keeps you focused.
Make a “Top Three”:
Each day, choose your top three priorities and focus on those.
It helps cut through the noise and gives you a sense of achievement even on hectic days.
Protect rest time:
Managing your time also means giving yourself downtime.
You can’t pour from an empty cup - so schedule in rest like it’s a meeting with your future.
Taking It Forward
Whatever your next step - a gap year 2.0, university, an apprenticeship - time management will be key. Think about:
How you’ll plan your weeks when you don’t have a school bell structuring your time.
What habits you want to take forward (e.g. using planners, saying no, building in breaks).
How you’ll balance study, work, social life, and rest in a sustainable way.
Even if you’re someone who thrives under pressure (hi, deadline chasers!), developing better systems now will save you a lot of last-minute panic later.
A Challenge For You
Try one new time management strategy that you’ve not used before. It could be:
Using the Pomodoro technique (25 minutes work, 5 minutes break)
Creating a weekly “Big 3” to focus on
Time-blocking your calendar for a few days
Whatever you pick, give it a go - and notice how it affects your productivity, stress levels, and energy.
You’ve already proven you can handle a lot. With the right tools, you can do it without the chaos.