Title: Time Management - A Quest!

Welcome to the Time Management Quest!

Work your way through this organisational escapade to gain top tips for task tackling and tremendous time management tools!

Once you select start below, expand your view using the arrows button in the top right hand corner of the screen, then begin the quest with A Call to Adventure!

The Lake of Bewilderment

To begin your journey towards time management excellence, you must first traverse the seemingly hostile and unrelenting waters of the Lake of Bewilderment.

When we first approach a long list of difficult tasks and responsibilities, we often feel overwhelmed and can be submerged by anxiety. It's easy to bury your head in the... water?

But fear not! Even the most insurmountable tasks can be made easy with the right approach. Armed with your paddles and the 5 'P's, the lake will soon become calm and serene.

The 5 Ps Drag the Words

Drag the words into the correct boxes

Q: The first 'P' is to [...] your tasks, deciding which ones are the most important and need to be completed first, which can be completed later, and which can be taken off your immediate 'to do' list.

Once you have done this, you can work on the second 'P', drawing up a [...] or schedule to help you organise when and how you will complete each task.

Next up, it's time to [...]! Start with the first task on your schedule and work your way through each one in the order you have devised.

Once work is underway, don't forget to check your [...]. How is it all going? Do you need to adjust your schedule? Do any tasks need extra time? Have any priorities changed while you have been working?

Finally, do everything you can to ensure you [...]. You need to maintain your focus, overcome challenges, avoid distractions and keep the momentum going.

Sometimes the last stage is the hardest. You can find out more on how to do this in the next stages of your quest!
A: PRIORITISE; PLAN; PERFORM; PROGRESS; PERSIST
Feedback (0 to 20%): The 'P's have evaded you this time; try again, or reveal the correct answers for some helpful time management starting points!
Feedback (21 to 40%): Some of the 'P's have evaded you this time; try again, or reveal the correct answers for some helpful time management starting points!
Feedback (41 to 60%): Not bad! You can try again to get those last few 'P's in place, or reveal the answers and check the ones you missed for some helpful time management starting points!
Feedback (61 to 80%): So close! You can try again to get those last few 'P's in place, or reveal the answers and check the ones you missed for some helpful time management starting points!
Feedback (81 to 100%): Well done! You've mastered the 'P's! You'll be a time management expert in no time!

Now move on to the next stage of your quest, The City of Quadrants!

The Swamp of Procrastination

Back on land, the Temple of Tools is tantalisingly close. Unfortunately, however, there is another obstacle to face before you reach it.

A dank and putrid scent fills your nostrils. The light grows hazy. Gradually, your steps become laboured. You try to focus your gaze. Mud gloops around your legs and stops you in your tracks. In your confused state, a mirage appears. Three fairy-like creatures glow and pulse in the smog.

"Come with us!" calls the first.

"We have treats and games to play!" smiles the second.

"Much more fun than a silly quest!" snarls the third.

The legends are true; you have reached The Swamp of Procrastination.

Procrastination - the productivity killer!

When we procrastinate, we delay completing tasks until the last possible minute, or even beyond the deadline, despite knowing the potential consequences. We often distract ourselves with other tasks or activities we deem to be more interesting or fun. It stops our productivity in its tracks and is the destroyer of many a well-formed plan.

If this is a problem you often experience yourself, don't feel too bad; research suggests that around 75% of students view themselves as "habitual procrastinators" (Steel, 2007, as cited in Rozental et al., 2022) and there are lots of opportunities for distraction in the digital age.

What can I do about it?

Successfully beating procrastination means identifying the reasons behind it. Taking time to reflect on this can help you find a solution that works for you.

Possible reasons for procrastinating:

- Not knowing where to start
- Perfectionism
- Distractions
- Lack of confidence
- Projects that feel too big

Let's explore each one in turn...

Procrastination Crossword

Fill in the blanks using the clues provided

Q: Perfectionism is self-...........
A: defeating
Q: When you are struggling to start, you should review this..
A: brief
Q: This is a great way of thinking carefully and objectively about how you approach problems...
A: reflection
Q: ............., not perfection!
A: progress
Q: Who can you get advice from about tackling procrastination?
A: learninghub
Q: You should take these regularly when studying...
A: breaks
Q: You should see mistakes as...
A: opportunities
Q: When scheduling tasks, it can be useful to work backwards from the...
A: deadline
Q: This is the name of the study technique that helps avoid distractions...
A: pomodoro

Good work! With your newfound skills you have freed yourself from the Swamp of Procrastination. Now you can resume your trek to the Temple of Tools!

(Rozental, A., Forsström, D., Hussoon, A. & Klingsieck, K.B. (2022). Procrastination Among University Students: Differentiating Severe Cases in Need of Support From Less Severe Cases. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 783570. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.783570)

The Temple of Tools

You have made it to the Temple of Tools. Here, you will find digital tools that can help you with your time management quest!

Did you know that you can use AI to create a study schedule? By providing a few key details, such as the project deadline, your current progress, time available, additional commitments and the key components of the project, Copilot can plan out a suitable timetable for completing your task.

The university encourages students to use Copilot, since when logged in with your student account, data and information entered is safe and is not used to train the AI model.

Through the Office 365 suite you can access Outlook and OneNote, both of which are incredibly useful tools for time management and organisation.

With Outlook, you can set up a calendar, which can be shared with others if this is useful. You can also create a To-Do List to record tasks as they come up.

With OneNote, you can keep track of projects, and this tool is also helpful when working on group tasks as you can share projects and assign responsibilities.

Other apps and tools

fluidfocus

An app to help avoid distractions and reduce procrastination

habitica

If you've enjoyed this quest, you might like the idea of gamifying your job list! With this app, you can create an avatar and assign daily tasks, then receive prizes or punishments accordingly. It's a fun way of keeping track!

todoist

An app to capture and organise tasks and simplify your planning

Temple of Tools Multiple Choice

Q: These digital tools are fantastic additions to your time management kit; you are ready to move on. However, in order to leave the temple, you must make an offering to the Time Management gods.

"There is one tool that outshines all others," advises the cleric, "One that holds the key to organisational triumph!'

From the list below, select the one item you think would be most important for an organised life at university.
- Expensive technical gadgets (Not really - nice to have, but these aren't essential to keeping on track.)
- A diary, calendar or planner (correct) (Hurrah! So many students try to muddle through without such a simple staple, but a place to consistently plan and schedule (physically or digitally) is essential. Don't be without one!)
- A friend to remind you about your deadlines. (If you want to keep your friends happy, you probably shouldn't assign them jobs that you are capable of doing yourself - they're likely just as busy as you!)

Now you have gathered the tools to help you fight off procrastination and develop your time management and planning approaches, the next stage of your quest seems comfortingly familiar...

The trees for the wood

The route to the woods was treacherous, but with the guidance and expertise of your new friend, you were able to navigate the hidden pathways and crumbling bridge to reach them. Sometimes even the most capable and independent adventurers need a supportive boost to achieve their goals.

Whilst you are expected to develop independent study skills at university, it's important to know that you're not alone. There is a wealth of support available at LTU to help you, not only in developing these skills, but to put you back on the right track if you do wander off your course.

Often, people advise that it is difficult to see the wood for the trees; we struggle to see the bigger picture because we are too focused on the smaller details. When it comes to time management stress, however, sometimes it works the other way around; we see only an overwhelming mass of tasks that we are struggling to get on top of, meaning we overlook the help that is available to support the endeavour.

Which support service is which?

For your next task, you are presented with a number of scenarios you might encounter at university.

For each scenario, select and tap on the tree (or LTU support service) you think would be of most help.

Scenario A: Find the Hotspot

Feedback: Well done! The Learning Hub can help with all kinds of academic skills, and they can certainly help you with academic writing and time-keeping approaches.
Feedback: Not quite! Try again.
Q: You are working hard to develop your academic writing, but it is taking a long time to capture what you want to say. You keep tying yourself up in knots and it is affecting your time-keeping. Who could help you with this?

Scenario B: Find the Hotspot

Feedback: Good choice - Student Support are a great source of help for all sorts of issues you might encounter in university life. You could also contact Student Liaison and Engagement, who can advise on missed lectures and getting back on track.
Feedback: Great choice! Student Liaison and Engagement are a great source of help around missed lectures and getting back on track. You could also contact the Student Support team for help with this and a multitude of other university life issues.
Feedback: Not quite! Try again.
Q: Scenario B: You have been a bit off your game lately and missed your Friday lectures two weeks in a row. You need to explain yourself and get a bit of help getting back on track. Who could you speak to?

Scenario C: Find the Hotspot

Feedback: Absolutely - Student Support are a great source of support in the first instance, but they will also likely refer your friend to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, who can offer specialist support.
Feedback: Yes - your friend could make an appointment for specialist support and advice.
Feedback: Not quite! Try again.
Q: Scenario C: Your friend is battling to keep up with their course alongside responsibilities at work and home, but things are getting on top of them. They share that they feel unwell with stress and anxiety. Where could they get help with this?

Scenario D: Find the Hotspot

Feedback: That's right! Disability services can help and advise on a range of additional learning and health needs, whether you already have a diagnosis or not.
Feedback: Not quite! Try again.
Q: Scenario D: Your coursemate struggles to maintain focus in lectures and regularly gets distracted or leaves early. You chat to them about it, and they explain that they think they might need to speak to someone about ADHD. Where could they go?

Scenario E: Find the Hotspot

Feedback: Well done! The Liaison Librarian for your subject area is an excellent source of support and advice on finding course-specific resources and advice on citing and referencing these.
Feedback: The Learning Hub could certainly help with advice on research skills and point you in the right direction for citation and referencing practice, but they are likely to refer you to another service...
Feedback: Not quite! Try again.
Q: Scenario E: You are struggling to find good quality sources for your assignments. You're also unsure how to cite the ones you have found. Who could help?

Good work! You can find out more about LTU's support services, as well as how to make an appointment with the different teams via the myLTU app. For all services, select the 'Student Info Point' tile, apart from the Liaison Librarians, who can be reached via the Library website.

Go forth, with your enriched confidence! The next stage of the quest is Man(age) the ship!

A Call to Adventure!

You are invited on a quest! If you accept, you will:

- Gain insight into how you can manage your workload at university
- Discover tools and tricks to organise your time and develop your skills as an independent learner
- Identify procrastination and distraction issues and apply techniques to tackle them
- Discover support available at LTU to help you stay on track

Do you accept?

Q: Do you accept the quest?
- Yes (correct)
- No

Feedback (0 to 0%): Come back when you have the time!
Feedback (1 to 100%): Well done adventurer! Your quest awaits! Your next stage is the Lake of Bewilderment.

City of Quadrants

Having braved the Lake of Bewilderment, you find yourself in the City of Quadrants.

The bustling city is divided into four distinct zones, which helps bring order to the chaos for locals and visitors alike.

Much like the city, you need to bring order to your task list so you can plot the best way ahead on your quest. To achieve this, you need to work out which tasks you should tackle first... you need to PRIORITISE.

Quadrants!

Take some inspiration from the city - you can use quadrants to get your task list in order. Click on the ? buttons below to find out how:

Quadrant Hotspots

Place here tasks that are urgent and important. They need to be done in a limited timeframe, and they are essential.

Place here tasks that are not urgent, but still important. They don’t need to be done right now, but they need to be planned into the schedule at some point.

Place here tasks that seem urgent but, on reflection, are not important. Perhaps interruptions from friends or other people’s priorities that are not priorities for you!

Place here tasks that are neither urgent or important. This is where procrastination activities tend to be placed. These can and should be ignored or, at least, shelved for now!

Once you have organised your tasks using the quadrants, you can begin to break them down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This will prevent overwhelm and it will also help you to schedule your study time. You are far more likely to complete your task list if you give yourself specific and achievable jobs, rather than just writing down 'do essay' on your calendar.

Try it yourself! Drag and drop the tasks into the correct quadrants, then check your answers to see how you did.

Quadrant Drag and Drop

- [Image: Urgent and important]
- [Image: Not urgent but important]
- [Image: Urgent but not important]
- [Image: Not urgent or important]
- You have an assignment due in two days' time that you need to work on.
- You have been assigned a research task to complete for your next lecture in one week's time.
- Your manager forgot to schedule someone in for work this afternoon and asks if you can cover. You don't really have the time, but they're short-staffed.
- Your housemate is knocking on your door repeatedly. They are bored and want you to entertain them.
Q: Not urgent or important
A: Your housemate is knocking on your door repeatedly. They are bored and want you …
Q: Not urgent but important
A: You have been assigned a research task to complete for your next lecture in one …
Q: Urgent but not important
A: Your manager forgot to schedule someone in for work this afternoon and asks if …
Q: Urgent and important
A: You have an assignment due in two days' time that you need to work on.

Move on to the next stage of the quest, Castle Pomodoro!

Alone in the cave... or are you?

Now you have developed some skills in prioritising your workload and planning your time, you are ready to move on with your quest. Still, a nagging, anxious feeling lingers in the back of your mind...

Back across the waters, you reach a deep and cavernous cave that you must venture through. As you enter, you are engulfed in an inky blackness. Silence closes in. Step by step, you tread deeper into the gloom until, just when you need it most, the dim glow from your hastily lit lantern suddenly snuffs out.

Then... a noise. Are you really alone in here?

Navigating your progress at university can be quite stressful. You may feel, at times, like you're finding your way in the dark. But there are two things you can lean on: firstly, your developing independent learning skills and, secondly, the support of the staff at LTU.

Independent learning

Where in your previous educational experiences you likely had teachers, learning coaches, parents or guardians and a host of other individuals pushing you in the right direction, at university, you're leading the excursion. You are the one who must take control of your own development and of your learning activities.

You might be used to taking on this level of responsibility; it might be your first time doing so. Either way, it's normal to take time finding your feet.

Your studies, including lecture time and independent work, should amount to around 30 to 35 hours per week, the equivalent of a full-time job. This means lots of time directing your own studies. It might feel overwhelming, particularly at busy times, but you should also think of it as an opportunity to:

- Develop skills you will use throughout your career: you'll find most if not all job advertisements ask specifically for candidates to 'manage their own time' and 'work well independently'.
- Lean into your own interests: directing your own learning means you'll have opportunities to pursue particular themes and angles that are of interest to you in your subject area.
- Take time to reflect: we'll explore this more deeply later in your quest, but independent learning requires you to look back on your previous approaches, what worked well and not so well, and reflect on how you work best.

How can I develop these skills?

You have already begun developing your independent learning skills simply by accessing this resource! There are more stages to come in your quest, so keep going!

By some stroke of luck, you manage to scramble to the exit of the cave, guided by a thin streak of light shining through the glistening stalactites. At the exit, you see a group of five large rocks you will need to clamber over and a boulder to squeeze by in order to pass through.

Click on each rock to commence your climb, then the final boulder. You'll find a hint lies under each one to help you develop your independent learning skills...

Independent Learning Skills Hotspots

How do you work best? Try different approaches and see what fits.

Reflect on your areas of strength and any perceived weaknesses. Often, students prefer to hide or ignore those elements they struggle with. Instead, tackle them head-on.

Speak to your peers - what top tips could you share? Are they approaching their work in a way you would like to trial for yourself? Perhaps you could suggest new approaches for them too.

Speak to your tutors - do they have any advice on useful approaches for your subject area?

Work through the other resources available on the Skills for Academic Success site.

And finally, believe in yourself and your capabilities! Adopting a growth mindset means knowing that, whilst you can't do something yet, you can work on your skills and develop them throughout your time at university.

As you exit the cave, the maker of the mysterious sound you heard earlier seems to be upon you. The noise of swiftly sprinting steps echoes and bounces off the walls. It grows nearer. You strain to replace the boulder... only to be met by a friendly face.

"Need a hand?"

Well, you could use some help getting to the next stage... The Trees for the Wood.

Cave Multiple Choice

Q: Do you accept help from this mysterious new friend?
- Yes (correct)
- No
Feedback (0 to 0%): You want to complete this quest alone. You cast aside the offer of help. But, little do you realise, you dropped your map in the lake on your journey here! A perilous end awaits, unless you can somehow change your mind...
Feedback (1 to 100%): "Very happy to oblige! I saw you on the lake and realised you had dropped your map in the water! I know this area well. I will direct you to the woods, but please, take my map and compass."

Man(age) the Ship

You return to choppier waters on the outer reaches of the quest map. The boat creaks, thrashes and flails in the torrent. All your hard work might be for nothing if you capsize now!

You try to figure out the best solution. There appear to be three options.

Continue on quest Multiple Choice

Q: Option 1: You have plotted out your journey meticulously. Just because you've hit a bump, doesn't mean you should stray from it now. Keep going in the same direction - onward and upward! Even if you fail, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing: you stuck to the plan.

Option 2: Up ahead, you see another cave where you think you could take shelter. You don't know how long you'll be there before the waters die down or until help arrives. Your quest will be on hold indefinitely, and you know there is so much more to do and not a lot of time left to do it. Still, it's better to be safe, right? Abandon ship!

Option 3: You can see that by adjusting your course somewhat, there are calmer waters you could travel through. It won't be as easy as just ploughing ahead; it will take a bit of rethinking. It won't be as easy as giving up either. But it means you'll be more likely to complete the quest and in good time. Reflect, adjust and continue!
- Option 1: Stick to the plan (It can be tempting to stick with the plan when things change unexpectedly. Perhaps new priorities appear that weren't on your original schedule. Perhaps one task suddenly becomes more urgent. In these cases, soldiering on regardless is unlikely to help. Instead, it's important to reflect, adjust and continue.)
- Option 2: Abandon Ship! (It's tempting to turn away from your plan and hide when things change unexpectedly. Perhaps new priorities appear that weren't on your original schedule. Perhaps one task suddenly becomes more urgent. In these cases, abandoning your plan altogether is likely to make things worse. Instead, it's important to reflect, adjust and continue.)
- Option 3: Reflect, adjust and continue (correct) (Well done! It can be tricky when things change unexpectedly. Perhaps new priorities appear that weren't on your original schedule. Perhaps one task suddenly becomes more urgent. Whilst it may be tempting to abandon your plan entirely, or to carry on regardless, neither option is likely to help in these cases, and they could may things worse. Instead, it's important to reflect, adjust and continue. With some effort, you manage to steer your vessel away from the riptide and onto the revised course for your next destination. The surface settles, and suddenly the world around you is reflected in gorgeous detail in the mirror of the ocean. Things are much clearer now; the route ahead is wide open.)

Flexible planning

Once you have a plan in place, it's important to reflect on how it is working for you and check on your progress.

Have you:

- Planned appropriate time for each task? Do you need to revisit any part of the schedule to adjust this?
- Broken down the tasks into manageable chunks so you know what specifically needs to be done when?
- Planned in time to meet with any of the support services you may need along the way?
- Had additional, unexpected tasks that have come your way and now need to be factored in?
- Had any tasks removed or the time for completion reduced so you can reassign the time for other items on your schedule?
- Reviewed any areas where you are not keeping to your schedule? What might need to happen to ensure you meet your goals?

Whilst it's important to keep as close to your plan as you can, there is a need to be flexible. This can take time to get right and you should think of it as a continually developing skill.

What if it all goes wrong?

You may find that, despite your best efforts, you are getting behind with assessed work. If that's the case, try not to panic; there are some safety nets to fish you back out of the water.

- Extensions: students are eligible for up to five automatic five-working-day extensions per level of study. In exceptional circumstances, there is also the option of an exceptional 10-working-day extension, but this must be approved by your personal tutor and will use up two of your five-working-day extensions. Both five and ten-working-day extensions must be applied via eVision before the submission deadline. For further information on extensions, contact the Assessment team.
- Mitigating circumstances: in the case of unforeseen or significant personal difficulties or circumstances outside of your control which have an impact on your ability to complete or submit a specific assessment, you can apply for a mitigating circumstances extension. For more information, take a look at the guidance on myLTU.

Don't see applying for an extension as a failure; it's best not to rely on them, and certainly not regularly since this can result in the 'bunching' up of multiple deadlines, but they are there to help you get back on track.

Move on to the next stage of the quest, the Swamp of Procrastination!

Castle Pomodoro

Having prioritised multiple tasks and considered the best order in which to complete your workload, you move on from the big city and back onto the lake. Your next stop: Castle Pomodoro.

Locals fear this desolate landmark, but the silence of the castle provides you with an opportunity to address that first, urgent and important task on your list.

But you hit another time management wall. How will you organise your study time?

The castle is named after the Italian word for tomato - Pomodoro - but, more specifically, the Pomodoro technique, which, in turn, is the namesake of the tomato-shaped time-keeping device found in many kitchens.

The Pomodoro technique (Cirillo, 2025) is a time management approach that helps you tackle a task by breaking it down into manageable chunks completed within specific, timed intervals. The beauty of this system is that breaks are planned into the mix, reducing the opportunity for distraction.

Use the + icons below to see the steps involved in the Pomodoro Technique:

Choose a task

Be specific: what exactly would you like to do in the time available? e.g. rather than 'work on my essay', define the parameters: "I will write 500 words of my essay: 200 for my introduction and 300 for my first paragraph."

Make sure the task you choose is achievable.

Set a timer for 25 minutes

This should be a good amount of time to focus on your task, but feel free to adjust for your needs; you may find 20 minutes is long enough, or you might prefer to stretch to 30 minutes.

Work on your task

For the duration of the timer, focus only on your chosen task. Mute your phone and turn it face down. Close down any messaging services you may have on the device you're working on. Try to avoid distractions entirely. When one arises, remind yourself that a break is coming up soon and you can deal with it then.

Break time!

Well done! You've worked hard for the set time and now you've earned a break. Take 5 - 10 minutes, depending on your preference. Try to move away from your work and relax. A change of scenery may help, as well as a snack to keep your brain firing.

Repeat x 4

Repeat this process four times, then take a longer break. It might be that you take an hour for lunch, or perhaps you leave the study session there for the day. Remember to keep taking the 5 - 10 minute breaks in between; scheduling in down-time is intended to reduce distractions!

Pomodoro Multiple Choice

Q: Let's imagine you have a couple of hours free to spend in the library and make progress on some of your projects. You decide to use the Pomodoro technique to guide your study time.

Which of the following do you think would be good examples of tasks you could set yourself for this study period?

(Hint: For each answer you select, click on the 'i' icon for more information!)
- Make a PowerPoint for my presentation assessment.
  Hint: This feels a bit vague. What themes do you need to cover? Do you need to do any preliminary research? How many slides do you need to create? How many would you like to complete in each 25 minute interval? Are you likely to complete the whole presentation in the time available? You need to be more specific (and possibly more realistic too)…
- Read the abstract, introduction and key findings of the journal I have found, and make critical notes on the content. (correct)
  Hint: This is a good example - it's specific in terms of what needs to be achieved and realistic in what can be done in the time available.
- Finish my essay. Meet with my team to discuss our group project. Do research for my part of the project. Order Joe's present. Email my tutor about Thursday's lecture.
  Hint: Woah, this is a lot! We often have unrealistic expectations of ourselves, and setting too many goals can result in disappointment. We may berate ourselves for not achieving what we set out to do, and this can cause us to abandon our tasks altogether. Be practical; think about the time needed for these tasks and plot them out over an appropriate period of time.
Feedback (0 to 100%): Try out the Pomodoro technique when you have your next study session and see if it works for you! Onwards, brave traveller, to the next stage of our quest!

Cirillo, F. (2025). The Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique. https://www.pomodorotechnique.com

Move on to the next stage of the quest, Alone in the cave... or are you?

Return of the Hero!

Feedback: Welcome home, brave and impressively-skilled adventurer! Your quest may be at an end, but other adventures await! Practise the skills you have developed in this resource and work out what works best for you. Safe travels ahead!

Time Management - A Quest!