Create a game plan. If this means actually using the calendar function either on your phone or on your wall, do it. Having a set schedule will help you stay organized and able to direct your attention on whatever you have planned for the hour. Set a new schedule at the beginning of every week based on your classes and appointments that week, such as doctors' appointments or time spent at the gym or with friends. Remember that scheduling time for yourself is just as important as setting time aside for your studies.
Using time for your studies can be hard, especially if you are in the wrong environment. If you surround yourself with friends, loud music or other potential entertainment distractions, study elsewhere. Use time-management for your studies by hitting the books when your roommate or parents are out of the house. If this is not possible, If your Internet distracts you, unplug your cable or temporarily turn off your Wi-Fi connection.
Procrastination is not your friend when it comes to almost everything, and it is especially the case when it comes to time management for busy college students. If you find yourself becoming distracted with a new game, book or website, create a rewards system for yourself to fight the procrastination. Tell yourself that if you get "this much" work done over the next time period, you will get to do your activity for a one hour.
Your brain needs sleep to rest from the day and function properly on the next. Make sure that sleep makes it onto your "to-do" list of activities. Even if you can only catch a cat-nap between classes, do so. Also, follow the advice of eating breakfast every morning when you get up. While breakfast is healthy and breaks the fast of sleep for your stomach, it is also good for your brain. Eating breakfast regularly will help you to keep your attention span in check and heighten your ability to take in knowledge.
Tips and tricks for having better time management skills will do nothing for you if you don't follow through. Use your will power to make yourself follow through with your set schedule. After you follow through with the first day's list, it will get easier and easier to continue to do so. Soon you will be on a set schedule and wonder how you ever functioned without planning things.