24-Hour Time Grid

The 24-hour Time Grid combines two different types of “commitments” to help you better visualize how you spend your time. Before we describe how to create your 24-Hour Time Grid, let’s first define the two types of commitments that we’re talking about:

External commitments include anything that you have to show up to regularly, like class or work. They might also include meetings and practices for extracurricular activities as well as any regular appointments you might have, with an advisor, doctor, therapist, and more.

Internal Commitments can be divided into two categories. The first category includes all the things you need to do each day to take care of your basic human needs, like sleeping, eating, showering, and exercising. The second type of internal commitments includes all the tasks that you must find time for and motivate yourself to complete each day, like studying, reading, or searching for a job/internship.

TERRIER TIP: The ERC creates a printable version of the 24-hour grid each semester. However, you should use whatever platform works best for you (meaning, that you’ll check and update it regularly)! Many planners and digital calendars have a similar layout to the grid that we create. In fact, we often recommend that students use a digital calendar, like Google Calendar, to create their 24-hour time grid because they can be so versatile. Check out our video, Using Google Calendar to Create Your 24-Hour Time Grid to learn more!

1. Start by adding all your external commitments to your calendar since you’ll need to make sure to attend these each day. You’ll see that there’s still a lot of “white space” for you to define, and that’s where your internal commitments come in.
2. Next, reserve time for your basic needs. Be sure to carve out time for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, three meals a day, and opportunities for exercise each week. As a student, it can often be tempting to skip these things, maybe you pull an all-nighter or skip lunch, in order to finish up some work; however, ensuring that your basic needs are met is vital to your academic success and your health later in life.
3. Then, identify blocks of study time. At this point, you might also identify time for working towards any other long-term internal commitments you might have, such as searching for a job or internship.
   TERRIER TIP #1: Aim to study in 1–3-hour blocks of time that way you won’t get fatigued.
   TERRIER TIP #2: Try to carve out 1.5-2 hours of study time for each credit-hour that you’re taking. For a four-credit course that amounts to 6-8 hours of study time each week.
4. Finally, identify some free time for yourself! Time for rest and relaxation is super important if you want to sustain your motivation over the long haul, so protect this time!