The Units time management strategy is similar to The Circles method, with an added feature: peer pressure!

In a nutshell, you find a reliable friend or two, and collectively you work “Units.” Each Unit represents 45 minutes of uninterrupted work on a particular task. The twist is that you publicly announce your intention, before you start working. Ideally your friend will Unit at the same time, but that’s not an absolute requirement. What matters is that you announce your intention in advance, and confirm that you did what you said you were going to do when you finish.

How to Implement The Units

There are various ways you can structure this:

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If you’re like me, you have a lot of days where you feel like you were working all day long, but you don’t really get much accomplished.

I find this happens for two reasons:

• I’m not sure what I should be working on
• I spend time doing things that feel like work, but aren’t actually productive.

Luckily, I came across a deceptively simple, but extremely powerful, technique that helps with both of these problems: The Circles.

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Of the three methods of time management awesomeness, The Buzzer is definitely the easiest. But that’s not to say it’s without its charms!

How to Implement The Buzzer

Using The Buzzer technique couldn’t be easier – simply find something with a timer (your smart phone is a good starting point, or you can download programs for your computer or even get an old fashioned egg timer) and set the timer for 45 minutes. Start working. Don’t move until the buzzer goes off. Take a break and repeat as needed.

You’re probably scoffing at the idea that this could be effective, but, surprisingly, it is.

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Time management is critical in law school. It’s easy to feel completely overwhelmed with the competing demands on your time, which can lead to a total meltdown. We’ve all had them.

In the name of meltdown avoidance, let’s talk about a few techniques for time management.

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