The first step to effective time management is recognizing that you can be in control. Psychologists use the term locus of control—locus means “place”—to refer to a person’s beliefs about how much control they have over the events that affect them. Being in control means that you make your own decisions and accept responsibility for the outcomes of those decisions.

Some people believe that their locus of control is internal, or within themselves; others believe that it is external, or beyond their power. If you frequently find yourself saying “I don’t have time,” you likely have an external locus of control. The next time you find yourself saying this, stop and ask yourself whether it is actually true. Do you really not have time, or have you made a choice not to make time for a particular task or activity? When we say we don’t have time, we imply that we don’t have a choice. We do have a choice because we have control over how we use our time and how many commitments and small decisions we choose to make every day. For example, we have control over when we get up in the morning; how much sleep we get; and how much time we spend studying, working, and exercising. All of these small decisions have a big impact on our success in college and in life.