By. Laura Woo, Marketing Intern

Balancing grad school with the rest of your life isn’t easy. Between work, family, and everything else, it can feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. That’s where the right tools can step in—not to add more to your plate, but to make things a little smoother.

Here are a few that students often find helpful:

Google Calendar
Simple but effective. Keep track of classes, deadlines, and personal plans all in one place. The interface is user-friendly, and the basic version is free. Color-coding and reminders make it easier to stay on top of everything.

Teams & Zoom
Collaboration is part of the grad school experience, even online. These platforms make virtual meetings easy for group projects, office hours, or study sessions. Both are intuitive to use; Zoom offers a free plan with limits, while Teams is often provided free through university accounts.

Note-taking & writing helpers
Tools like Notion, Evernote, or OneNote help organize notes and ideas in ways that work for different learning styles. Grammarly (free with premium upgrade) can save you time on proofreading, while Adobe Acrobat Pro (subscription) is great for annotating research articles.

University resources
Don’t forget what’s already available: Canvas keeps your classes organized, the University Library offers research databases, and the Virtual Writing Center provides writing feedback without leaving your desk. These are free with your student account.

Trello or Miro
If you’re a visual thinker, these tools are lifesavers. Trello (free with paid options) lets you break projects into smaller tasks and check them off as you go. Miro (also free with upgrade options) works like a giant digital whiteboard—perfect for brainstorming or mapping out ideas with classmates.

Canva
Great for visual assignments or presentations. Canva offers thousands of templates for graphic design projects. The free version is robust, and the paid upgrade adds advanced features. It’s easy to use, even for beginners.

Genei.io
Need to read and digest long articles quickly? Genei.io uses AI to summarize research papers and highlight key points. It’s especially useful for heavy reading loads. It requires a subscription after a trial.

Delve
For students working with data, Delve is a qualitative data analysis tool that helps organize and interpret findings. It’s designed to be user-friendly but does require a subscription.

PERRLA
Struggle with APA or MLA formatting? PERRLA is designed specifically to create properly formatted references and papers. It’s subscription-based, but it can save significant time and frustration when writing research papers.

Wellness apps (mental + physical)
It’s not just about productivity. Staying on top of your mental and physical health makes you more resilient as a student. Apps like Headspace or Calm (both subscription-based with free trials) can help you reset during stressful weeks. For physical wellness, apps like MyFitnessPal or Nike Training Club (both offer free versions) provide simple ways to track exercise and encourage healthy routines. Maintaining balance isn’t optional—it’s part of making sure you can bring your best self to both school and life.

Time management doesn’t mean squeezing more in—it’s about making room for what matters most. Try out different tools, see what sticks, and build a system that supports both your studies and your wellbeing.

Ready for more tips and support? Explore student resources or learn more about your program at online.illinois.edu.