A method of controlling a terminal is provided. The method includes determining a current status of at least one of the terminal and a peripheral environment of the terminal based on information obtained by using at least one sensor from a predetermined list of a plurality of statuses regarding the terminal or the peripheral environment of the terminal, determining an operation schedule of the at least one sensor based on the determined current status and the information obtained by using the at least one sensor, and controlling the at least one sensor to operate based on the determined operation schedule.