Have you fallen into the common student trap of waking up each morning without a clue what you're going to be doing that day? Maybe you've got a couple of classes, but you'll end up spending the rest of your time playing computer games, hanging out in the refractory, and seeing what everyone's up to on Facebook. Sure, you have an assignment deadline looming, and you had a feeling there was a book you were supposed to read, but neither of those need doing today...
So, on Thursday night, you're up at one am - just like all your friends who've gone clubbing. But instead of having fun with them, you're stuck at your desk, frantically trying to finish the essay that's due the next morning.
Here's how to get yourself organised and make sure that doesn't happen!
Set aside half an hour to plan your week
Don't feel that time spent planning work is wasted - you'll be much more productive over the course of the week. Just thirty minutes of thinking ahead really will pay dividends. First thing Monday morning is a good time to plan out your week, and to make sure that you're on track to meet deadlines.
Write down classes, lectures and appointments
Many students have an uneven workload - perhaps with several classes on one day and none on another. Jot all your contact time down in your diary or spreadsheet, or on a bit of paper, when you're planning your week. You need to be able to look ahead and see when you've got a jam-packed day followed by an urgent deadline - then you can plan around it.
Schedule your personal study time
Work out when you're going to read that book, prepare for that seminar, or do the research for an upcoming assignment. Set yourself mini-deadlines on big projects, rather than leaving everything till the last minute. Remember, your professors are unlikely to object if you turn in an assignment a day or two early!
When you're planning out your time, be realistic. You're not going to be able to concentrate intensely for eight hours straight. Try to make sure each day includes some time for private work (outside set classes and lectures), but also make sure you've got some time to unwind.
Plan a variety of studying for each day
It also helps to avoid working solely on one task throughout a whole day. If you've got a clear day with no classes or appointments, try rotating between different subjects or activities. You might want to read for an hour, then do something active like planning an essay. You could alternate between studying on your own and meeting up with a friend to talk through a project.
Give yourself an afternoon off
If you plan your time well, you can afford to take an afternoon (or morning, or even a whole day) off. Looking forward to a complete break can really help you to stay motivated and productive - whereas if you try to work all day, every day, you'll quickly end up procrastinating. Having regular time away from the lecture theatre and the library helps keep you fresh, and your brain can sort out knotty problems more easily when you're not forcing yourself to sit and stare at a text book.
Ali Hale is a postgraduate student of Creative & Life Writing, and runs the blog Alpha Student ("Helping you make the most of your time at Uni"). Ali works as a freelance writer and website creator, and is on the staff of several large blogs. If you're looking for a writer or a website, you can hire her via Aliventures. |
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