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Managing study and time: 2: Time (Week)

This guide covers the main ways to organise your study and time to get the most from university study while minimising stress.

 

Good time management enables good study.

Sometimes, study can feel as if it's taking over your life, especially if you're also busy with work or family. These three pages describe some simple ways to not feel overwhelmed.

Most people quickly settle into a seven-day routine. If that's you, planning that routine helps you control how you use your time, for less stress and better outcomes. If if your weeks change (e.g. unpredictable work shifts), using each weekend to plan the next seven days still helps.

FIRST

Fill in your fixed commitments first - the things you can't control, such as family commitments (e.g. school drop-off), work, lectures and tutorials.

Use a different colour for each course; it's easier to read quickly.

SECOND

Then fill in each course's preparation/consolidation time.

If possible, prepare for each course <24 hours beforehand (review the slides/readings, do any required exercises, and think about what you want to get from the session).

Then consolidate each course <24 hours afterwards (get your notes into legible order, compare them to last week's notes, skim back over the readings/exercises).

THIRD

By now, the timetable should give a good visual sense of where time's most available, and be giving you ideas about how it best fits your personality and aims. Think not just about when you're free, but about what days/times you do your best work, and how to organise your priorities around that.

That includes revision and assessments, but also three other important things:

(1) Life. If you play sports, observe a religion, go out with friends, or do anything else that keeps you alive and happy, include it in your timetable.

(2) Food and sleep. Always include these to avoid your timetable driving you into the ground.

(3) Travel times, if you'll be moving between locations. Ensure it fits with the bus/train timetable (if you're using public transport) or parking availability (if you're driving).

Final note

Importantly, check how well it's working after a fortnight. Don't make it an ideal to obey - it should describe what you really do. Anything that feels forced, or results in bad work, should be shuffled around until you're comfortable with it.