Everyone needs to get better at time management in order to strike the right balance between home, work and University life.
Arranging your priorities, by giving yourself the best chance of staying on track and organizing your time during exams, which in turn can help reduce stress levels, something that can make the difference between success and failure at university.
Here are top seven time management tips that can help you excel at University and also find moments to relax and earn pocket money.
1) List Your Priorities
The first stage of improving your time management is to list all the things you need to do. Leaving important tasks until the last minute, can impact on the quality of work and grades you produce.
University deadlines as well as work shifts, and make a note of how much time each priority will take out of your schedule.
2) Make use of organizing tools
Whether it’s a pin-up planner, a timetable or a calendar on your phone, an organizing tool works well for you. Plan your time when you are well alert.
3) Be flexible but realistic
Allow 8-10 hours a day for working, studying, socializing and anything else practical you need to do.
As a full-time student, you’re expected to dedicate 35 hours a week to university studies, including the time you spend in seminars and lectures. If you only spend 15 hours a week attending tutor-led learning, you should use the extra 20 hours for independent study.
4) Allow time for planning to avoid repetition
Take the time to research, plan and think about your work for good time management. Allow yourself the time to process new information and plan how you are going to use it, as this can help you to avoid having to re-read and repeat any research.
One way of effectively planning before researching is to make a list of everything you want to find out, so that you can make notes below each subheading as you go.
5) Avoid procrastination and distraction
One way to avoid procrastination is to think about the different places you have been when studying – where were you the most focused? Where were you most distracted?
6) Exercise to clear your head in between study sessions
Believe it or not, exercise works in the same way sleep does. It can focus your state of mind, helping you to clear your head in between study sessions. If you’re new to exercise, aim to fit in a 10-minute run here and there, steadily increasing the amount you do as you go on.
7) Has your organization been effective?
Constantly reviewing and reassessing your schedule can help you to recognize whether you need to make any changes in order to help you complete any University tasks and also have time to relax and spend time with friends and family.