Being a student is a period of great mental and physical stress. Lectures, seminars, preparing for exams and tests, writing term papers and dissertations – all this takes a lot of time and exerts pressure on young people. And if it is necessary to juggle study and a part-time or full-time job, workload becomes simply enormous, not to mention the fact that everyone needs to include rest, some kind of entertainment, personal life in one’s daily routine. Fortunately, the experts from pro-papers.com found the ways to spend your time reasonably when studying.
Be careful with gadgets
The Internet simplifies the learning process greatly but also conceals hidden threats. While you are using a tablet to find information and prepare for a seminar, there is a risk of being distracted by e-mail, social networks, and other time thieves. The same applies to watching TV and listening to the radio in parallel with learning. Even if it seems to you that this is just a background, believe, it worsens your academic performance by 25%.
Turn off all unnecessary electronic appliances before starting to study, focus on a task. Viewing Instagram should better become a kind of reward for work done. You can afford 15 minutes of relaxation in social networks or favorite computer games after each challenging assignment.
Use a printer
Simplify your work by using the means of technical progress. A good example is buying a multi-function printer. There will be no need to rewrite notes from classmates’ notebooks after a missed lecture. You can simply scan these notes in minutes and read them from a tablet or print out a scanned copy if you prefer paper versions.
Plan your actions
Having a busy student life, it is worth not relying only on your memory. Some tasks may be simply forgotten and entail a lot of problems. Get used to writing everything down. Buy a diary, glider or install a corresponding application on your phone. So you will not forget anything and struggle from the consequences of your own irresponsibility.
In addition, it is easier to plan the sequence of tasks performing if they are reflected on paper. Create task lists for a day, a week and a month. Set goals and note their achievements. As practice shows, items of a clear action plan are implemented much faster, at least because one does not have to spend time thinking about what to do next.
Prioritize
There is a law of forced efficiency which states: there is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing. Always assign importance and priority to all tasks. To do this, imagine the worst consequences you may face if something will not be done in time.
For example, if you do not learn one topic in history today, then you will have to learn two topics tomorrow and probably will not learn any of them properly. As a result, you will lose a few points on an exam. Such tasks should be treated as important and urgent, placed at the top of a list. Make it a rule not to postpone such things until tomorrow.
Do important but non-urgent things next. They cannot be avoided because these tasks will become urgent and difficult over time. To avoid this, create a time margin for them.
Urgent but unimportant tasks usually take a lot of time. This applies to assignments on non-core subjects which are not likely to bring you knowledge applicable in a future profession. Try to minimize such tasks as much as possible or even reassign them to someone, for example, contact a paper writing service.
It is logical that non-urgent and unimportant things will not bring great benefits. They should be avoided or minimized in order not to take away your time. For example, watching TV shows is an interesting but not mandatory thing. Postpone such entertainment until the weekend. Compile your list of worthless activities. Title it “I will never do this before all homework is done” and follow your own rules.
Use the principle of parallel activities
There are surely tasks in your daily routine that do not require constant focused attention. Combine them with doing other things, for instance:
- Read notes and textbooks in transport, on the way to a university, unless you are driving, of course.
- Listen to audio-books while cleaning or cooking.
- Use any walk to repeat the information you have learned aloud.
Do not waste time. Fill your day with useful actions as much as possible. This will increase your personal effectiveness and help you do more.
Do the most difficult things first
You are more likely to cope with something challenging and unpleasant if you just returned from a university, ate and had a good rest. There is enough energy to fight laziness and make complex decisions. On the contrary, if it is late at night, you have been writing essays for several hours and want to sleep, the thought of, “It’s enough. I cannot do it.” will cross your mind.
It is better to perform easy assignments on disciplines you like last because you will feel no temptation to brush them aside. If it is hard for you to start with uninteresting tasks, comfort yourself with the fact that you will get rid of the burden early and not have to worry about it anymore going forward.
Clear your study space
Up to 30% of the time is spent on searching for necessary things in chaos. A waste bin is a great time management tool. Productive people are always in demand in a working area.
Look for the best literature
Not all textbooks are written well. If you do not understand what an author wanted to convey, visit a library or a book shop, look through a couple of textbooks and select something more suitable. The same goes for tutors. Search, choose, change.
Do not be afraid to say “no”
It is ok if all your friends are going to the cinema and you are busy now. Do not be afraid to offend them, just say “no”. You will spend an extra two hours on learning today, but you can relax with a sense of accomplishment tomorrow. Pride in yourself inspires better than any new movie.
Preserve balance
Do not panic if you have more tasks than you can accomplish. Take a deep breath and say to yourself: “I will do only what I can do.” Studying until exhaustion is not an option and it will only lower your productivity. Watch your health and keep fit, have a rest, communicate with family and friends.
We hope you found some of these tips helpful. Any other strategies you use for better time management while in school? How do you balance school with your social life? Let us know in the comments section below.
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