Time Organisation
You are much more likely to succeed at college if you are well organised. This is not always easy.
Organising your time is more complex than just writing out a timetable and scheduling time in your diary.
Your schedule must be practical and realistic. New students who are unaccustomed to having large amounts of uncommitted time need to develop good organisational skills.
Planning your schedule
Consider the following points:
- Each subject requires that you attend a number of sessions for the whole term or semester. You may have lectures, tutorials, practicals and camps. Block out assigned time in your timetable and diary. This is not available for study.
- There will be peaks and troughs as far as your work load is concerned. Record when your major papers, tutorial presentations and tests are due. You will need to allow extra time in your scheduling prior to handing in an assignment.
- The quality of the time you spend studying is more important than the length of time. In planning, work out when you study best and allow all subjects some of your best time.
- The order in which you study some subjects may influence your effectiveness. Follow up study of a difficult topic or subject with more relaxing and enjoyable work.
- Studying a subject prior to class may be necessary at times.
- Use small amounts of free time for little chores, such as finding references and photocopying. Be careful not to fritter away your best study time.
- Allow yourself some unscheduled time in case you lose study time for any reason.
- Plan your recreation time.
- There are times when you can't study. Allow time in your schedule for travel, meals and chores.
- Don't overload yourself. Plan to study 2-3 hours per subject if possible. You can increase or decrease that in time when you re-examine your schedule and assess your progress
Using your schedule
Work out a system of recording the hours that you have to study: eg. marking one hour blocks in a timetable. Don't record periods of less than half an hour. This will provide you with flexibility to do extra work or have free time. It will also enable you to assess the success of your planning. Does a difficult subject require extra time? Is some other problem interfering with your study? Change your schedule to suit your needs.
Finding time - for people who are not only students
Some of you will find scheduling very difficult because you are studying part-time or with very limited time available to you.
It's essential that you are able to reorganise your life so that study time is available. This may require a big change in your lifestyle especially if you have a non-student partner.
If you are planning, work out ways of ensuring that you can make the most of your available time. Find a regular study place which can be safely left and returned to i.e. not the kitchen table. Ensure that there are as few distractions as possible when you are studying.
You may choose to count completed hours of study so that you can gradually work out what's realistic for you. An anticipated weekly target can depress you if you never meet it!
Allow yourself some free time. You deserve it.
Why bother! - A loss of momentum
Sometimes students lose heart during a course. This can be caused by the seeming anonymity of college life compared with school or work. Country or interstate students can feel very isolated. At times, disinterest in a part of a course or a particular subject can depress an otherwise able, successful student.
The following may help to overcome a feeling of isolation.
- Join and participate in groups and clubs. Allow time for new relationships to develop.
- The counsellors and study skills tutors may be able to provide helpful information and support while you are establishing yourself.
- Lecturers are often very happy to offer advice, support and information, particularly in their subject area. After all, they want you to succeed.
If your problem is course or subject based:
- View the course or subject as objectively as possible. It is not necessary to like everything that you study. If studying a subject will lead you to your Degree or Diploma, why not do it well, and save enjoyment for other subjects!
- Seek advice and support either to continue the troublesome subject or to find an acceptable alternative. Course co-ordinators, lecturers, counsellors and study tutors are available to assist you.
Late submission
If you are having grave problems meeting deadlines is it because:
- you think that there is a right answer and you're not sure that you've found it?
- you need to be certain that you've taken the right line of argument? Perhaps you wait till the lecturer covers the topic before you start writing - even if it's just before your paper is dueyou have too much information?
- writing is very difficult for you, or you don't have the necessary skills?
- you haven't spent time on adequate analysis and preparation of the assignment?
- you don't feel ready to put pen to paper?
Start writing before you are ready - it will help to organise your ideas. Don't wait until all your reading has been done.
For more information
- Check the shelves:
Time management: set priorities to get the right things done 658.4093 HOO - Search the LLC Catalogue with the key terms 'time management'
- Explore the web
- Ask a Librarian!
The LLC recommends these web links:
- Student time management tips
Time management tips particularly geared towards students. - Time management
University of New South Wales guide to short and long term planning, links and further reading.
