Possibilities for support in connection with planning your study activities
A time management course can help you learn how to set priorities. What needs to be done first, and what can you tackle later? This type of course teaches you to set and manage these priorities effectively. Doing so can be helpful when study activities consume an especially large amount of your time and energy or when you only have a limited amount of time to study, for instance because you are chronically ill.
Some educational institutions offer a time management course to help you in this area. Are you curious whether your educational institution also offers possibilities for this? Ask your study counsellor or study adviser about it!
Schemes of educational institutions
Some educational institutions offer a time management course to help you with this. Are you curious if there are possibilities at your educational institute? Ask your study supervisor or student advisor!
Tips on how to manage your time better
Do you need a specific kind of training or course?
If you need a specific kind of training or course, you can ask your educational institution about it. In some cases, a certain course or training programme might not be available yet but could still be arranged upon request.
Tips for time management and making a schedule
You might find it helpful to use the Eisenhower matrix. The matrix works as follows:
|
|
Urgent |
Not urgent |
|
Important |
Do it now These tasks have the highest priority. It is best to do them right away. This includes things like deadlines for handing in assignments, studying for an exam and last-minute preparations. |
Schedule it This category includes tasks such as going over the lesson material before a lecture or preparing for a tutorial or practical. It is best to schedule a time for these tasks and set goals for yourself. |
|
Not important |
Schedule it, but do not wait too long This category includes tasks such as emailing your lecturers or study advisers. These things must be done in the near future. Try to schedule time for them and avoid waiting too long to complete the tasks. |
Do it later This category includes tasks that can be done later and that are not yet urgent. You can set them aside to be done at a future point in time. |
Based on this matrix, you can make a list of your priorities. The task with the highest priority is the one you will do first. You should also try to estimate how much time you will need to complete a given activity and note that on the list of priorities, too. If you often run out of time, it might be a good idea to track how much time you spend on study-related tasks over a period of several days.
Based on that information, you can then make a realistic schedule. Create a schedule and fill in all your obligations and leisure activities first. Next, schedule your study-related tasks around these things. It is also important to take time off and to keep some time free so you can spend it studying if you need to.