3. Time Management
One of the most challenging aspects of studying at a distance is the demands on your time. Without spending physical time in a classroom environment, it can be very easy to become distracted by other commitments and to quickly fall behind on your study timetable. As our study sessions are only 8 weeks long, once you are behind, catching up can be very hard. This can be a stressful situation, but it is important not to become overwhelmed by it all.
Time management is key to your success. One of the best ways to manage your study time effectively is to make lists of everything that needs to be done.
Start by writing down all of the study tasks that you need to complete and all of your other scheduled work or social commitments during the eight week study period. Divide this list into different categories, such as Studies (e.g. complete reading for Assignment One), Work commitments (e.g. late meeting with the boss) and Family commitments (e.g. Aunt Flora’s birthday). This should help you to see when you can set aside good-sized chunks of time to dedicate to your studies.
Once you have your eight week ‘To do’ list, think about a subsidiary list. You may find it helpful to create a weekly version or even a daily list which contains more detail of what you need to do and by when.
Whenever you plan to set aside time to study, whether it’s the morning, afternoon, evening or the whole weekend, try to stick to it. But make sure that the hours you schedule for your studies are realistic. Don’t say you will study between 4am and 7am if you are not a morning person! And remember that it is also important to schedule time for some recreational and relaxing distractions.
Bear in mind that you don’t have to complete each task before you move on to another item. For instance, if you are decorating the kitchen and waiting for the paint to dry, you can study for an hour before going back to complete the kitchen. However, crossing completed items off your list can be very satisfying. It will give you a sense of achievement while keeping you on track with your studies.
If you prefer to organise your time online rather than on bits of paper, you might want to consider using this simple online list service.
