Time Management Strategies & Tips
The time management strategies discussed below are adapted from The UK Open University.
Planning and Prioritizing
Planning is essential in every endeavour. To avoid cramming, you must familiarize yourself with the learning activities and requirements of each course you are enrolled in, draw up a study schedule that takes into account your various responsibilities, and commit to this schedule.
You must also learn how to prioritize tasks based on their degree of importance and urgency. Not all tasks or activities are important and not all tasks are urgent, even some that are important.
Check out the advice on how to plan and prioritize at https://help.open.ac.uk/planning-and-prioritising. On this page you will find a four-square grid that you can use to prioritize tasks based on whether they are important, urgent, both, or neither.
Some other techniques for prioritizing are the ABC System, the Index Card/Post-it® System, the Payoff System, and the Pareto Principle. You can read about them in Marc Mancini's book on Time Management, which is available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1luBFgYaXiPi4LFeC-sXrFHxZfNKSesq1/view?usp=sharing
Another strategy for making productive use of your time is the Pomodoro Technique. Know more about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNBmG24djoY
Finding a Place to Study
As you know, not all places are conducive to learning. It is your responsibility as a learner to find a place where you can concentrate on studying and be free from distractions. You also have to get organized. Consider this tip from The UK Open University:
- “Being organised is not necessarily about being tidy - it's about having a system in place that works for you. You need somewhere to study and somewhere to keep your study materials, files and books. You'll also need access to a computer.
If you don't have a room to yourself then you might want to work at the kitchen or dining room table. You'll also no doubt find other places to study - you may find you can listen to an audio recording in your car, or study on the train, for example” (The Open University 2021).
Setting Study Goals
Setting personal long-term and short-term study goals can help you to use your time well. Short-term goals, like completing an assignment, are stated in daily or weekly to-do lists or schedules. Long-term goals, such as completing your degree program with honors, can be clarified using an action plan. Know more about setting study goals at https://help.open.ac.uk/study-goals
Dealing with Distractions and Procrastination
Do you tend to procrastinate or put off work until the last minute? Are you a lot of distractions that make it difficult for you to focus? The UK Open University suggests the following tips for dealing with distractions and procrastination:
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Set realistic goals for your study session (e.g. 'I'll read this section, or work for 40 minutes before I make that coffee').
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Aim to minimize real interruptions (e.g. by putting on your answer phone, or asking friends not to disturb you).
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Remember that it is best to try and have short-term deadlines that you stick to for significant study activities, such as completing an assignment by the cut-off date.
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Try not to feel that you need to produce the perfect assignment or project.
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Avoid taking on too many commitments—learn to politely say 'no.'
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Learn to prioritize your tasks.
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Make a deal with yourself—for example, 'Okay, I'll hang out with my friend tonight, but this means that I'll need to get up early on Sunday to study.'
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Just do it! You may find that the task doesn't take as long as you expected and you'll feel much better for getting it out of the way.
What If You Fall Behind?
It is not unthinkable that you will, at some point, fall behind and not meet your personal schedule or deadlines in completing your tasks. Backlogs are normal, so do not panic. Watch this video for tips on catching up on your course work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_NZc-3x0kE