LIFESTYLE NEWS - Being organised and managing your time is important if you want to achieve success. The Nelson Mandela University (NMU) has the following tips to help learners to be more organised and plan your time so that you can study more effectively:
Make sure you:
- Have a suitable study spot. Select a place that is quiet and preferably free from distractions at home, in the library or wherever you study. Try to use the same study area each time. In this way your body and mind will become 'programmed' for study and you will concentrate better. Ideally you shouldn't perform any other activities in your study area.
- Have time-saving stationery and accessories close at hand, e.g. dictionary, ring-binders, paper, pens, kokis, files, etc.
- Make certain you have easy access to study material needed in a particular study session. e.g. textbooks, journals, videos, notes, etc.
Tips to manage your time:
- Study difficult or boring subjects first. This will prevent you from spending too much time on your 'favourite' subjects.
- Avoid scheduling marathon study sessions. For example, two 3-hour sessions are far more productive for most people than one long 6-hour session. When you are engaged in study over a relatively long period, take a break after every 40 to 60 minutes.
- If you are studying in a large block of time, work on several different subjects and avoid studying similar subjects back-to-back. This will help you to avoid confusion.
- Leave some unscheduled time for flexibility and recreational activities. Lack of flexibility is the major reason why study time-tables fail.
First, list the activities that come at fixed hours and that cannot be changed. Next, schedule flexible time commitments.
These hours can be swapped with other blocks of time if your schedule needs to be changed during the week. Therefore if you are forced to deviate from your planned schedule, you can substitute an equal amount of study time for the period you originally set aside for study.
- Be aware of your best time of day. Observe yourself and schedule study time for your most demanding studies at times when you are most alert.
- Make good use of free hours. Have short study tasks to do, for example while waiting for transport.
- Don't get too comfortable! Avoid studying in bed. Easy chairs and sofas are dangerous places to study. Your body gets the wrong signal, such as "time to relax/sleep".
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