From our experience of working with students who have difficulties passing examinations and fulfilling other academic obligations, we know that most of them also experience difficulties in the area of functioning broadly referred to as time management. This means that they do not use the time available to them in the best possible way.
Good time and study organisation are particularly important within the Bologna system of study, in which students attend a greater number of courses, each involving several obligations, many of which must be completed at the same time. In addition, many students today work while studying, which makes organisation even more demanding. Nevertheless, we can see that some students cope successfully with such demands, while others encounter difficulties.
Students often assume that successful studying excludes socialising and going out, and they are often surprised when told that these activities not only go hand in hand with successful studying but are also essential prerequisites for success at university. This does not mean that you will have time every day for everything you want to do, but when you review everything you have done over a week, month or year, it is important that you have made time for everything that fulfils you and brings you joy, as well as for all activities that help you achieve your long-term goals.
In the following text, we will address each aspect of study organisation separately.
- Goals and priorities
This aspect of time management is most commonly neglected because we consider goals and priorities to be self-evident. It seems obvious that we want to complete the study programme in which we have enrolled and that we want to pass a particular examination. Nevertheless, we need to become aware of our long-term life goals and the way in which completing the tasks currently required of us is connected to achieving those goals. This will help increase our motivation for what we are doing and prevent us from giving up too soon.
A whole series of short-term goals connects us to the achievement of long-term goals. For example, to graduate from university, which is a long-term goal, we must pass all examinations required in a particular year of study, which are short-term goals. This also includes writing seminar papers and assignments and attending hundreds of hours of classes at the Faculty. Every long-term goal contains several short-term sub-goals, while short-term goals also have their own sub-goals.
Why is it important to be aware of both long-term and short-term goals? Focusing only on long-term goals would have a damaging effect on our motivation because long-term goals are usually so large that they appear unattainable. On the other hand, if we focus only on short-term goals without understanding their connection to long-term goals, the activities we perform every day lose their sense of purpose, and a lack of purpose also reduces our motivation. It is therefore important to be aware of long-term goals while also setting short-term goals.
Effective goals are:
- Realistic or achievable – they can be achieved within a specified period. For example, “I will pass the examination during the winter examination period” is a realistic goal, while “I will pass the examination during the winter examination period with the highest grade” is unrealistic.
- Specific – it is clear what exactly the goal concerns. For example, “I will pass the first-semester examinations by the end of the summer examination period” is a specific goal, while “I will become a better student” is not.
- Measurable − we can easily assess whether the goal has been achieved. “I will pass the winter-semester examinations with grades higher than 3” is a measurable goal, while “I will study more during the next semester” is not.
- Relevant – connected to long-term goals
- Defined in behavioural terms − it is clear what we need to do to achieve the goal.
- Planning and creating a schedule
To achieve the goals we have set, we need to incorporate them into our daily schedule. Creating a monthly, weekly or daily plan may cause resistance in some people, particularly if they highly value spontaneity. Nevertheless, students who organise their time more successfully have more time for different activities in their lives. A simple analysis of how you use your time, by recording how much time you spend on individual activities during the day, will show you that good organisation would leave you with more free time than you think and more than you currently have for the things you enjoy. In addition, enjoyable activities are an essential part of every plan.
What can you do to increase the likelihood of adhering to the plans you have made?
- Create plans that are realistic and consistent with your goals and lifestyle.
- Write your plan down somewhere where it will be accessible to you most of the time, such as in a planner or on a smartphone.
- If you have many obligations, use reminders, such as sticky notes or smartphone reminders.
- Update your plans regularly.
- Avoid doing several things at the same time, or multitasking, because it makes you less productive.
- Organise your workspace in a way that makes completing tasks easier. For example, keep the study materials you are currently using readily available and store the remaining materials elsewhere.
- Prepare for the following day one day in advance so that you know what awaits you.
- Seek help from others when necessary so that you can successfully carry out your plan.
- Identify “time thieves” and remove them from the time scheduled for work activities, such as the internet and social media, telephone calls and mobile communication, television, invitations to socialise and similar distractions.
- Prepare responses in advance for situations in which you need to say no so that you can complete tasks according to your plan.
- At the end of each day, record the extent to which you have completed your plan.
- Explain to the people close to you how you organise your time and ask them to support you.