Planning your study weeks can make life less stressful and help you achieve your dream of a university degree.
Most of the time you spend studying at university will be spent studying away from university.
That's either at home or in a library or another favourite space.
It means a typical study week will need to fit in with your pre-uni life.
So how's your week looking?
Other than going to classes or a library you may have part-time or casual work to factor in.
And unless these commitments are close to where you live there's also travel time to allow for.
Maybe you have weekly shopping, housework or even dog walking to find time for?
Add any regular exercise or sports you do. And then there's family commitments, socialising or just watching TV.
The week is gone before you know it.
And you've still got to fit study time in there!
How to plan your study weeks
This is why we recommend you keep a weekly planner.
It helps you keep track of your different responsibilities, including your study.
Here are some tips about weekly planners.
- Get a diary
If it's an 'old school' diary it should show each week over 2 pages (as a minimum) so you can fit everything in.
- Work out the non-negotiables
Add activities or commitments that you must do each week, or whenever they occur. That includes things like uni classes and work shifts.
- Work out your best study times
When do you study best during the day and week? This is when you should tackle your more demanding assignments. Identify other times that are good for less challenging activities like finding library books.
- Be tough with priorities
You might find you've got too much in your planner. People do. But if your life priority is to graduate with a degree, you can't sacrifice valuable study time.
- Give yourself some breaks
No matter how busy your week is looking, you should schedule some 'me time' and do things you enjoy. Life can't be all study, and breaks help you be more productive.
- Fixed or flexible?
Some people like to have fixed schedules, while others are more flexible. Whatever your preference, ensure you have regular blocks of study time. You may need to review your planner every week to account for commitment changes.
You might have to plan your study commitments around walking your dog.
Use it or lose it
A weekly planner is only useful if you follow it. Once you've put it together make sure you look at it every day during the week.
While we're talking planning, you might also want to read our article about 7 steps for planning a uni semester.
You can never have enough plans!
