If you’re feeling really overwhelmed with the amount of work you have to do. Note down every single task, no matter how small, in a list. Look at the list and choose small, easy tasks that you can achieve quickly. Just do them! Then physically cross them off your list. That visual of your list shrinking will motivate you to keep going with the list. Try to do at least one of the small jobs per day. More if you can!
Break down bigger projects into smaller tasks to complete. Try completing one of the smaller chunks every few days and you’ll find the project will start to take shape before you know it.
In an ideal world you’d complete your assignments with time to put them aside, come back to them a few days later, look over them, make any changes or improvements and hand them in early, with no pressure.
But we all know the reality is that with all of life’s commitments and activities, projects on our “to do” list can often be left to the last minute. This can lead to stress and anxiety and often a less than perfect assignment to hand in!
However, by implementing just a few small organisational strategies you can learn how to complete tasks in a timely manner and stay on top of your work.
Think about how you ordinarily manage time in your everyday life. Being aware of your habits (both good and bad), preferences, strengths and weaknesses helps you to identify strategies to make the most of your time and stay motivated.
First, think about your current approach. Ask yourself:
If you answered yes for most of these, you may already be quite the time manager! This resource will still give you some fresh tips and strategies. If you answered no for most of these, that's OK, you're being honest with yourself. You will benefit from the tips and strategies in this resource.
Ask yourself how you feel about your current approach. Do you find it stressful, motivating, adequate? Are there any aspects you’d like to improve?
Keep these reflections in mind as you consider how you might implement the following strategies.
The most successful students are those who have balanced lives. That means they make time each week for activities like studying and working on assignments, as well as paid work, caring duties, sleeping, exercising, enjoying hobbies, and spending time with family and friends.
Start by making a list of all of your:
Action: Take an ‘average’ week in the semester and try mapping the above on to a weekly planner or a calendar. How does it look? Does it all fit?
Once you’ve identified the demands on your time, decide what is flexible and what is not. Try categorising tasks in order of importance and value using a simple line like the one below.
Things that are of high importance and value really should be included in your planning – chart these on the left side of the line. Low importance, low tasks go on the right.
E.g. An assessment task worth 60% of the subject mark due in three weeks is high value and important - this is a priority. Re-ordering the books in your bookshelf may give you satisfaction but is low importance, low value and is not a priority.
It can sometimes be difficult to get started on larger tasks as the amount of work required can seem overwhelming. To make it more manageable, try breaking tasks down into smaller, more achievable goals.
These smaller tasks should be SMART goals:
Try taking a SMART approach to your all of your study sessions.
It’s important to use your time studying as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Think about:
Study 8-10am |
Break 30 minutes |
Study 10.30-12.30pm |
Break 2 hours |
Study 2.30-4.40pm |
Break 3 hours |
Planners help you to map out your time and tasks visually. Both online and paper versions are effective – consider which would work best for you.
Digital tools such as apps can also help you prioritise your tasks and balance your activities.
Often, the worst part about having a lot to do is not the work itself but the worry associated with it. If you have to battle procrastination, it may be that you have not worked out a way of managing a task.
Procrastination can be your way of saying, “I don’t know how to start”. It may not be laziness – it might be more about prioritising.
Many students have difficulty staying motivated at some time during their studies and their time and task management falters along with it. Sometimes this is due to lack of interest, while other times it may relate to difficulty. Lack of motivation and procrastination are often interrelated: when you lose motivation, you also find yourself interrupted by anything and everything that might take you away from study.
You won’t be equally interested in everything you study so you need to find ways to motivate yourself to study the things you’re not passionate about.
Try to connect what you are learning with real world situations. Figure out why the concepts or skills are relevant or useful for your future career. If you persevere in the development of this skill, will it give you an edge for future employment? Try watching video clips on the topic – different perspectives on it may give you a fresh approach to it.
One of the best ways to study effectively and stay motivated at university is with the support of your peers. You may find the content difficult one week but someone else may understand it well and in other weeks the opposite might be true. It’s worth taking time to connect with classmates in online discussion forums or by forming study groups, if you are able to meet.
A lack of motivation can often come from doing things the same repetitive way. Try mixing things up, e.g. different study methods or locations.
Managing study tasks has to be achieved in relation to the rest of your life, which means making choices, planning ahead and communicating with the people in your life.
Sometimes this means saying “no” to friends, to family, or to overtime at work: it’s about prioritising.
Discuss your study timetable with friends and family, place the timetable on the fridge or give them a copy. This can make them aware of the demands in your life and help them to understand your priorities.
Establishing a regular pattern of work can help get you into a routine. This allows you to feel more in control (which should help with procrastination), to fit all required tasks into the time available and to maximise your time use. A way of overcoming procrastination issues is the establishment of a routine.
Remember to keep balance in your life. Prioritise what’s important to you, and above all be realistic in the goals you set, and create separation: when you are studying, study, when you are relaxing – do that, relax!
University of Melbourne. (n.d.). Time management. https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/resources/study-skills/time-management/time-management