How to manage your time and stay motivated
*This information is relevant to Trimester 1/Semester 1, 2020*
How do you stay motivated? When you’re studying online from home, it’s important to have a time management plan. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up procrastinating and falling behind.
Follow our list of tips to master your time and succeed at your online studies.
Break up study time
Try to mix up what you’re doing throughout the day, even if that just means spending time studying a variety of different subjects. Intensive blocks of two hours or so work well, spaced out with short breaks. If you feel your momentum slowing down during a study session, switch to a different task or do some exercise to clear your head.
Create a schedule
A weekly planner divided into one-hour blocks helps you to plan your studies and stick to your tasks. Include things like classes, chores, extracurricular activities, part-time work, free time and study sessions. For each study session, jot down a to-do list indicating key tasks you want to get done.
Know when you’re most productive
Different people work better at different times of the day, whether it be morning, afternoon or night. So do what works best for you. If you know you’re not a morning person, don’t start trying to tackle that difficult essay question at 8am. Leave the most challenging tasks for your best time of the day and do something less demanding, like organising notes or writing the next day’s to-do list, during your least favourite time of the day.
Minimise distractions
If you’re thinking about something else when you’re studying, you’re not going to be as productive as you could be. Often, distractions come from internal feelings that we can control, such as hunger or tiredness. So, ensure you get adequate sleep and have snacks nearby during a study session. Minimise distractions like social media. It may help to put your phone in another room while you’re studying so you’re not disrupted by messages, calls or notifications.
Avoid the eleventh hour
Leaving things to the last minute puts you under unnecessary pressure. Try to do some study on most days of the week – even if it’s only one or two hours – so you don’t end up with a mountain of work to catch up on. Go over all your class notes each week to make sure you understand what was covered and to keep the ideas you’ve learned front-of-mind. When it comes to exams, you’ll be better equipped and able to reduce your exam study time.
Don’t forget ‘you’ time
It could be easy to get caught up in your study when you’re not able to go about your normal routines, or when lots of social activities or other hobbies are suddenly out off the table. But remember the ‘everything in moderation’ mantra, and take time to do things you love and that make you feel good – whether it’s watching some Netflix or playing with your dog.
Deakin is continuing to review and monitor the COVID-19 situation as it unfolds. Our FAQs provide the most current information and are updated regularly. If you are a current or future international student, please visit our Deakin’s COVID-19 (coronavirus) FAQs – international students to see more information about travel restrictions and your study options.