Feel like you’re racing against the clock to submit your work? We’ve put together three top tips for managing your time ready for your next deadline.
Divide your time
Note down all your deadlines in one place. You don’t want to forget any. Invest in a wall planner or use a calendar app to write down your deadlines. If you use something like Google Calendar, you can sync across your devices.
Work out how much time you need to spend on each assignment. Think about how much research you need to do. Check if the resources you need are readily available. You’ll need enough time to write several drafts.
Be sure to prioritise your assignments and decide the order you need to do them. Dividing up your time effectively means you’ll leave enough time for editing and proofreading.
Create a timetable
Speaking from experience, creating a timetable is an effective way to manage your time. Timetables can be really helpful for visual learners because you can colour code them. This can help you visualise what you need to do.
There are lots of free templates available to download. If you’re feeling creative, you could make your own!
Start by writing down your classes and any other commitments you have outside the classroom. Then, add in the dates for completing the key stages of your assignment, such as finishing the research.
Small steps
Make your workload more manageable by breaking your assignments down into smaller chunks. Sometimes it can be overwhelming working towards a deadline, especially if you hit writers’ block.
Start working on assignments early to avoid any unnecessary stress later. Plus, the earlier you start, the longer you’ll have time to develop your ideas and overcome any challenges you might face.
Don’t try to write your assignment all in one day because it may end up being counter-productive. Instead, try to set aside some time each day to work on it. For example, you could work on your essay for two hours per day, or set yourself a goal of writing a section per day.
When you’re writing your assignment, try using the Pomodoro technique to manage your time effectively and ensure you keep focused. The Pomodoro technique is working for 25 minutes, taking a five-minute break, and repeating this four times. After the fourth cycle, take a longer break.
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