If you’re anything like me, you might get completely stressed out if you don’t have everything planned out ahead of you. I have never been great at keeping to set-out times, but I do like to make a list of everything I have to do in a day, in order to make sure that I get it all done! This also helps me know that I am going to have enough time to do everything before deadlines, so I can spend less time panicking, and more time getting stuff done!
In this blog, I am going to give you some tips on how to keep calm and organised during the build-up to coursework deadlines and the exam season. Some of these tips are ones I like to use, and some are ones which I know my friends use, but here somewhere, there will definitely be at least one which I’m sure will help you!
- Make a weekly planner!
This is my preferred choice of plan. You can either make your own or choose a printable version (for example one of these). You can plan out one week, two weeks, one month or more, however far in advance you need! I made two-weeks-worth for myself just yesterday, as that is how long I have before I head back to Leicester. I usually do not over-fill my days or put in time-slots, as I know that my family has time off at the moment and I will be quite busy during daytimes. I have put in a photo of mine below, and you can see I have delegated just one thing per day so that I can concentrate fully on it. Of course, you can put in as much work as you please, but remember to fill in some days off!
My plan for week of 15/04/19
- Task-based planning!
Rather than organising days to do work as suggested above, you could instead write a list of things and when they need to be completed by. Doing this would allow you to be flexible in when you choose to do certain pieces of work, and help you visualise exactly how long you have to get them done if you aren’t feeling particularly productive yet!
- Write down everything you need to do, each day!
Another way of making sure you get things done, as well as making you feel super-productive and boosting your self-esteem, is to write down literally everything! This is a method used by one of my housemates. Every morning she lists everything she needs to do, from essay planning, to eating lunch to hanging her washing on the airer. By doing this, everything you do throughout the day is something on the list, and deserves a nice big tick! This can be particularly good if you are lacking in motivation or know you need to get things done but would much rather spend the day in bed watching Netflix!
- Write a prioritised list!
If you have a lot to get done, with some things more important than others or some which need to get done sooner than others, writing a list of priorities might be the way forward. Write the most important/most urgent at the top, and work your way down to the least important/least urgent things which need doing. This way, you can ensure that you get everything done, and don’t leave something really important until the last minute!
- Plan breaks and time to socialise!
Whilst this is not necessarily a separate method, it is the most important part of planning in any form. You always need goals in order to work effectively, and the best goals are often time out! If you know you are going to be seeing friends at 4PM, make sure it is planned in to your schedule so you can be looking forward to it. If you know you are going to a concert on Saturday and aren’t going to be getting any work done that day, still write it in to your plan! This can really ease your mental well-being and prevent any stress from arising, as breaks and enjoying yourself alongside work is so so vital.
It would be lovely to hear from you if you know of another method of planning which you would like to share with me or other students! Feel free to leave a comment below!
CLC
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