Procrastination. We all know it will ruin us, we all do it anyway. Even with the motivation to do well in school, we easily put studying off, or we just get swamped with our busy schedules. When that pile of homework is in front of us, we know we just need to do it, but that’s hard! And honestly, sometimes we just get overwhelmed.
Between prioritizing work, keeping my house clean, spending time with my husband, and letting my friends know I still exist, homework is hard to get done. For all you busy peeps out there, I get you. Here are a few ways you can make sure you are killing it at school, while still having time to live your life:
1.Get on Top of Your Planning System
Whether you’re a pen and paper person, or prefer to go digital, make sure you have a space where you can write down class times, work hours, assignments, and important dates, so you always have in front of you what you need to do that week. A simple notebook works, or a bigger, fancier planner if that’s your style. Right now, I use Trello to track school work and daily to do lists, and the calendar on my phone for important dates and events. You can keep it simple, but make sure you track down events so you can see when your optimal study time is.
2. Use Your Downtime
College schedules can sometimes leave awkward spaces of time- too long to go to the next class, too short to actually go do something. Instead of scrolling through your phone for 15, 30, or 60 minutes, do a chunk of reading, or put together an outline for a project. Even if you feel like you can’t get into full study mode, simply starting your homework will help you get ahead on your next study session. You’ll be surprised how much time you have leftover by taking advantage of these chunks of time during the day.
3. Be Specific with Your Homework Goals
Instead of saying “I’m going to do some homework when I get home from work” say, “I’m going to write an outline for my essay, and spend 30 minutes on Stat homework.” It is a lot easier to sit down and get work done when you know exactly what you want to accomplish, instead of feeling overwhelmed by the amount of tasks you need to finish. Make sure each study session has a clear end goal.
4. Give Yourself a Reward
After you set your goal, say, “If I can finish 2 chapters of Lit reading, then I get xyzâ watch an episode of your favorite show, go out with friends, get your favorite snack, etc. If you have something to look forward to, cranking through that reading, or even Bio homework will be just a little more doable (Please and thank you).
These are just a few of the tips I used in order to stay on top of my study schedule, and keep my grades up. Give them a try, and watch your college life get easier, and your schedule more free!
Hey Ellie! This is great. While doing undergrad I constantly fell down the “phone hole” and wasted soo much precious work time on insta and twitter. I also like to reward myself with snacks :).
Thanks for your comment! I get you with the phone struggles- and snacks are the best aren’t they?
From the teacher’s point of view, these make a lot of sense! (As as student I was the WORST at procrastination. Haha) I tell my students things like this all the time, although it tends to be more valuable from other students. đ I try to help students with goal setting in my classes (I teach English) by giving them smaller and more easily completed assignments. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Rachel! Good for you for helping your students with time management- definitely something we all need all with đ