Trying to balance life, study, work and family can be an extremely trying practice. More and more people are now choosing to study online, as it enables them to have more flexibility whilst studying. Online study can help you to maintain full time employment, complete a qualification and still have a lively social life. While there are many benefits to studying online, if students do not manage their time wisely, they can often find themselves overwhelmed by the pressures of study. Having flexibility is not always a good thing, especially if you are not adept at managing your time. Balancing work, study and family can be challenging, so it is important to get the most out of your time, by following these simple tips for better time management.
Are you a Time Waster?
Although we cannot change how many hours are in a day, we can change the way we use these hours. Many people fail at managing their time effectively simply because they let their day be filled with time wasting activities, without even realising. Many common time wasters, that interrupt study, include personal phone calls, texting, reading emails and internet browsing. You may not even realise that you are wasting time so easily, so next time you set yourself up for a study session, record everything you do in the hour; the truth may hurt as you discover that only a portion of this “study time” was really used for study.
Create a Planner
For some people, better managing their time can simply be achieved by creating a time management schedule. Using a diary or creating your own planner, with allocated time slots, can be a great way to see your schedule in an easy to read format. Make sure that you include every single task that you need to allocate time towards, from studying and work to even walking the dog. If any tasks have a due date (e.g. Assignments) be sure that you also include this in your schedule.
Create Goals & Reward Yourself
Online studying takes a great amount of commitment, dedication and self-determination. Creating time management goals can be a great way to track the improvement of your time management skills. Start simple, by eliminating the things that are wasting your time and encouraging you to procrastinate, such as a goal to only take personal calls during breaks. When you achieve a goal or complete a period of time without straying from your schedule, reward yourself for your hard efforts. The reward may be something as simple as going to see or movie or as extravagant as an overseas holiday when you complete your course. Managing your time can be difficult, but many people work better when incentives are involved.
Not only does better time management assist with study rituals, but it can also help you to be more successful in your workplace and everyday life. The ability to better manage your time enables you to multi-task and complete jobs at a faster, more efficient rate.
Dylan is currently studying for his Master of Applied Finance. He has chosen online studying becuase it allows him to work and study full time. Dtlan will complete his studies later this year and will look to get a job straight way.