There are only 24 hours in a day. That time passes quickly when you’re juggling work, life and your studies. However, it’s not a question of how much time you have, but rather how well you use it.
Effective time management is essential when you’re studying online. Without the strict schedule of on-campus classes, it can be hard to carve out time in your day to study. We’ve put together a list of tips so that you can manage your time more effectively while you study online with Monash.
Plan out your week
Despite having the flexibility of online study, it is still beneficial to create a schedule that you can stick to. This will organise your time throughout the week and leave you feeling prepared.
Spend some time each weekend creating a schedule for the upcoming week. Having a calendar or diary for you to write down your schedule will help you allocate time more decisively. It will also hold you accountable for the goals you set for yourself.
Within that schedule, note down what assignments are due that week, any meetings with fellow students or OLAs, as well as time for you to sit down and study. By having a fixed schedule prepared, you’ll spend less time thinking about how you need to study, and more time learning.
Prioritise your responsibilities
It’s important to consider all your responsibilities and prioritise them accordingly. Try writing out a list of tasks and arranging them from most important to least important, and then work your way down. You can aid your concentration by avoiding multi-tasking and focusing on one subject or assignment at a time.
You can’t get everything done at once, but you can divide your work into more manageable tasks. If you have trouble prioritising and staying focused, you can try project management tools such as Trello and Smartsheet to support your concentration.
Create a routine
By establishing a specific routine for yourself, your ability to concentrate and focus will increase. Take note of your current study habits: when you concentrate best, when you procrastinate and what triggers these reactions.
Once you understand your study habits, you can tailor a routine to your needs. Maybe you work best in short bursts with small breaks in between. Or maybe you prefer to focus for longer periods? Are you an early bird or do you work better later in the day?
Once you answer these questions, you can structure your routine so that it supports your mindset and time management ability. You’ll know exactly when to study, and for how long.
Remove distractions
Nothing drains time from your studies more than everyday distractions at home. To avoid these distractions, make a list of what disrupts you most and try to remove them from your study space.
It might be your phone, or maybe you can’t resist chatting to people when they’re in the room with you. Do you find yourself getting up for food constantly? Prepare your snacks before you begin studying so you don’t waste time in the kitchen later.
Time management is a difficult but important skill when studying online. When we’re surrounded by distractions, or juggling a million different things at once, it can feel impossible to find time to study. By applying these tips and tricks, effective time management doesn’t have to be difficult. Have a go and find out what works best for you. Don’t let time slip away from you anymore.
If you’re still unsure about how to fit online study into your lifestyle, chat to one of our course consultants on 1300 272 509.
