Guides
How Survival to Survive..... Time and task management
Take time to make time
One of the main challenges of studying at uni is getting everything done at the right time whilst maintaining your sanity and having time for a life! But it doesn't have to feel like you're trapped in a pin-ball machine (bouncing from one lecture to the next with little idea of what's going on!). Organising your time takes little bit of effort but will certainly pay off as the semesters and years go by. Some of the benefits include:
Being organised doesn't have to be just a `nice idea'. You can make it a reality by thinking about your goals, working out what you've got to do and then finding out when you need to do it.
Semester goals
Reducing procrastination Helping you prioritise Giving you more control Stopping you feeling guilty Helping you see the `big picture'
Weekly plans
It also allows you make sure you have time for your family, friends, relationships, part-time work and your health!
Daily tasks
SS 2.2
`Tools of the trade'
Thinking about your semester goals, weekly plans and daily tasks is much easier if you have the right help! A semester planner (free from the Co-op bookshop in the Guild village) makes it easier to see what assignments, study breaks and exams you have coming up. You can find the key UWA dates on the website as well as other principal dates: http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/acyrpol/acyrdates#2005. The semester planner will help you work out your weekly plans. Make sure you consult your outline course to find out the assignment deadlines well ahead of time. A daily task list will help you keep track of where your day is going! Include anything that you need to accomplish that day (dentist appointment, photocopying etc as well as writing assignments and doing your course reading). The UWA Guild diary is a great place to keep your daily task list.
The language of lists Which if these two lists would you rather work from? Catch up on all reading Write overdue prcis Finish essay Go over all lecture notes Prepare talk for Monday Sort out group project Make a start on week 3 lab Start drafting talk outline Find 3 articles for lit review Scan ch 1 + 2 and make notes Highlight key terms from today's lecture notes
Making your tasks `doable' will encourage you to make progress. No one ever wrote "Finish my PhD" on a to-do list! Other Resources
BOOK Fry, R (2005) `Get Organised' 3rd Editio...