Effective time management plays a pivotal role in a student’s life and is an important step towards success. With the Boards round the corner, here are some time management tips for students:
Use a study planner
A study planner is the most fundamental step in managing time and enhancing productivity. It allows one to set goals, and motivated when these are accomplished. It increases the student’s accountability to the commitments planned, leading to better and improved study. Divide your time judiciously for each subject, even if your think they are well-prepared in a subject.
Time-box your activities
Time-boxing is a goal-oriented time-management technique that involves allotting a fixed time to each task in advance, setting goals and accomplishing them in the stipulated time frame. Students can review their progress and efficiency and are motivated to perform better the next time. Time-boxing helps to focus on the task and ensures no multi-tasking, thereby improving efficiency and increasing productivity.
Tackle challenging topics during productive hours
Not everyone thrives in the wee hours of the morning; some can focus only late at night when it is peaceful and quieter with fewer distractions. Hence, students need to find their productive time and tackle challenging and difficult topics then. This allows them to focus more easily, and absorb more and retain better.
Make use of study techniques
Using effective study techniques are fundamental to academic competence. Along with working hard, students should also work smart and use techniques such as the Pomodoro technique, learning through Mnemonics and so on etc., which enrich learning abilities and boost overall performance by stimulating students’ interest.
Take timed tests
Students should solve as many mock tests as possible in a timed manner. Timed tests not only help gauge one’s knowledge but also his/her time management ability. Try completing the test in two and a half hours so that you have enough time for revision. Imposing a time limit will improve efficiency and help analyse weaknesses.
Say no to multi-tasking
If a student is not fully engaged in the task at hand, it will take him/her twice as long to complete it. Focus on one thing at a time to accomplish syllabus completion and revision goals.
Say yes to video tutorials/lectures
Ideally, students should have already completed their syllabus for boards and started their final round of revision. However, if they haven’t, watching video tutorials/lectures can help in a relatively short time. Visual learning is engaging and helps to learn faster and retain longer.
Choose the right study space
The purpose of a study space is to maximise the attention period to focus and accomplish goals in minimum time with minimum efforts. A study space should be free of all distractions, quiet and peaceful. Students should ensure they have everything they need. Additionally, placing a clock where it can be seen will act as a motivational tool.
Plan and strategise how to attempt the paper
This can help save time. Figure out how you want to go about the paper, which section to start with, how much time to spend on a particular question, etc. Also plan enough time revision. This will help boost confidence.
The key is to revise, memorise, test and analyse. IF you do this, achieving your desired result may not seem daunting.
(The writer is National Academic Director (Foundation), Aakash Educational Services Limited)
