The aim of planning a study timetable is to identify or create regular time slots for study, ideally when you will be at your most alert, free from distractions and able to concentrate. Think about planning your study as an integral part of your life. This train of thought can go a long way to help you to maintain a positive attitude and a healthy work/life balance.
Developing and following your own personalized learning timetable can be helpful to your studies and your motivation for a number of reasons:
A timetable adds focus, pattern and structure to your study.
Timetabling will enable you to review each section of your studies, establishing the key tasks involved and identifying the time slots when you will engage with them.
Creating a learning timetable will help you to overcome procrastination and unnecessary dithering. You will find it useful to develop some sort of personalised system for organising your study time. This will allow you to decide what needs to be done and when. Without such a structure a lot of time can be wasted procrastinating or being distracted by elements of the study process. You might find yourself starting one thing and then another and wondering whether they are getting anywhere.
More than a timetable, you need to specifically write what you will do each and every study session.
It is important, when planning, to realise that study does not take place in a vacuum but needs to be organised around your other fixed commitments, like work and/or family. This may involve looking at regular activities that could be moved, done less frequently, delegated or deferred whilst you study.
Depending on your circumstances it may help to involve other people, colleagues, peers, family and friends in the planning process to, where possible, gain their understanding, cooperation and support. When you create a study timetable that you can share with others it will help them to feel included and involved. It will also act as a reminder to them that there will be times when you should not be disturbed.
It is important to schedule ‘free-time’ into your timetable. Such time can be used for relaxation, and social activities, things that help you achieve a balance. Having ‘free-time’ slots also means that there will be an element of flexibility built into your timetable. If a task needs extra time or there are some unexpected developments you have a built in a way of coping.
You also need to think about how much time you need to devote to study as you plan and draw up a timetable. If you are a full-time student you’ll obviously need more study time available than a part-time or casual student.
Using your Study Timetable
Once you have decided when you will (or can) study, you will need to look at the specific tasks involved, what you will actually be spending your study time doing. Try to allocate the tasks that require most concentration, writing assignments for example, to study slots when you will be most alert and free from distractions. Tasks such as skim-reading books, periodicals or internet resources, to note if there are any relevant sections, may not require as much concentration.
At the start of each week draw up a task (to do) list for that week. Tasks may include reading key sections of a book, sourcing new information, planning an assignment or researching a particular area. Allocate the tasks to relevant study slots on your timetable. This will help you to keep track of your progress so that you have an unfolding record of your studies and can backtrack if necessary.
Keep a note of your progress; if you are unable to finish a certain task, try to avoid negative feelings; you may be able to use some of your ‘free-time’ the following week to complete it? As you progress through your study you will come to know how much can be realistically achieved in the time slots available and this will help you to plan more accurately. Cross tasks off your ‘to-do’ list once they are done. Remember that the object of the task or ‘to-do’ list is to avoid wasting time on issues that are not relevant or important.