Covid has changed things for students and a lot of us are struggling to stay motivated. Like many others I'm living at home while undertaking my degree so have faced different challenges to those I faced when living in halls at uni. However, despite these challenges my main methods for completing uni work have remained useful.
Staying organised was an important part of uni life for me as it helped me massively with time management. We all have our own systems for being organised and its often a case of trial and error to find a system that works best for you. I'm someone that needs to see things physically and constantly to stay motivated and keep up-to-date with any tasks/assignments I need to complete. The following are the 4 things I found the most helpful for staying organised and on top of my assignments!
1. Calendar and weekly planner
Using a calendar seems like a very obvious way to stay organised, but it’s a great way to physically see how long you have left to complete assignments etc. I found it useful to write when assignments were due on a monthly calendar which I had on the wall in front of my desk so I could always see how long I had left as I crossed out the days.
Having a weekly planner is my favourite way to keep track of everything I have to do and when. I particularly like them because it allows me to see how much work I need to do on certain days to meet deadlines, but also because it’s so satisfying being able to cross items off the list once they’ve been completed. They're also great because you can put anything on them, not just stuff that relates to uni! I used mine to remind myself of appointments, when books were due back, when bills were due, and other similar reminders that I might have forgotten about otherwise.
2. Have a physical version of your timetable
This is my timetable for last semester. I find seeing when I have classes really useful when it comes to time management. For me, seeing my time blocked out when I have classes is essential for things like planning when it is best to go shopping, whether I would to the library or back to my flat in between classes, and the amount and type of work I could do before and after any classes. With my classes this year being online, having a physical timetable helped me to plan the other work I did each day around my classes, but also gave me a boost knowing that I would be able to (virtually) interact with other people on my course.
3. Have a routine
This is definitely easier said than done, but ultimately it’s one of the best ways to stay organised. I had time in between classes that I would set aside to do certain types of work depending on how long I had. On my days off I would focus almost solely on essays whereas the days when I had classes would be more focused on seminar reading and note making.
One of my lecturers in my first year said to treat university like a 9-5 job and honestly it was some of the best advice I was given. Another way I looked at it was, there’s 24 hours in a day so that ideally means 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of work and 8 hours of leisure time. Although this was almost never a reality during my time at uni I still found it a good way to think about how I could spend my time during the day so I didn't feel guilty about not doing enough work. Personally I was less worried about how much time I spent studying and more focused on completing all of my set tasks during the day whether this took more or less than the 8 hours. Ultimately, stick to a routine that works best for you no matter what it is!
4. Eliminate as many distractions as possible
This is also easier said than done, especially with the ways so many of us are having to study this year. When I lived in halls I would go to the library or one of the computer rooms to complete my work but for most of us this isn't an option this year. One method that has worked best for me this year is listening to music. I like to work in silence or with some quiet background noise but with my Mum working from home and my sister having to learn from home there is rarely a moment of silence in my house. So I decided to buy some wireless headphones (more for convenience than anything else). This was one of the best decisions I made as they block out almost all noise on the quietest setting! By only being able to hear my music I find it easier to concentrate on the tasks I need to complete and have found that I am significantly more productive than when I don't wear the headphones.
What are your methods for staying on top of assignments? Let me know in the comments!
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