TIME MANAGEMENT  

 

How much time do I need for each course?  Factors to consider 
bullet What you know about the course content already? 
bullet What grade you want and are willing to work for in the course? 
bullet How difficult is the course for you? 
bullet How developed are your study skills? 
bullet How quickly do you read, comprehend and retain? 
bullet How well did you do on previous exams/assignments in the course?

How do I go about planning when to study?  Plan a tentative schedule for the week (168 hours/week) 
Include all commitments that must be met: 
bullet Academic: class hours with 2 hours(minimum)of study planned for each credit hour 
bullet Physical: exercise, meals, cleaning, laundry, sleep 
bullet Spiritual: devotion time, Church, Sunday School, Celebration, Bible study 
bullet Financial: job hours 
bullet Social: unoccupied time as well as planned social times (this is the most flexible category)
Assess your ability to concentrate at different times of the day and mark them A B or C.  Ex: 
Best in the morning and between classes ("A" units of time)
Worst after lunch and between 8 and 9 pm ("C" units of time)
OK between 3 & 5 pm, after dinner and between 9 & 11 pm ("B" units of time)
Divide daily study time into "A", "B", or "C" units. 
A Units Maximum concentration time -- time needed for intense studying -- best in the morning (even if you think you work best at night). Utilize the hour between classes to head to the library to complete a good 45 minutes of intense studying or get up an hour or two earlier (which means getting to bed sooner). "A" blocks of time are appropriate for High-concentration tasks and are best done in a quiet setting such as the library. Since this time is limited in your schedule, you should reserve this for difficult assignments and studying complex information.
B Units Time reserved for less demanding tasks -- review and completion of routine assignments, such as rewriting lecture notes, reviewing study sheets, etc. This can be done in a "noisier" environment such as the campus center, your room, or with a study group.
C Units Utilize the odd moments of time (time standing in line, the 10 minutes in between classes, waiting for the laundry to finish) for repetition and reinforcement -- use of flash cards or rereading study sheets you have already reviewed 3 or 4 times or reviewing a chapter previously studied.
From Succeeding in College: 
Study Skills and Strategies pp.163-166