Student Blog: Working to Your Strengths: Using Your Tools Effectively to Maximise Success

Just as we are getting back into the swing of things, the reality of academic life comes and hits us like a boomerang. Before we know it, we are getting assignment after assignment and when we consider everything else in our lives from college to work to our hobbies, it comes no surprise that many would struggling with trying to balance out everything and often people start with cutting out their hobbies. However, in no way should this ever be a consideration, with the right approach time can be dedicated to all both academic, work and social activities which allows us to do the best we can whilst also being able to enjoy ourselves at the same time.  

Last year I found that I struggled to keep on top of everything, as it all seemed to pile up with no end in sight with November being the worst time to be a University student, everything seemed to be due at the same time meaning it was hard to look forward to things like Christmas and the break from school. This year I have decided to take a new approach to my studies rather than letting them all pile up; I’ve downloaded an app which allows me to keep track of my assignments and exams therefore allowing me to schedule my time more efficiently. I can include my work roster as well as my hobby scheduling and down time in addition to my assignments to allow me to plan to ensure that everything is done on time. One useful piece of advice that I would give is to avoid leaving assignments until the night before, if possible, you should make a start early even if this is only researching the various topics that you could answer. Writing a paragraph, a day is an efficient way to ensure that an essay gets done in time. As well as that, I usually take a few days break on a particular assignment and when I return, I look at the topic in a new light meaning that I can give it my best as I can look at the topic from different perspectives.  

Taking one day a week might appear to be an eccentric way to manage your workload but by doing this it ensures that you are more productive in regard to the days dedicated to your work. Rest is essential as being on the go constantly results in inadequate work that is not showing of your true potential. Days off are a good time to dedicate to the non-academic side of things such as theatre and film purposes. On my days off, I enjoy going to the cinema or see local theatre productions to wind down to avoid burn out.  

Finally, having a good support system is essential to balancing your workload. Having a good network of people that understand the workload that you have is essential to finding good ways to manage your load whilst also looking after your personal wellbeing. In addition to this, organising study groups can be a great thing for courses to participate in as these can be used to motivate each other and bounce ideas off of which can make the whole experience feel less isolating and daunting and maybe even create a little social aspect to something that many people dread.  

To conclude, it is essential to find a way to organise your time in a healthy way that works for you. It is important to work to your own needs and find the tools that work the best for you and to help you achieve your goals and aspirations.