Ah, the weekend! It’s the two days of the week you’ve been waiting for, but always seems to go so fast!
It can be tempting to forget about your studies when you’ve been invited to spend time with family and friends, go out, or even take a mini-break to escape the cold weather.
But with a little discipline and these helpful tips, you can make your weekends more productive and still have time for fun!
Keep procrastination in check
Work out what makes you procrastinate so you can find solutions. If it’s your study space, organise it better or find another location. If you’ve got conflicting priorities, work out what tasks are essential and what can wait. You can even book an appointment or join a workshop with CSU’s Academic Learning, Literacy and Numeracy (ALLaN) team on weekends, so you can’t use “getting stuck” as an excuse to put off working on an assignment.
Make a study calendar
Break up your study and assignment work into a list of milestones and plot them on your calendar, setting tasks for you to do each weekend. Tasks could include working through subject materials, assignment planning, researching, writing notes, polishing your work or studying for exams.
Tick off each item in your calendar as you complete it, then give yourself a well-earned break!
Tackle the hard stuff first
Start with the most challenging or daunting tasks. It’s easier to tackle these when you’re fresh, plus you’ll feel so much better when they’re ticked off the list (or you’ve at least made a start!). Then spend time on the easier tasks or subjects you enjoy the most. This means your study session will get easier as you go and keep you motivated so you can enjoy time away from your desk.
Share your study goals
Having people around you who understand your study goals will help keep you on track. Make sure you tell your friends and family about what you’re working on and when your assignments are due. This helps them be more supportive of your study and stop them tempting you with exciting invitations right before a big deadline!
Finish assignments before they’re due
This will give you enough time to polish off your assignment before you submit it. You’ll also save yourself the stress (and mistakes) of trying to submit an assignment at 11:58pm!
Reap the rewards
Set aside some time out after you submit assignments to treat yourself or do things you enjoy. A break to pat yourself on the back will help you stay committed to what you’re aiming to achieve with your studies.
Contact the Academic Learning, Literacy and Numeracy (ALLaN) team if you want to know more about making the most of your weekends. You can book an appointment, workshop or just have a quick chat. The team is available by phone, Skype or in person, in the evenings and on weekends.
