Time Management Guide7 Tips to Effectively Manage Your TimeTime Management GoalsTime management aims to help you gain control of your life, to help you use your time more effectively and subsequently to study as effectively and efficiently as possible. Through the use of time management you will gain a better balance in your life leading to a happier, healthier you. Seven Keys to Effectively Managing Your Time1). Get OrganisedOrganise your study space (don't waste time constantly looking for your work). Have a proper filing system for your notes; it will reduce the time spent scrambling through papers. Use your study timetable for non study related items; it will help with realistic planning. Use your "to do" lists for both short-term and longer term planning. It should extend to days and weeks with more detailed plans for the short term.2). Think Ahead – Create a schedule and you are more likely to do it!Estimate how long tasks will take. Think about the tasks you need to have completed by time in the future and schedule them accordingly. For example, by the end of October I need to cover topics 1, 2, and 3. Therefore I need to break these down into tasks over the coming weeks and schedule them on my study plan. Try to make tasks small and manageable. This may mean breaking big tasks into smaller components. A task should not look like “Revise Maths”. 3). Prioritize Your TasksRank your tasks in terms of priority. This helps avoiding time wasting on unimportant tasks. Create a key goal for each day and week. Completing tasks will lead to a sense of accomplishment and progress. This helps reduce stress. Again you can use the time table tool available through the IRevise.com app to schedule the tasks.4). Be RealisticMake time for non study items on your schedule. If you don’t eat, sleep, exercise and socialise a little, your study time will not be effective. There is a point of diminishing returns and the exam cycle is a marathon not a sprint. Make your schedule accordingly. Work done early in the cycle will stand to you later. Schedule short breaks within your timetable. Try not to leave everything until the last minute (avoid cramming for exams).5). Practice Effective Study TechniquesCreate a good study environment. Read the syllabus and past exam papers as early as possible. While they may seem daunting it will give you an idea of what you need to achieve. If you can read topics before your teacher covers them using our notes it will help you get more from the class. This will help your performance throughout the year. Manage tasks effectively by making them:Specific Measurable – success in completion of specific tasks is easy to measure.Realistic – don’t create a task which can’t be achieved because it is unrealistic.Understand what you are trying to achieve before you start a task. For example if you are reading a chapter, aim to take the key points from the chapter as a minimum. You may choose to answer a relevant question after completing the topic to test your comprehension. This is very effective. These methods help avoid reading material for the sake of it. It is beneficial to schedule the most difficult tasks first. You are freshest at this point. Schedule your favourite topics towards the end as you are more likely to complete them.6). Be Prepared for the Unexpected – Flexibility is keySometimes you won’t be able to stick to the schedule. You may get sick or something unexpected may arise. Be prepared for this. Staying on schedule will help. Furthermore, allowing for a little slippage in your schedule will help.7). Why am I doing this? You must have a GoalWhat’s it all about? It is vital that you know what you want to achieve. You may not have decided what you would like to do when finished school but you may have a number of preferences. Think how your study will help you get to the goal or help you be in a position to decide on which option you want to take. Understand what you value and want from school. Turn this into a personal mission statement including career goals. Stay positive!