11 Develop a Weekly Schedule
Your next step is to create a weekly schedule.
This will include your work, class, and study commitments, volunteer roles, as well as any other regular events in your week. A weekly schedule is a good tool to evaluate whether your time use allows you to meet your overall goals. Do you have enough time to study? Is there time to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
- Record your regular weekly commitments first (work, classes, organized activities).
- Designate regular study blocks for each of your classes. Remember that it is more effective to study for multiple, shorter blocks of time during the week than to plan for one extended study block. Shorter study periods will allow for greater focus. Regular review will help you retain information well.
- Schedule a weekly review (WR) for each course. Do it at the end of the week, if possible. This weekly review gives you an opportunity to go over the past week’s notes along with the reading assignments to see what you have been learning in the past week during class and study time for each course. You can also look ahead to plan the next week and determine how much reading you need to do, what projects are due, and if any tests are scheduled.
- Keep some time open for daily physical activity. Remember, research indicates that regular exercise will not only give you a general sense of well-being but can also reduce tension and help you accomplish a tough class, study, and work schedule.
- Label some empty blocks of time as OPEN for academic or personal needs.
- Schedule some time on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for you to play, relax, or do whatever you want to do. This is your reward for sticking to your schedule. In addition, you’ll enjoy your free time more. Because it is scheduled, you do not need to feel guilty.