How do you plan your time effectively for revision and other activities?

Hi all.

I am currently taking part in The Level 3 Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and, as part of this Project, I have chosen to look at Study Skills in further detail.

Along with my other forum about revision techniques (entitled 'What methods do you find best for revision and why?', post any comments relating to this, or if you have any questions on this thread about revision techniques), I have also noticed how difficult it is to be able to study for your subjects, balance home-life, have a part-time job, taking part in other extra-curricular commitments to enhance CV's/personal statements for university, etc.

My question to everyone is, as part of my Project, how do you plan your time effectively, if at all, for revision and other activities?

By all means, feel free to post any questions on here which you may have regarding time management.

Reply 1

aersh8

Original post by luke-amos

I usually relax after school until dinner and then do any work that needs to be done (mainly revision since I do most my work at school). I usually work best under pressure so I tend to leave everything to the last minute.

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Reply 2

catrinana

Original post by luke-amos

My question to everyone is, as part of my Project, how do you plan your time effectively, if at all, for revision and other activities?

Spoilered, because long reply.

Spoiler

Reply 3

luke-amos

Original post by aersh8

That sounds like a good system you have there. I try to get all of my homework done at college too, but sometimes I just simply have too much, so I end up doing parts of it during my own time. Just like you, most of my revision is completed when I'm at home too.

I cannot work under pressure at all, I have to plan my time, know what progress I'm making with all of my work and make sure that everything is completed either before it's due, or for the day it's due, if I can't get it completed any earlier.

Reply 4

luke-amos

Original post by catrinana

Spoilered, because long reply.

Spoiler

I try to complete my work during my free periods as well, most of the time they end up running over into my own time too.

How do you find having to balance college with a part-time job, is it quite difficult, or are you able to get all of your work/revision done as and when it's due?

I took 3 AS subjects instead of 4 too, I've moved onto A2 though from September of this year. I tend to do similar tasks to you during my frees as well - I occasionally have meetings for different things, so this does minimise the amount of free time I have available, but it's not a problem as I can catch-up with work during my own time.

My time management was similar to yours at AS - even though I wrote what I had to do down, I could remember it in my head for the most part. However, that's become more difficult this year as my workload has increased, so I have to keep track of things more vigorously through the use of my diary and a separate to-do list at a weekly glance. I find this helps me at the moment to make sure that everything is done as and when it should be.

Reply 5

catrinana

Original post by luke-amos

Ah, I think you may have misunderstood me when I said that I always get home late - I don't have a part time job which causes this, I just do a lot of extra curricular stuff and clubs/other stuff outside of school. :tongue:

However, I'm on the fence as to whether to also apply for some part-time weekend work, if I can find any.

I do tend to get all of my work in on time, but I don't have much revision to do at all at this point in the year - all of my subjects are largely coursework based (100%, 60%, 60%), and for the two 60% subjects we aim to finish all of the cw by christmas, so that's our main focus right now (we'll start doing more exam stuff in the new year).

Yup, that's pretty much me right now :biggrin:

- although I do write everything down just in case, I rarely have to check my planner at all as it's all stored up in my noggin instead - sometimes I can go a few weeks without having to even open my planner, it's more or less just extra weight sitting in my bag... :rolleyes:

I'm expecting A2 to be a lot more hectic in terms of time management; it'll probably be chaos compared to this year, so I have to admit I'm taking full advantage of the 'easy ride' while it lasts... :colone:

Reply 6

luke-amos

Original post by catrinana

Sorry, it looks like I did misunderstand you there! Oh, I see. All of that will look great on your university application/a CV, depending on what you're doing after college though!

Same here in terms of a part-time job, I don't have the time to be able to fit 1 in yet though, I'll have to wait and see in the future.

That's lucky for you! :biggrin:

Do you prefer coursework to exams then? I write everything down too, but, as the same as you, it depends from 1 week to the next as to whether I am able to remember everything, or whether I do need to go and check my diary in case I'm a bit unsure about the details of a piece of work/when it's due. Always best to have the diary there just in case though! :smile:

A2 is a little bit more difficult, but, just like at AS, it's nothing that you won't be able to get used to after a while. I'm sure you put the maximum amount of effort in now, just keep doing that and doing everything else that works for you at the moment and you'll be absolutely fine!

You may find that you have to adjust things a little, but that'll depend on how things play out for you next year. You never know, you could end up with most of your A2 syllabus' being coursework-based again! :tongue:

1 of my lecturers always says to my class that A-Levels are a 2-year programme on purpose - they're designed to develop you as a person and your skills over the 2 years, not just 1. For me, that just means if you try your best, you'll do well and the more effort you put in now, the more you will get out when your coursework is marked and on results' day in August 2015. Just a piece of advice from me, if you would like to take it... :wink: