behind on work n past papers

im a bit behind on school work - any tips on how to catch up?
ik to-do lists n all but some unique tips esp ones that help w time managing
i do tasks quickly under pressure but when ik i can spend more time on a task i end up doing that even if im using a timer

Original post by stella bloom

im a bit behind on school work - any tips on how to catch up?
ik to-do lists n all but some unique tips esp ones that help w time managing
i do tasks quickly under pressure but when ik i can spend more time on a task i end up doing that even if im using a timer

Hi @stella bloom,

I have some suggestions which might help with catching up on work:

- Create a realistic goal for each day/week taking into account rest days/dinner/any other activities.
- Prioritise which work you need to complete first and stick to that.
- Look after your wellbeing and health so you avoid burnout.
- Keep things you enjoy throughout your day too.
- Make the work fun. This can be quite hard to do but make your study environment one you want to be in or reward yourself with a little chocolate after a task you dreaded doing or a film that evening after doing some tasks!

I hope this helps and good luck!

Alia
University of Kent Student Rep

Reply 2

stella bloom

OP

8

Original post by University of Kent

Hi @stella bloom,

I have some suggestions which might help with catching up on work:

- Create a realistic goal for each day/week taking into account rest days/dinner/any other activities.
- Prioritise which work you need to complete first and stick to that.
- Look after your wellbeing and health so you avoid burnout.
- Keep things you enjoy throughout your day too.
- Make the work fun. This can be quite hard to do but make your study environment one you want to be in or reward yourself with a little chocolate after a task you dreaded doing or a film that evening after doing some tasks!

I hope this helps and good luck!

Alia
University of Kent Student Rep

i do make goals but i feel like i over do them
or when theyre fine but a set back ruins them like waking up much later than i planned to?
eg i make a weekly list for every day but dont complete all tasks from monday and then they ride into tues and so on and i dont catch up

Reply 3

Codior

8

You have to essentially build up a fear mindset, the same fear of missing homework deadlines you should instill towards missing study sessions, so in terms of catching up i recommend you do some prioritizing, trying to do it all in bulk won’t work and will demotivate you, I’d put most of your focus on your current topics, I see you can do tasks quickly, so do them im the order of what’s most difficult it’ll get the stress of your back. Good luck with your studies and please relax this isn’t the year to stress😊😊

Reply 4

University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador

Official Rep

14

Original post by stella bloom

im a bit behind on school work - any tips on how to catch up?
ik to-do lists n all but some unique tips esp ones that help w time managing
i do tasks quickly under pressure but when ik i can spend more time on a task i end up doing that even if im using a timer

Hi @stella bloom,
To-do lists can be helpful and give a sense of reward when you tick things off.
Time management wise it can be good to have a clear schedule/ planner / calendar. Have any key assignments and tests noted in it so that you know what you definitely need to know by set points.
Doing some past paper questions / examples can help to identify areas of weakness and strength so you know what needs more focus.
If you give yourself a set time period and then split it up accordingly to subjects and then have sub topics to target. This will hopefully engage focus and allow you to move onto different topics and make the most of your study time.

All the best with your school work and hopefully you can feel caught up soon. Catherine - University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador

Original post by stella bloom

i do make goals but i feel like i over do them
or when theyre fine but a set back ruins them like waking up much later than i planned to?
eg i make a weekly list for every day but dont complete all tasks from monday and then they ride into tues and so on and i dont catch up

Hi @stella bloom,

I hope you're keeping well :smile:

Firstly, everyone has setbacks from time to time. This is by no means a reflection of your worth or ability, so be kind to yourself. Everyone makes errors, but they only become mistakes when we don't do anything about them. And as you're asking for advice, that clearly shows your drive to improve - meaning you haven't made any mistakes yet :smile:

.

Anyways, let me say that I completely understand how you feel. In fact, its something I also had to work on in my first year of Uni. I'd argue, that from this point - you should try and reassess your goals and prioritise your tasks, whilst being mindful of time constraints.

For me, this meant initially only focusing on Uni work - forgetting about studying extracurricular subjects or topics which interested me (at least in the short run). So for example, me studying economics - I would only focus on lecture work, seminar work, and homework. I was really interested in other books and topics relating to my subject, but I decided to postpone them for later - until I organised myself. This was ultimately a great decision for me- as it immediately cleared a lot of weight I had artificially placed on myself.
Next, I need to prioritise my tasks. Homework for me counted towards my final mark, then seminar work tends to be more discussion led - meaning I might be questioned in class by my seminar leader about the work, and finally lecture work was placed last - as there are others in my class who don't study the lecture material beforehand (so I wouldn't fall behind too much).

Now this is all well and good - but just structuring your work doesn't help you improve - it's the learning, reading, and revisising which does. This is what we mean by breaking down large tasks into small, manageable ones. This is a really vague and generic piece of advice - but it's because no two peoples advice is ever going to be the same. As I don't know what you're studying, I wouldn't really be able to say "Do X and you'll improve", plus I don't think you'd want me to either haha. But imagine it like going to the gym. No one goes for their first time and immediately starts benching 50kg weights. Even if you are familiar a bit with weights, it's always best to start with the 2kg or 4kg dumbells, and work your way up. It takes time, but ultimately, that habit of treating yourself like your "weak" or assuming your "stupid" and working at the basics until your comfortable going further, is going to be incredibly valuable and helpful at the start of your comeback story. At least, that's what helped me in mine.
Find what you struggle with, and work on it. It takes time, it's frustrating, it sucks not making progress! But once you do, it's the best feeling ever. How do you progress when stuck though? Well you take a bit more time to focus on the task, then you look up more resources to help you - whether its videos or books, then you ask for more help from peers, then try save the professor as a last resort - but ultimately use whatever you can to help you.

Now, on the topic of making goals and plans - I'd argue the same doctrine of what I just mentioned. Treat yourself like an idiot (even though you most definitely aren't, don't worry), and only focus on the basics, the minimum required. Focus on what's most important, and the tasks you need to prioritise first. You think this homework will only take 30 mins? Give yourself an hour to focus on it. Reading this chapter will only take 1 hour - dedicate 2 hours to it. Understand yourself, and be honest with yourself about your tasks and ability. Then once you're comfortable with that, work your way up again - maybe after a few days or a week of getting into the motion, start getting back into the flow to comeback. Build up your planner, and find what works and what doesn't. As long as your a better and smarter person than you were last week - that's what matters!

Also, a bit of underrated advice - try to go to bed early, like maybe 10pm - and set yourself a good sleeping habit. Trust me, it's great!

Finally, take breaks. Don't burnout - it'd be a shame for all of us if you pushed yourself too hard and burnt out. But don't fall into the trap of getting addicted to them. I have to confess, this is something I myself still struggle with, but as mentioned earlier - we all make errors, it's fine. Anyways, don't spend 15 hours on your phone, only to study for 3 hours. Also, try not to spend 18 hours studying and take no breaks!!! A good starting point, that I myself don't follow anymore, but which helped me get comfortable with studying was 25mins work, 5 mins break. Try it! See if it works for you, and if not, modify it to your own standards.

Anyways, sorry for writing and yapping a lot, but I do hope this advice helps - even if just a bit.
I'm looking forward to your comeback!

Warm regards,

David :smile:

University of Kent Representative

Original post by stella bloom

im a bit behind on school work - any tips on how to catch up?
ik to-do lists n all but some unique tips esp ones that help w time managing
i do tasks quickly under pressure but when ik i can spend more time on a task i end up doing that even if im using a timer

Hi there!

I find a list of everything I need to do for the week helps me and then I can split it into what I need to do each day! Sometimes setting a specific amount of time aside to complete a task and then standing up and taking a break is really helpful as it helps to reset you a bit!

Having set working hours throughout the day (e.g. between 9-8pm) is helpful so that you don't end up working late into the night !

I hope this helps!

Rebecca, Year 4 MBBS

behind on work n past papers

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