How Are Your Time Management Skills?

                                                                                                               Time Management Advice       Remember why you entered the program and do your best to stay focused on your goals. Find times and places conducive to studying, which may mean staying up late, getting up early, or even leaving the house to visit a library or the home of an understanding friend. Connect with other students just like you who may be in similar situations and have similar concerns. Create more structure. Use a calendar to block off time every week when you'll study. Set mini-deadlines. Set target dates for parts of lessons or assignments, such as when you'll complete the first draft of a writing assignment. Set lesson deadlines. Setting a program completion date allows us to recommend dates by which you should take your exams to stay on track. You can also make updates to these dates and goals as needed. Log in every day. This will help you stay focused on your coursework. Look ahead. Identify future lessons or assignments that may take more time. Plan accordingly.             REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME: Shut down everything else. No personal email or social media sites. Turn off your phone, too! Take scheduled breaks only. For example, allow yourself 5 minutes after each 45-minute studying block. Make breaks short. A few minutes is fine. Just don't get sucked into watching hours of online videos!           Get behind? Step 1: Make a plan. Determine which lessons and exams you missed and make a plan for how you’re going to get back on track. You can reset the dates in your program goals and your exam schedule on your Program & Courses page. Step 2: Reward yourself. What will you do for yourself when you get back on track? Step 3: Get help if needed. Contact your instructor to talk through scheduling options or to get advice on how you can catch up. Your instructor may also have additional resources or services that can help you.                           WHERE and WHEN you study can also really make a difference. Consider going somewhere else to study, like a library or university. Find a clean, comfortable, and consistent place to study. Try to avoid busy spots. Let others know you're busy and won't be available during specific study times. Make sure to study when you're well-fed and well-rested. Find somewhere to neatly store any printed study materials. Whether early or late, the best time to study is when you're most alert and without interruption               Key Points of this page: Strong time management skills include knowing how to manage interruptions, prioritize work, set schedules/deadlines, and find time for studying in daily life. If you get behind in your work, make a plan to get back on track and reach out to your instructor for help right away. Make sure you have a study space at home or at another quiet location, like a school or library. Set or update your program goals to add your desired program end date and assign your lesson exam dates.