Study Skills: Planning
Planning is a critical skill to being a successful student. It is really challenging to balance a busy schedule of homework, drama rehearsal, soccer practice, and still having time to scroll on TikTok before bed. By taking time 10 minutes at the beginning of the week to make a plan for when you are going to accomplish what, you will have more time for yourself!
1. Evaluate Big Tasks
At the beginning of your school week, probably a Sunday night, set aside 10 minutes to lay out the important things you have coming up. This can include things both school and extracurriculars. Maybe you have a math test Thursday, practice for a big basket tournament next weekend, a family dinner on Wednesday, all on top of regular homework! If you know what you need to accomplish you can allocate time appropriately so you don't fall behind. Make sure to plan to study for that Math test before Wednesday night since you will be out late, and try to jump start next week's work on Friday so that you can focus on the game.
2. Make a Schedule
Many students find it helpful to breakdown homework by category and estimate how long each assignment will take. For example:
English readings will take an hour each and are due Tuesday and Thursday
Study three hours before Thursday's math test
Chemistry problem set will take two hours and requires group collaboration before Wednesday
History paper outline is due next week, I should do an hour of research to pick my topic by Friday
Good news is no work due Monday! You have eight hours of work to do and can plan in order to get everything done ahead of time and without conflicts.
Monday: One hour of English reading, one hour math studying, and half an hour of Chemistry
Tuesday: Meet with your team to finish chemistry for an hour and a half, study an hour for Math, and another hour of English Reading
Wednesday: Home late because of family dinner, only an hour of Math studying to do
Thursday: An hour of history research to get ahead of work and rest before tournament
3. Ask for Help
Wow that's a lot of work, it's ok to ask for help. Maybe that means talking with a teacher after class to get a head start on a homework assignment or planning a study time with your friends to hold each other accountable. You can also book a session with your favorite tutor if you need extra help!
4. Follow Your Plan
Do your best during the week to follow your plan. It is totally understandable if life gets in the way and you fall behind, but hopefully by staying ahead of your work you have cushion to get work done anyways. By scheduling to get things done ahead of the due date it is easier to stay on top of assignments.
5. Reflect on Your Week
When those Sunday Scaries hit again before the next week of school take five minutes to reflect on how last week went. Were you ahead of schedule? What strategies worked and what didn't? Taking a few extra minutes to improve your planning can save you hours of stress when you are slammed later in the week!