by Sara P
With exam period approaching around the corner, now is the best time to plan in advance in order to achieve your goals. We all have engagements that impact our relationships, our moods and our availability. This can increase the pressure while poor planning and organisation leads to stress and fatigue. The way we react to deadlines and personal commitments is different depending on our personalities. Some people like to withdraw to work and focus on what they need to complete and others perform better when they balance requirements and distractions. Similarly, we have different ways of rejuvenating so it is important to find out which activities drain your energy and which restore you.
Think about this: You sit down at your computer to begin your research for that assignment due soon. As you start to jot down notes, you receive a call from a friend, who is having bit of a personal crisis and wants empathy from you. Being the good friend you are, you say OK. After she visits, over an hour has passed and you haven’t written anything you can submit. As she leaves, you are now starving and have drained most of your energy on comforting her and stressing about neglecting the assignment when you were with her. Sometimes things are out of our control but you need to know when to prioritise.
The following tips are helpful for preparation because you need to spend idle moments planning what you will need to further plan.
- Work to a schedule that suits you. If you are morning person, get up early and work in silence. If you are a night owl, burn the midnight oil with some music loud enough to keep you from falling asleep. Do the challenging tasks in the hours that you are most productive.
- Prioritise your tasks so the most urgent ones get first dibs for attention. If multitasking on two assignments, one worth 50% and one worth 30%, spend more time on the first one if you are behind on your planning.
- Have specific big goals and break them into smaller ones. This will motivate you. If you have to read several texts for references, only read the relevant chapters to your topic.
Still don’t forget how important it is to take care of your self. Some of us procrastinate and push ourselves beyond our capacity. Eat healthily to boost brainpower and increase concentration – don’t skip breakfast, spend time with loved ones and also outdoors, just on a ten-minute walk, if you feel stressed. To be the most effective person you can be, give attention to the physical, mental, social and even spiritual aspects of your life.
