Today’s definition of studying is not just limited to having stellar grades on the report card and landing a job that has great salary; it’s about excelling in various aspects which includes being an exemplary leader, being an effective communicator, being a proactive learner as well as being a socially mindful individual who dedicates him or herself to projects that have been designed to get things done for the greater good.
This is perhaps what we call as a holistic education and the challenge that students are met with is being unable to juggle the various commitments and give their best to them all without compromising on the quality for any of it.
The answer to this lies on crafting a perfect schedule that ensures that minimal amount of time is wasted and work gets done efficiently.
So, what are some things to consider in designing your perfect schedule?
A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY
Your level of productivity depends on the amount of clarity you have in your mind and this in turn depends on how healthy you are. The way your day unfolds itself is dependent on how you unwind the night before, how much sleep you have gotten and how well you wake up in the morning.
In order for your sleep cycle to be regulated, you need to be mindful of what you eat and you need to realise the importance of adequate exercise as well. A sluggish body system will directly impact how your mind functions.
Be sure to have a diet high in fibre and make sure to have your dinner at least 3 hours before bed time (preferably before sunset as digestive capacity reduces to a great extent after sunset). Exercise will release enough endorphins for you to alleviate your stress as well.
As a culmination of a healthy diet, sufficient exercise and a good night’s sleep, your body will function at its optimal level and you would be able to function at our best.
KNOW YOUR PRIORITIES
Students probably hear this advice often from their parents and tuition teachers and there is certainly truth embedded in it. All work is not created equal; some may be more important than others depending on the deadline or other such factors.
You need to be able to prioritise your tasks and allocate sufficient amount of time (do not underestimate the amount of time it could possibly take) to complete them and complete accordingly.
This will enable you to be more systematic and effective in carrying out your daily tasks.
CONSISTENCY
You are human and its perfectly fine if you are unable to stick to your schedule 100%. There might be times whereby something unexpected would get added on to your schedule and it might require your immediate attention, causing you to lack behind on your pre-planned schedule.
What’s most important is for you to realise your distractions and to the necessary in order to stay focused and to also understand that it will never be possible to complete everything on your “To-do” list.
Self-discipline is what’s important for you to try your best to stick to your daily plan.
DON’T BE TOO AMBITIOUS
It’s an insidious trap to fall into and the end result will be a termination of the habit of following a schedule and whole lot of stress as well as a beating to the self-confidence. When you over-estimate your ability to complete a certain number of tasks in a day, you set yourself up for disappointment as you may not be able to complete it all as you had planned.
Then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy whereby students blame themselves for their lack of competence or intelligence which results in work being done in an even sloppier manner and the cycle repeats itself.
BOTTOM LINE
It is essential for students to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses in order to design a proper schedule for themselves. If you are struggling to do so, you should never hesitate to seek help from your online tutors or home tutors to get the work done!