How To Manage Your Time As A Student

Summary

This video offers 12 top time management tips for students, emphasizing the inefficiency of cramming and the importance of effective studying strategies like active recall and spaced repetition. It also encourages students to reassess self-care time, envision an ideal weekly routine, and avoid common time-wasting activities. The speaker shares personal experiences and provides resources like a recommended book and Skillshare classes to enhance productivity and make the most of university life.

Takeaways

• 📚 Avoid Cramming: Cramming is inefficient; it's better to study consistently over time for better long-term memory retention.
• 🧠 Learn Effective Study Techniques: Understanding how memory works and using strategies like active recall and spaced repetition can greatly improve study efficiency.
• 🛁 Question Self-Care Time: Experiment with reducing 'winding down' time to free up more time for activities and studying.
• 🎯 Ideal Student Week: Reflect on how you'd ideally spend your time and adjust your current habits to align with that vision.
• 📅 Revision Timetables: Traditional revision timetables can lead to procrastination; consider alternative methods like the retrospective revision timetable.
• 📺 Limit TV to Social Activities: Restricting TV watching to only social activities can free up time for more productive pursuits.
• 🕒 Nothing Good After 2AM: Establish a curfew to ensure rest and prevent the negative impacts of late-night activities on the next day's productivity.
• 🗓️ Use a Calendar: Running your life based on a calendar helps with intentional time use and prevents overcommitment.
• 📝 Schedule Everything: Scheduling all activities, including travel time, allows for better use of free time and reduces aimless scrolling on social media.
• 🤗 Welcome Distractions: Embrace social interruptions during study time as they can lead to valuable friendships and memories.
• 📚 Use Downtime Wisely: Utilize holiday periods to catch up on studies, balancing social time during term with focused study time off-campus.
• 💖 Be Satisfied with Your Time Use: Choose to be content with how you spend your time each day to avoid unnecessary stress and negative feelings.

Q & A

Why should students avoid cramming according to the video?

Cramming is inefficient because it relies on short-term memory which is less effective for recalling information during exams compared to long-term memory. Spreading out study time over weeks or months is more beneficial for long-term retention.

What is the significance of learning how to study effectively as mentioned in Tip 11?

Effective studying involves understanding the science of memory formation, utilizing strategies like active recall and spaced repetition, which can save time and reduce stress during exam preparation.

What is the recommended approach to self-care time for students as per Tip 10?

Students should experiment with the amount of self-care time they allocate, ensuring it is not excessive and allows for participation in activities that enrich their university experience without leading to burnout.

What is the ideal ordinary week concept mentioned in Tip 9?

It refers to envisioning how one would ideally spend their time and comparing it to current habits. This helps identify discrepancies and strategize to close the gap between the ideal and current lifestyle.

Why are revision timetables considered a myth according to the video?

Revision timetables are often not followed through, leading to wasted time on planning rather than studying. The video suggests an alternative approach, the retrospective revision timetable, which is more effective.

What rule did the speaker implement in university regarding TV watching in Tip 7?

The speaker decided to only watch TV as a social activity, which freed up time for more productive or enjoyable activities and reduced the habit of watching TV alone.

What does the 'nothing good happens after 2AM' rule from Tip 5 suggest?

This rule implies that staying up past 2AM often leads to negative consequences such as reduced productivity and exhaustion the next day, and it encourages maintaining a reasonable curfew.

How does using a calendar, as mentioned in Tip 4, help with time management?

A calendar helps in being intentional with time usage, visualizing available time slots, and making informed decisions about commitments, thus avoiding overbooking and unnecessary stress.

What is the importance of scheduling everything as per Tip 3?

Scheduling everything, including social events and travel time, allows for better utilization of free time and prevents it from being wasted on unintentional activities like aimless scrolling on social media.

Why should students embrace welcome distractions as suggested in Tip 3?

Embracing welcome distractions can enhance social connections and create memorable experiences. It's a balance to productivity, ensuring that friendships and relationships are not sacrificed for the sake of efficiency.

What strategy did the speaker use during school holidays to manage their studies in Tip 2?

The speaker used downtime during holidays to catch up on studies missed during term time, allowing them to prioritize socializing during the term and ensuring academic progress.

What is the key takeaway from the final tip regarding satisfaction with time spent?

The final tip emphasizes the importance of being satisfied with how one spends their time, avoiding self-criticism that doesn't improve productivity, and promoting a healthier mindset towards daily achievements.