Postgraduate study is an exciting but challenging experience. You have assignments, reading, research and deadlines. A large number of students also hold part-time jobs and/or look after family. The list of things to do can be overwhelming, and it is easy to become stressed and fall behind.
The great news is that time management is something you can learn as a postgraduate student. There’s no need for you to work around the clock to learn. All that is required is a clever system. It is a guide with practical ideas that can be applied in the real world.
Why Time Management Is Harder at the Postgraduate Level
Your teachers are very likely to determine your schedule at the undergraduate level. In postgraduate studies, you will be expected to work independently. Your dissertation or thesis could take months, and no one checks on you daily!
This freedom can be beneficial but can also be detrimental. If you don’t have something to do, days go by, and large tasks remain undone. Effective time management can keep you on track and prevent panic at the last minute.
- Start With a Clear Plan
If you’re going to be managing your time you have to know what to do first. Sit down one time per week and make a list of all of what’s on your plate. Include:
- Assignment and essay deadlines
- Reading for each module
- Research or dissertation work
- Work shifts and family duties
- Exams or presentations
Afterwards, place all the deadlines in one Calendar. Google Calendar is free and is usable. Having all of this information in one area allows you to plan ahead of any problems. And if things still aren’t going in your favor while working on a long-form academic paper like a dissertation, you can always take help from a dissertation writer AI for better results.
- Break Big Tasks Into Small Steps
It can seem too daunting to begin a dissertation. For that reason, many students put it off until after school. The solution is to simplify it and make it into small, clear steps.
An example of this is how “write literature review” translates to:
- Search for 20 useful journal articles
- Read and take notes on 5 articles
- Write an outline
- Write the first section
Small steps are more manageable, and every completed step is a step towards success. Establish a mini-deadline for each.
- Use Time Blocking
Time blocking is allocating specific times in your day for specific tasks. You have a long list of things to do but choose to read Monday 9-11 and write Tuesday 2-4.
Here are some simple rules:
- Work at your peak when you are at your peak! There are many folks who are morning people
- Group tasks together, e.g., all emails together.
- Make gaps in your schedule, as things may take longer than they’re supposed to.
Treat these blocks as if they were appointments. This helps preserve your study time.
- Decide What Matters Most
There are not all equal tasks. A simple tool, known as the Eisenhower Matrix, can help. Divide work into four categories:
- Urgent and important: do these first (and a deadline is tomorrow).
- Important but NOT urgent: Schedule these (thesis writing, reading).
- Important but not urgent: Schedule or eliminate (some phone calls and emails).
- Not urgent: Not important: Endless scrolling.
The vast majority of successful students spend their time in the second group. There are things on this list that will be your future tasks and they are never emergencies if you plan for them.
- Beat Procrastination
Nearly everyone puts off doing a task occasionally. It is normal, but can be decreased. Try these ideas:
- Apply the 2 minute rule. If it takes 2 minutes, just do it now!
- Use the Pomodoro technique. Rest for 25 minutes and then work for 5 minutes. Take a longer rest after four rounds.
- Start badly. Remind yourself to write only one messy paragraph. The hardest part is the beginning and you will continue going.
- Remove distractions. Turn your phone into another room or get an app that blocks social media.
- Use Helpful Tools
It’s possible to save hours every week with the right tools. These are some good alternatives:
- Use Notion/Trello to organise tasks and research notes.
- To manage references and citations: Zotero or Mendeley.
- Forest or Focus To-Do to stay focused
- Create and save documents using Google Docs and access them from anywhere.
Try not to use more than one tool at a time. Pick two or three that you will really use.
- Take Care of Your Sleep and Health
Many students believe that if they get less sleep time more study time will be experienced. In truth, the mind which is tired reads slowly, forgets more and makes more mistakes.
Get 7-8 hours of sleep. Eat regularly, drink plenty of water and get your body moving – it doesn’t have to be much, a 20 minute stroll will do. Taking mini-breaks during the day also aids in the brain’s processing of the learning.
Time spent resting is not wasted time. This is a part of proper time management.
Final Thoughts
Being busy every minute is not good time management for a post-graduate student. It is about having a plan, being mindful of what is important and maintaining a balance. You’ll see many students taking assistance from a research proposal writer, as these kinds of academic papers require extra effort.
Start small. Choose 2 or 3 of the following tips and practice them over a period of one week. When you feel comfortable, increase the number. Gradually, you’ll manage to get your work done on time, alleviate stress, and have a better time with your postgraduate studies.