Chelmsford County High School for Girls

Study and revision help

Current students

Organising your time

Scenario:

Susan knows that she has an exam in 12 weeks time but feels she has plenty of time to revise and "anyway I have too much work to do at present" she says! Her parents are worried that she should be organising her time more effectively on a daily basis.

First, they ask her to list all the things she wants to do tonight.

Her list is:

Watch Neighbours 5.30-6.00pm, Home & Away 6.00-6.30pm, The Comedy Show 9.00-9.30pm, and a film 9.30-11.00pm. She also wants to phone her boyfriend (15 mins) and visit a friend for 20 mins, but it usually takes an hour.

Susan says her best time for working is between 7 and 9.30pm, but she doesn't mind doing some work (45 mins) when she gets home at 4.30pm. Usually she spends this time (4.30-5.30pm) doing "other things". She normally starts her work at 6.30pm and manages to eat her tea when she is watching Neighbours.

Exercise 1:

Using the above information, complete Susan's evening in the first column of the study timetable (available as a Word document or PDF). Assume she starts work at 6.30pm.

Second, her parents ask her what work she has to do tonight plus any exam revision she could do if she had the time. She says she must finish her Maths homework (30 mins) which is due in tomorrow and complete an English exercise (1 hour). This is the subject she most enjoys doing but it is not due in until later. She could do some Biology revision on the "heart" by making notes and drawing a diagram (45 mins) and if she had the time she could memorise the information properly (30 mins). Her study skills teacher has told her that she must check any work she has learnt at a later session, and this would take her 15 minutes.

Her parents then ask her what her priorities are for the next few weeks. She reluctantly agrees that her exams are her priority and she could postpone her visit to her friend until Friday and she didn't really need to see the Comedy Show programme, but she says she must do the other things she wants.

Exercise 2:

Now rework Susan's evening. See if you can achieve all her objectives now. Do this in the second column of the study timetable.

• Do her Biology revision early at 4.30pm and leave the subject she enjoys most until late.
• Try to leave breaks of 15 minutes or more so she doesn't get too bored. This will reduce her study effectiveness.
• Vary the work activities.
• Never work for periods that exceed 1 hour! 30-45 minutes are more effective.
• Include a 15 minute review of her Biology revision at 9.15-9.30pm.

Now try it yourself tonight:

1. List all you want to do and have to do.
2. Prioritise your list.
3. Break down the evening into small work sessions when you work best.
4. Set yourself realistic targets which you can achieve. Do this in the third column of the study timetable.