Time scheduling will not make you a perfectly efficient person. Very few people can rigorously keep a detailed schedule day after day over a long period of time. In fact, many students who draw up a study schedule and find themselves unable to stick to it become impatient and often give up the scheduling idea completely.
The following method of organizing time has been helpful to many students and does not take much time. It is more flexible than many methods and helps the student to establish long term, intermediate, and short term time goals.
1. Long Term Schedule
Construct a schedule of your fixed commitments only. These include only obligations you are required to meet every week, e. g., job hours, classes, church, organization meetings, etc.
2. Intermediate Schedule – One per week
Now make a short list of MAJOR EVENTS and AMOUNT OF WORK to be accomplished in each subject this week. This may include non-study activities. For example:
+ Quiz Wednesday
+ Paper Tuesday
+ Ball game Tuesday night
+ Finish 40 pages in English by Friday
+ Finish 150 pages in History by Friday
These events will change from week to week and it is important to make a NEW LIST FOR EACH WEEK. Sunday night may be the most convenient time to do this.
3. Short Term Schedule – One per day
On a small note card each evening before retiring or early in the morning make out a specific daily schedule. Write down specifically WHAT is to be accomplished. Such a schedule might include:
Wednesday
O 8:00 – 8:30 Review History
o 9:30 – 10:30 Preview Math and prepare for Quiz
o 4:45 Pick up cleaning on way home
o 7:00 – 10:15 Chpt. 5, 6 (History)
o 10:30 Phone calls
CARRY THIS CARD WITH YOU and cross out each item as you accomplish it. Writing down things in this manner not only forces you to plan your time but in effect causes you to make a promise to yourself to do what you have written down.