Assistance in Time Management
There are loads of books out there on how to better manage one's time but a vast majority is written from the perspective of someone working in an environment where they have loads of projects, presentations and meetings with companies. Sure there's a way to narrow them down to be more relevant but often times its easier said then done. So, I'm going to try to make an as relevant as possible post of time management in regards to higher education and side activities.
The main constant(s) with this particular time management assist are:
Grants and Scholarships
When you're attending classes, its easy to forget or push aside the notion of applying for aid. Then a break comes and you're all for having fun and enjoying yourself. You can have your cake and eat it too so to speak; its all about timing.
The opportunity cost of rationing off part of your free time during school break is getting a leg up on the competition for financial funding; grants are first come first serve. 30mins to an hour is the minimum you'll need to apply for grants and sign up for scholarships. Its never too early to sign up for Federal Grants in fact the earlier you apply, the higher your chances are of obtaining a decent amount of funding.
Grants are simple where as scholarships require a bit more leg work. Dedicating one day to scholarships is not enough. Apply often every chance you get because there's no guarantee that the little bit you applied for on day one will be fruitful.
30mins to an hour. Per day. Break is over and you are back in class? Fine, but the same rule applies just slightly modified. If you can carve out 30mins, great but if you can't aim for 15.
It'll also help to document the scholarships you've applied for so you can see where you stand. I don't usually go this route but it may help those who want to make the most of their time. Try to avoid scholarships, scholarship sites that require "raffle-like" entries.
Focus on those with an actual application form and or task. Sites with weekly and monthly opportunities are also ideal in addition to the others you've taken interest in.
School Work
Homework is an ever changing constant because there are days when you can complete all assigned tasks in class and days when you can't even get a single thing done. Assigned reading and discussion tasks don't always have to be completed in one sitting. If you're up to it, break them up.
Complete the reading portions while on the go or during a little break where you have time to read. Once you get back to your dwelling, tackle the questions.
What about those complex assignments that require advanced software?
Hmm.... That can be a bit tricky but I guess it all winds down to the person and what they have to do. For practice assignments, it usually doesn't take as long since most instructors have you follow along with the assigned text(s). As far as projects go, some extensive planning could be needed; especially when you have to work in a group.
Dedicating an hour per day till the day before its due, should suffice. Provided no issues surface while you're working. Such as the dreaded blue and black screens of horror or, my least favorite, total system shut down due to a digital intruder of the likes of a Virus and or Trojan.
For group networking, communicate in advance. Like as soon as you know who you'll be working with. Take down time zones (if you're attending online), schedules, contact info, and communicate CLEARLY to one another about downtime.
Knowing when they have downtime could be essential to properly scheduling group meetings; be it in person or online via chat. It would also help if members of the group had a Dropbox account to make things a little easier when it comes to sharing documents.
For Those With More on Their Plate
The above is pretty general (or an ideal general) in terms of what a typical or semi-typical higher ed student encounters but what if you're in sports? What if you're attending high school and university at the same time? What if you're a parent with children or an older sibling filling in as a parent figure?
Sports can be tricky but if you have to be in the workout room or anything, try to knock out some work during that time while exercising. I'm pretty sure the workout rooms are more updated than the ones I've been in way back when but if they're not, try to find audible versions of your texts. Some online outlets let you rent them for a certain amount of time or if your school signed up to have all or most text converted to digital format then you can utilize that.
For the dual learners, you probably don't need time management assistance since you're attending two schools at once but if you do, here are some quickies. Assigned tasks and due dates need to be documented on a calendar be it on a wall or desk (large size). Assignments due soon are top priority.
Major Projects have pretty much the same approach as mentioned above. However, should you get slammed with projects from both schools, and you don't have to worry about work or sports for the time being... Try to aim for a minimum of 45min per project during heavy workload days and 1h 15min for light days.
I don't advise you nor anyone to pull all-nighters especially if it can be helped. Sure you'll get in some extra work time but take it from someone who pulled several too many late working nights which often times resulted in me not going to bed at all... Just don't do it because chances are high that you'll crash at the worse possible time; like during a major assignment or in class.
Juggling school and child care isn't easy especially when it comes down to the wire. The way I went about this when I was watching my nephew back when he was little, was to get as much as I could done during his nap time which either varied in length or didn't surface at all. After discovering that we could access our assignments in advance, I began documenting things in advance so that they could be knocked out sooner.
When you find yourself in a jam, don't hesitate to inform your instructors. Many are willing to work with you to find common ground so that you can complete your coursework.
Recap (Simplified)
Its very much information overload at this point so I'll break things down further.
1) Make a note of activities that are never changing aka constant. These constants can be in the everyday, every other day, bi-weekly and or once a week. Next record the time frame for each and document the amount of time you're not participating in those constants. That will be the time you have free to dedicate to finding college funding opportunities.
2) Apply for grants early and apply for scholarships as often as you can. Go for weekly, monthly and quarterly opportunities. Even if you're not a good fit, apply for them any way.
3) The minute (my-newt) minimum of time needed for scholarship search is 10 minutes for cramped schedules; 15 being the max. For schedules with breathing room, 30 minutes to an hour should suffice.
4) Break down take home assignments into manageable increments when you can't complete them in one sitting. Gather all necessary info for group projects up front as soon as you know who you'll be working with; this includes contact info and time zone difference should you be attending online. Plan ahead and always have a Plan-B and C on the back burner in case things don't go as planned.
5) Keep a large calendar on hand to document all the things you need to get done for the week and or month. This way you can plan your days more efficiently or as efficiently as possible.
This is just a blueprint of sorts for how to go about time management in terms of finding time to find funding sources for school along with other things. There's plenty of room for adjustments.
The main constant(s) with this particular time management assist are:
- school courses (work associated with said courses included)
- work (be it work-study, part/full time employment, co-ops, internships)
Grants and Scholarships
When you're attending classes, its easy to forget or push aside the notion of applying for aid. Then a break comes and you're all for having fun and enjoying yourself. You can have your cake and eat it too so to speak; its all about timing.
The opportunity cost of rationing off part of your free time during school break is getting a leg up on the competition for financial funding; grants are first come first serve. 30mins to an hour is the minimum you'll need to apply for grants and sign up for scholarships. Its never too early to sign up for Federal Grants in fact the earlier you apply, the higher your chances are of obtaining a decent amount of funding.
Grants are simple where as scholarships require a bit more leg work. Dedicating one day to scholarships is not enough. Apply often every chance you get because there's no guarantee that the little bit you applied for on day one will be fruitful.
30mins to an hour. Per day. Break is over and you are back in class? Fine, but the same rule applies just slightly modified. If you can carve out 30mins, great but if you can't aim for 15.
It'll also help to document the scholarships you've applied for so you can see where you stand. I don't usually go this route but it may help those who want to make the most of their time. Try to avoid scholarships, scholarship sites that require "raffle-like" entries.
Focus on those with an actual application form and or task. Sites with weekly and monthly opportunities are also ideal in addition to the others you've taken interest in.
School Work
Homework is an ever changing constant because there are days when you can complete all assigned tasks in class and days when you can't even get a single thing done. Assigned reading and discussion tasks don't always have to be completed in one sitting. If you're up to it, break them up.
Complete the reading portions while on the go or during a little break where you have time to read. Once you get back to your dwelling, tackle the questions.
What about those complex assignments that require advanced software?
Hmm.... That can be a bit tricky but I guess it all winds down to the person and what they have to do. For practice assignments, it usually doesn't take as long since most instructors have you follow along with the assigned text(s). As far as projects go, some extensive planning could be needed; especially when you have to work in a group.
Dedicating an hour per day till the day before its due, should suffice. Provided no issues surface while you're working. Such as the dreaded blue and black screens of horror or, my least favorite, total system shut down due to a digital intruder of the likes of a Virus and or Trojan.
For group networking, communicate in advance. Like as soon as you know who you'll be working with. Take down time zones (if you're attending online), schedules, contact info, and communicate CLEARLY to one another about downtime.
Knowing when they have downtime could be essential to properly scheduling group meetings; be it in person or online via chat. It would also help if members of the group had a Dropbox account to make things a little easier when it comes to sharing documents.
For Those With More on Their Plate
The above is pretty general (or an ideal general) in terms of what a typical or semi-typical higher ed student encounters but what if you're in sports? What if you're attending high school and university at the same time? What if you're a parent with children or an older sibling filling in as a parent figure?
Sports can be tricky but if you have to be in the workout room or anything, try to knock out some work during that time while exercising. I'm pretty sure the workout rooms are more updated than the ones I've been in way back when but if they're not, try to find audible versions of your texts. Some online outlets let you rent them for a certain amount of time or if your school signed up to have all or most text converted to digital format then you can utilize that.
For the dual learners, you probably don't need time management assistance since you're attending two schools at once but if you do, here are some quickies. Assigned tasks and due dates need to be documented on a calendar be it on a wall or desk (large size). Assignments due soon are top priority.
Major Projects have pretty much the same approach as mentioned above. However, should you get slammed with projects from both schools, and you don't have to worry about work or sports for the time being... Try to aim for a minimum of 45min per project during heavy workload days and 1h 15min for light days.
I don't advise you nor anyone to pull all-nighters especially if it can be helped. Sure you'll get in some extra work time but take it from someone who pulled several too many late working nights which often times resulted in me not going to bed at all... Just don't do it because chances are high that you'll crash at the worse possible time; like during a major assignment or in class.
Juggling school and child care isn't easy especially when it comes down to the wire. The way I went about this when I was watching my nephew back when he was little, was to get as much as I could done during his nap time which either varied in length or didn't surface at all. After discovering that we could access our assignments in advance, I began documenting things in advance so that they could be knocked out sooner.
When you find yourself in a jam, don't hesitate to inform your instructors. Many are willing to work with you to find common ground so that you can complete your coursework.
Recap (Simplified)
Its very much information overload at this point so I'll break things down further.
1) Make a note of activities that are never changing aka constant. These constants can be in the everyday, every other day, bi-weekly and or once a week. Next record the time frame for each and document the amount of time you're not participating in those constants. That will be the time you have free to dedicate to finding college funding opportunities.
2) Apply for grants early and apply for scholarships as often as you can. Go for weekly, monthly and quarterly opportunities. Even if you're not a good fit, apply for them any way.
3) The minute (my-newt) minimum of time needed for scholarship search is 10 minutes for cramped schedules; 15 being the max. For schedules with breathing room, 30 minutes to an hour should suffice.
4) Break down take home assignments into manageable increments when you can't complete them in one sitting. Gather all necessary info for group projects up front as soon as you know who you'll be working with; this includes contact info and time zone difference should you be attending online. Plan ahead and always have a Plan-B and C on the back burner in case things don't go as planned.
5) Keep a large calendar on hand to document all the things you need to get done for the week and or month. This way you can plan your days more efficiently or as efficiently as possible.
This is just a blueprint of sorts for how to go about time management in terms of finding time to find funding sources for school along with other things. There's plenty of room for adjustments.
