Time management

Once you have your overall plan, you need to break your work down into small, manageable tasks.

A daily to-do list can help to plan your tasks, or you could make a weekly action plan to really make sure that you get those tasks completed.

Google Keep is an online tool or downloadable app to create paperless to-do lists that can be shared and edited with a group. It has a great reminder function that can even be location-based, for example, if you need to get a book out for an essay, you could set up a reminder to pop-up when you pass the library.

Try using Post-it notes on your wall or desk, and take each one off when the task is completed. Try using Post-it notes on your wall or desk, and take each one off when the task is completed.

Fed up of your notes losing their stick? Virtual Post-It Notes are available for Windows, called “Sticky Notes” and “Stickies” for Mac.

Plan your study sessions

Plan each study session in detail. Set aside some time to study and decide:

• Where will I work?
• What resources do I need?
• Who can I go to for help or clarification?
• What do I want to achieve?

Break down your goal into small chunks, and decide how long to spend on each task. Microsoft To Do and Trello are online tools and apps that allow you to create projects and break them down into sub-tasks.

Note down any problems or questions that arise as you go along. Think about how you will address these at the end of the session.

Take a look at this example study plan to see how your plan might look.

You can also use the Pomodoro Technique to break your time down into small chunks in order to organise your tasks. Watch a Pomodoro video for an overview of this useful technique. It can be especially helpful for organising your exam revision time.

For more information on managing your time in the run up to exams, have a look at our revision planning pages.