Usually a minimum time schedule is best. In other words, plan what you know is necessary, and add to it later only if necessary. But plan a schedule you know you can keep, and one that it is important to you to keep.
First: What courses are you taking? (List them on a sheet of paper)
Second: How many hours do you estimate you should study for each course each week to do a minimum job?
Third: What is the total minimum hours per week for all courses?
Fourth: List your present time schedule for the week, including all fixed times, such as classes, labs, club meetings, outside work, travel, eating, and times you go out for recreation (usually leave at least Friday and Saturday evenings open for recreation).
- Record class and lab times in appropriate day/hour blocks on a schedule sheet.
- Record meal times. Scheduling time to eat is important for one's health!
- Record all regularly scheduled personal activities such as meetings, employment, and athletics and any other special activities you need to do or want to do on a regular basis
Fifth: Now fill in the remaining hours each week with the number of hours you need to assign to study according to your decision in step two, either by 1) Setting up certain hours in which to study subjects, or 2) Setting aside certain hours that you will study, but not deciding in advance which courses will be studied in which hours.
Sixth: Keep your schedule where you can see it. It should be conspicuous, so put it on top of your desk, or pinned on the wall.
