Top 5 Study Hints - #3 Plan your study times

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Planning a study routine is crucial for ensuring that you can keep on top of study, as well as maintain a healthy balance in other areas of life. Once established it may become so routine as to be a way of life. Planning study time was often a strategy that our FiF participants mentioned:

• Plan for a different routine

  What students said:

  I have turned into a person who would make commitments I couldn't keep into a person who knows their limits and now realises that family and studying is my biggest priority.

  Weekends have become study sessions and making plans around study was difficult to start with as I was not in a routine of studying. After studying for 2 years now I feel in a routine

  My entire schedule has changed. My child spends three days a week away from me … I study during those days, and at night time after she has gone to bed

  Study is a nightly routine and not being able to do at least 2-3 hours daily causes some degree of personal stress

  I have had to make the adjustment of 'planning' my week every Sunday night about what UNI work needs to be done and what work I will do each night …

  For the most part I just stay up later or wake up earlier

  My kids have had to adjust to me not being there as much for them as I was previously and the fact that often I have to go and study when they are home

  I often study well after the kids have gone to bed and on weekend.

  I have a great routine in place and it isn't impacting on my sleep at night or any other activities. I’ve managed my time so well that everything just falls into place without interrupting each other

• Maintain a healthy balance

  What students said:

  I work my time around my study, I will try and work out reasonable times to study and then organise to do something after a few hours to maintain a balance. On weekends I work during the day so will study around that time and then spend night time with my family and/or friends

  The kids were always helpful around the home and I'm lucky but the schedule has meant that we have to timetable almost everything so the car is available and everyone gets to where they need to be

  My son is used to me working a lot so nothing has changed for him except mum goes to school, we still enjoy our weekly mum and son night together. Less sleep to study

  Unfortunately my love of the gym and my fitness have suffered, yet I am trying to find a balance as best I can

• Know that it’s not going to be ‘seamless’

  What students said:

  It's always difficult to get back into the routine, but my partner is in the same situation and he is very understanding

  It was very difficult to begin with, I would find a lot of time restraints with everything I needed to get done

  I study on weekends and sometimes miss out on doing things as a family. I try to study at night but like spending quality time with my husband while he is home … I'm still struggling trying to fit it all in

  Studying has impacted greatly on family life, there have been a number of times where I am too busy and unable to attend family events

  Getting to sleep a lot later due to having to finish assignments etc, and my weekends are spent studying or catching up on washing/cleaning that I haven’t had time for during the week. It's a little stressful

  Balancing with an 18 month old can get a little tricky sometimes as he has found his voice. I think reminding myself that it takes effort, what you put in is what you get out.