Student tips for managing your workload at university

To achieve the grades you want at university, it is important that as a student, you’re organised and use your time wisely. You’ll find you have many assessments to complete, presentations to deliver and friends to see, with other things on top of that. So to help you to do well and keep stress to a minimum, here are my student tips for managing your university workload. 

Set your own deadline for university work

At the start of the year, you’re likely going to have an idea of the type of assessments you will need to complete for each module and the deadlines. To do well and ensure that you have enough time, it can be a good idea to bring your deadline forward by 1-2 weeks. By doing this you have completed your work with enough time to proofread essays or practice presentations! This will make you feel more confident and it will allow you to complete other deadlines that are around the same time because we all know how stressful that can be. To help complete work early, write mini-goals for each assessment, e.g. ‘by the end of this week, I’m going to plan and make a start on my essay’. 

Plan your week

At the end of each week, create a mini calendar of the following week and add in your lectures, workshops and any other commitments, such as work shifts, social activities etc. Once you have done this, see where you have time to complete upcoming deadlines and slot them in. This will help you to see how much time you have and when the best times are to work on your assessments. My advice would be to overestimate how long it will take to complete something, rather than underestimate so you’re not rushing to get everything done! 

Make time for a social life

As much as it’s important to focus on your academic work, making time to see friends and family (even virtually) is vital. This will help you to reduce stress and take a break where it’s needed. Working too much on your work can be overwhelming so having time for yourself is good for your mental health and you’re less likely to burn out.

Learn to say no

Simply, if you can’t commit to something, just don’t do it! It’s very easy to agree to do something or be somewhere but if you already have too much on your plate, it’s okay to say no! Understand your priorities. 

Limit Distractions 

We all have different ways of learning and studying, so it’s important to have an idea of the environment you excel most in. Many like to work in the library but some can find it too quiet. Some students like revising with friends, but for others, it can be a distraction and ineffective. For me, my phone is definitely a distraction! So I tend to leave it on silent or on the other side of my room. Know what your distractions are and minimise them! 

If you are struggling with stress, see our Student Support Services, and follow @LJMUSaw on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for helpful advice to look after your wellbeing.