Valuable tips to keep you focused and productive while in school
Making the choice to further your education and embark on a new career is an important decision. While deciding to attend school and begin a new career is exciting, it may also feel daunting at first, but rest assured, it can be done.
Following these tips can help you manage your time, stay focused, and prepare you for student success:
Get Organized
There’s an old saying that goes, “plan your work and work your plan.” The first step is to get organized. Set aside a specific area for studying, preferably an area away from the television or other distractions. Also, make sure you have everything you need at hand, including notebooks, pens/pencils, calculators, textbooks, etc. This will help you make the most of your time and be productive, versus having to pause your studying, due to distractions or a missing notebook, for example.
Set a Schedule
The second step is to plan your tasks each week, with time marked off for work, studying, classes and other tasks that need to be accomplished. Setting aside time each day to work on a project, for example, will ensure student success, instead of waiting until the last minute. Are you the type of person who studies better right after your classes end, or are you more of a morning person, preferring to study earlier in the day? Determine what works best for you and set a plan to help you stay on track.
Divide and Conquer
Divide up your studying and classwork tasks into manageable chunks of time. It can help you feel less overwhelmed, versus forcing yourself through a study or classwork marathon. Also, it’s important to reward yourself when you’ve finished each block of studying time.
Get Enough Rest
Despite the many demands being made of your time, make sure you get enough sleep. Regardless of your age, getting a good night’s sleep (at least 7 to 8 hours a night) will help you keep your focus and energy to carry you through your day, and also improve your memory and retention. In particular, your brain needs that rest to develop and consolidate everything you’ve learned that day, which is critical to student success.
Reach Out
Connecting with your instructors can be very helpful on your path to student success. They can help you with questions you may have about the course or specific materials or provide you with study tips and suggestions. You may also want to consider joining (or forming) a study group. Studying with students who are learning the same subjects as you can be helpful in preparing for an exam or project.
PSI is committed to student success and can provide you with the tools and information you need to start your journey to a rewarding career. Our educational staff is eager to help you! Visit ProSkills.edu to schedule your visit.
