Time Management for Online Students: Tick, Tock

Online schooling offers much more flexibility than traditional schooling for when you read the material, study your notes, turn in your work, and take tests. The versatility can make it possible to juggle a busy home and work life with schooling or find a pace that makes learning easier and more enjoyable for you. To have the best chance at success, take control of your time with management techniques and study methods that work with an online learning environment.

Making a Schedule

The first step in organizing your time is making a schedule. Make a list with all of your obligations and the dates and times that they are expected to take place, including obligations like work, appointments, and responsibilities along with daily activities, sleep, and recreation. Check all of your course syllabi for notable assignments and any due dates, then add them to the list.

Next, you will need to decide where you want to use that list to create your schedule. Since you are taking an online course, it is safe to assume you will have regular computer access with an Internet connection. Google Calendar is a free service with a host of useful features that make creating a schedule and integrating it into your digital life an easy task.

The old-fashioned way is to use an agenda or notebook. They have the benefit of being immune to power outages, and you can personalize them to your liking without fiddling with calendar settings. A quick search of social media sites like Pinterest can show you the hidden world of those obsessed with creating the perfect planner.

Once you have the calendar, start plugging in the items and try to make it fit. You may have to fiddle with it for a while, especially if you have time-intensive responsibilities like working or raising children. Don't be afraid to snip a task by a few minutes, but try not to cut out anything entirely - especially downtime activities necessary for your sanity.

Time Management Tools

Having your learning schedule outlined is a great start, but putting that time to the best use possible is not as easy as making the calendar entry. These tools are designed to help you stay focused and effective during the work blocks on your calendar.

Calendar Push Notifications

All that work put into your schedule means nothing if you don't check the entries. Those using a pen-and-paper calendar will have to rely on themselves, but digital calendars can send a notification to your browser or phone for an upcoming event. You can customize the notifications to come an hour before a study session so you can get ready, pester you every day the week before an assignment is due, or however works best for you.

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique is a simple way to break up blocks of time into smaller chunks for maximum focus and productivity. The basic method is to work for 25 minutes, take a small break, then repeat that three more times with a longer break at the end. You can adjust the work and break times as needed, but mixing focus with relaxation keeps you on-task while you work without overworking your brain.

Even More Lists

Having a list of the steps in a task is another good way to direct your time. You may include this as a part of your schedule, such as entering the requirements for an important project or paper in the calendar. Write the list down or put it on an app like Todoist, then check off the items as you complete them. Even if you don't finish, you'll be able to see what you accomplished and mentally prepare for the next time that task is on the schedule.

Remote Social Learning

Brick-and-mortar skills establish a physical space where students with similar interests are likely to meet, interact, and form learning partnerships. This makes it a natural environment for fostering social learning experiences that create friendships that are conducive to your learning and break up the monotony of studying by yourself.

There are multiple messaging apps that include audio, video, and the ability to share files at the same time. The Discord app supports video conference calls for up to 10 people at a time with effectively unlimited participants in voice calls. Most online courses have a student list or message board, so ask there for anyone interested in online group study once you have picked your program.

Ask for Help

Even the most prepared student full of motivation and knowledge may run into learning roadblocks, especially in a self-driven course. If you are attending an online school that has been successfully educating through remote learning for years, then look to your teachers and counselors for more advice on time management.

Add This to Your List

Are you interested in earning a degree through online education? If you want to study technology, health science, business, or more, consider ECPI University. For more information about this exciting opportunity, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.