Helpful time management tips

Completing an assignment or receiving good feedback and marks can be a real buzz, but if things don’t go to plan don’t get discouraged. Instead, consider ways of using your limited time to the best advantage.

• Pareto's principle, or the 80/20 rule says that 80% of the result can usually be gained by concentrating on the most important 20% of the task.

• Regularly check your study calendar - be aware of approaching deadlines so there are no surprises.

• Mark or highlight parts of your reading which are holding you up and skip past them – return to them when you have read more, because generally it will make more sense.

• Attend tutorials or visit course forums if at all possible - learning with fellow students, guided by the tutor, adds depth to your study, and it helps to see you are not alone.

• Write out the next assignment question - use it as a bookmark and keep it in front of you while you're reading.

• Learn new terminology as it appears - try to use it in assignments to demonstrate your comprehension of concepts and ideas.

• Highlight and make a note of references as you go along - this can really save time later.

• Check the rules for your course assessment - substitution of an assignment may be an option.

• Tell your tutor or regional centre of any difficulties you are experiencing - they will be pleased to offer help and guidance.

I had read the chapter and studied the pictures ready for the tutorial, but when we discussed them in depth I discovered nuances I had not even imagined - it was like turning on a light!