Top tips for reviewing leisure activities

We asked our students for their hints and tips on finding time to study. Read their advice on reviewing leisure activities.

It was a huge challenge for me to sacrifice some of the things I really didn’t want to miss: my hobbies, social gigs and regular entertainment, for instance. My study life was indeed a way of growing up.
Everson, BSc (Hons) Computing and Information Technology Practice

What could you stop doing to make time for study?

If I wanted to go to the gym I would say to myself that study was more important to me right now, so everything else could wait. I accepted the fact that every weekend I would be spending a full day studying.
Chloe, BA (Hons) Business Studies

I'm not much of a planner and I have a life-long habit of missing deadlines. In order to stand a chance of completing my studies I had to completely cut several free time activities that weren't that important. This enabled me to study successfully and without stress to date.
Michal, BSc (Hons) Mathematics and Physics

Full time job at often 60+ hours a week away from home, family duties and making up the time after being away is a real challenge but I'm pushing it through... sometimes refusing to go for meal with family, significantly reduced amount of time for friends and socialising, just snatching every bit of time here and there.
Grzegorz, BSc (Hons) Mathematics and Statistics

Is it worth the sacrifice?

Doing my MBA with OU, I've learnt to use 'down time' as study time (that first hour after getting back from work when I just want to sit on the sofa, or that extra episode of a Netflix box set). I've gone to bed that little bit later when a TMA is due or spent a weekend studying instead of time with friends/the other half. My sacrifices have been few and far between really but always the right choice.
Katie, MBA

What I really had to give up was gym time - put on a fair bit of weight over the 4 years, but managed to lose it after! Loved studying with the OU, great courses and material. Getting a 2:1 in English Literature and really enjoying it was one of the best things I have ever done. Got me through a difficult period in my life. Would do it again.
Karen, BA (Hons) English Literature