1 How will I find time to study?

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Jigsaw puzzle piece no. 1.

Finding time to learn can be challenging in our day-to-day lives, so before committing to study it is useful to consider the time it will take to ensure you have time to study. Although learning at a distance does come with flexibility, it will often be up to you as the student to decide on your own study routine.

One of the things that many students tell us is that they worry about getting distracted in the time they have available for study.

Now you have mapped out your available time for study, it is worth considering how to ensure you make the most of it in order to learn as effectively as possible.

One of the things that many students tell us is that they worry about being distracted in the precious time they have available for study.

Here are a few tips that students have shared with us about staying on track when studying:

• Plan your study time so that you have a realistic goal in mind and reward yourself on achieving it. (For example, I will read this section for 40 minutes before I make that cup of coffee.)
• Try to balance your free time and your study time – this will help you to maximise the learning opportunities available to you. It is good to take study breaks to socialise, as this can help with your studies, but do try to prioritise your learning. (For example, arrange to meet a friend an hour later than usual knowing that you have used that extra hour for study.)
• Studying at a distance often means using personal technology, such as your computer or mobile device. Try not to be distracted by text messages, emails or social media updates. (For example, why not switch off notifications for these things when studying, and perhaps turn your mobile to silent or leave it in another room?)
• Make the most of the time you have available to study. This might mean having a regular study space at home that you don’t have to tidy before you start learning. If you are studying while travelling make sure you have the relevant materials with you. (Some materials can be downloaded to smart devices, which means you can listen or read them while on the move.)
• If you feel yourself putting off study, tidying your work space, gazing out of the window or even sharpening your pencils, you have fallen into the trap of procrastination. When it comes to finding the time to study, just do it and make the most of the time you have available.

We hope that in working through the rest of this course you discover helpful strategies and resources to address your worries.