9 Managing your study time

Time is a precious commodity. Being able to manage your study time effectively is a core requirement at postgraduate level. Not surprisingly this is a prominent focus for comments from students and usually takes pride of place in the rankings among the top tips for success (as we saw in Section 8). It’s all well and good to hear, and to know about the importance of juggling priorities, other commitments and maintaining your work−study−life balance, but what practical advice is there – what strategies can you use to successfully manage your time? The following guide offers some advice and tools that may help you.