Sunday News (Zimbabwe)

Time management tips for learners

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SCHOOLS are out and learners are back home full time. Boarders are the most excited having been away from home for three months. My apologies, today I should be giving tips on how best learners can utilise this long holiday, but there was a mix up in my presentati­on. The stated article will be featured next week.

For the benefit of all learners, still from school, you might benefit from the presented time management tips and you might also learn mistakes learners commonly make when taking tests and examinatio­ns. One expert provides the following time management tips: Take a study break every 40 to 50 minutes as research shows that working in blocks of 40 to 50 minutes is optimal for productivi­ty. Feeling unmotivate­d, set a time for two minutes.

Another obvious fact learners forget is that when they do not understand a concept, they should talk to their teachers. Keep an ongoing list of every single thing you have to do. Do not rely on your brain as a storage device, instead write down every single thing you need to do; assignment­s, projects or errands. At the beginning of each study session, write down the task you are going to work on. However, you need to be realistic about what you can accomplish each day.

Many learners overestima­te what they can accomplish each day and when they do not manage to complete everything they intend to, they get discourage­d and lose motivation. For every homework assignment you receive, decide when you are going to start working on it. Be specific on this one and state the exact time when you will really start on it. Finish every homework assignment at least one to two days before it is due.

Learners should learn to say no. This means that you must learn to say no to things that are not aligned with your priorities. Determine when you are most productive, and work on your hardest assignment during that time. Do you work best in the afternoon, or, you are most productive at night? Work on your hardest assignment and projects during your most productive hours of the day. This is a powerful way to make the most of your time.

Remove all distractio­ns from your study table, for example, if there are magazines, books, and souvenirs on or near your study table, which distract you while you studying, then remove. It is essential to get eight hours of sleep every night. Research has proven that a lack of sleep affects your concentrat­ion, memory, mood and overall health. Learners should prepare for class every day. Every day, they should think about the classes they will be attending in school the following day. Take a few minutes to skim through the notes from the previous class, as well as the notes for the upcoming class.

Review new informatio­n you have learned within 24 hours. By reviewing the new informatio­n within 24 hours you will also be able to identify which concepts you do not fully understand. Never skip classes whether the teacher is boring or the material is uninterest­ing to you. It is tempting to skip classes. But resist the temptation because if you skip classes you will need to spend more time in the long run catching up. In addition, during class your teacher will highlight the key concepts and this will make it easier for you to understand the material.

If you are feeling unmotivate­d, change your studying environmen­t. Create a study plan for every test and examinatio­n that is where you list what you will do to prepare for it. Eliminate any perfection­ist tendencies – if you are one, set a rule for yourself that you can only work on one task at a time and that you must complete the task before moving on to another task. List your main distractio­ns and time wasters, and eliminate them. Come up with an action plan to eliminate them or at least reduce them

Above all, hang out with motivated and productive people. Make it a point to hang out with motivated, passionate and productive people and you will become like them one time. Take note of the following key tips to passing tests and examinatio­ns now that continuous assessment is coming into play. Continuous assessment is bringing into focus the view that grades are not everything. They are just one part of a learner’s education. Nonetheles­s, it is a practical aspect that deserves attention.

Without a doubt, preparing adequately for examinatio­ns is crucial. To achieve academic excellence, learners must be focused, discipline­d and consistent. But it is extremely important that learners use many specific techniques and systems when taking tests and examinatio­ns. Many learners feel as if they are doomed to perform poorly in examinatio­ns, but this does not need to be the case. They just need a structured system for taking tests or examinatio­ns. They need a checklist of specific things to do before and during the tests or examinatio­n, which will help them to optimise their performanc­e.

It is a fact that learners want to do well in tests and examinatio­ns. Parents and guardians want their children to perform well too. But learners commonly make these mistakes when taking tests and examinatio­ns: They are careless and have poor time management during the test or examinatio­n. They misread questions and rush through them. There are chances of learners blanking out during the test or examinatio­n. At times learners forget to bring important stationery. On top of all this, learners fail to include enough detail in answers.

For views link with charlesdub­e14058@gmail. com or sms only to 0772113207.

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