By: Jemima Kotian

5th December, 2020

We’ve reached this point in our schooling life where managing our time and work effectively has become critical to not only achieving a balanced life, but one where we’d not fall behind with our increasingly taxing school life.  Developing your own productivity guide or a schedule to help bring this balance is something I’d really recommend. Not only does it motivate you to actually be more organized, it also allows you to carefully manage your time and energy, so you remain productive and thus satisfied with your day and yourself, rather than wasting it away and feeling discouraged.

When creating your guide, as an A-level student – it would help to take the following pointers into consideration:

1. Doing online courses

While trying to plan ahead for what stream or field of education you’d want to pursue in the future, doing courses would give you a realistic insight and some experience. This will allow you to be more prepared for what to expect when you actually attend the university courses in your selected field. So allotting some time to course work will definitely be beneficial.

2. University research

Deciding which university, where, why and what exactly you want to study is critical, and this journey of trying to find the best course and university suited for you cannot be left for the last minute! A lot of energy and time will go into finding what’s right and best suited to you and your budget.

Looking at where you want to study (be it domestically or abroad) is also important. Link this to the scope of employment in your field of study in that particular area/country while researching. Its important to consider the scope for future prospects after you finish studying at the chosen university, if given the opportunity to continue residing there.

3. Revising through portions taught

Making sure your constantly in touch with what’s being taught during A-levels is crucial, especially seeing the limited time and vast portions that majority of the subjects have. Allotting some time to sharpen your writing skills by practising past papers is also highly recommended!

4. Work on extra-curriculars

Many universities look into extra-curriculars that you indulge yourself, especially if academics isn’t your strong point. Nonetheless, involving yourself in something other that school work is vital to help maintain that balance. Try dedicating some time to a hobby that you really enjoy and build on the skills you use while you’re at it. Giving yourself exposure by taking part in competitions related to that hobby would certainly help you build on your CV and the credits you get from that extra-curricular.

Other than the aforementioned tips, take into account your health. Dedicate some time of your day to relax, and refresh your mind and body. Spending some time doing physical activity and exercising is key to get your body working to its optimal. Taking breaks in between your guide is critical as well. Over-working yourself or working when you’re not in the mood to do so will only result in futile attempts at completing what you’ve set out to do. So, take that break, refresh and get back to it with a positive mindset. However, ensure that your breaks don’t run too long, where you eventually end up slacking and then procrastinating!  

Remember: a positive attitude towards what you’ve set out to accomplish plays a huge role in eventually succeeding and remaining organised and energised. If getting inspiration off Pinterest, and reading something good and positive in the morning before you start your day helps, then DO IT! A positive outlook is everything, while your productivity guide is just your road map to get you to where you want to be.

Until next time- Jemima