Nursing students often feel overwhelmed by the relentless demands of their studies, placements, jobs, and family responsibilities. The document provides tips for improving time management and productivity. It recommends that students (1) use a task diary to plan their weeks in 30-minute blocks, allocating time for all responsibilities and free time, (2) identify their best study times based on whether they are morning or evening persons, and times they are easily distracted, and (3) break large tasks into small, achievable goals to build confidence and motivation while making progress. Regular breaks are also important for effective studying.

1. 66 March 16 :: vol 30 no 29 :: 2016 NURSING STANDARD
As a nursing student the
relentless demands of work,
studying and family life can leave
you feeling like you are on a
treadmill that has no off switch.
Learning to make your
time work for you can help
improve productivity and
performance, as well as providing
a sense of achievement and
general wellbeing.
Rebecca is a third-year nursing
student who funds her studies with
a part-time job. Like many students
she finds her course demanding
and says the only way she manages
placements is by being thoroughly
prepared and organised.
‘I always plan my whole week
in advance – from what days I’m
doing my job to the meals I’ll eat
each day,’ she says.
Keeping a ‘task diary’ can help
you plan your time. Divide each
day into 30-minute slots and make
a note of what you are doing. You
can decide to do this for a whole
week, the days you are on shift,
at university, for your days off or
study days. Add in all that you need
to do in the day and the week as
well as things you would like to do
and allocate time slots for each.
It makes sense to create new
routines that take advantage of
your strengths. This is your strategy
for success, so try to be honest
with yourself:
Identify what you need to
help you stay organised. Perhaps
a paper or electronic diary? Mind
maps? To-do lists?
Use your task diary to
recognise when you are able to
concentrate: are you a morning
or evening person? Can you
identify any patterns, such
as times when you can easily
be distracted so that you can
avoid studying then?
Name your distractions.
Whether it is Facebook, Pinterest
your children or friends, you
need to find a way to avoid
distractions when you are
supposed to be studying.
What motivates you? What
small things can you do to keep
yourself motivated? For example,
you may find that you can study
better when you collaborate
with fellow students.
Breaking down tasks into
manageable chunks and
creating small achievable goals
for each step is a good time
management skill.
Remember to congratulate
yourself when you have reached
these goals because this helps
with long-term motivation and the
formation of good study habits.
Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier
University’s school of nursing,
midwifery and social care Janyne
Afseth says: ‘Setting goals early on
will help build your confidence as
well as making a dent in the work
that needs to be done.
‘Small achievable goals such
as finding and reading a relevant
article, or writing 100 words
can be a start, so schedule in
these activities and make them
a priority.’
You have at least three years
of juggling studying with clinical
placements so set yourself a
realistic schedule. The SMART
framework can help you prioritise
and pace yourself on the ward and
when studying (see Box).
As on the ward, you need regular
breaks when you are studying so
remember to plan some time for
yourself as well NS
By Mandy Day-Calder, a freelance
writer and life/health coach
Upagainsttheclock
How to take control of your time to manage the demands
of courses, placements, part-time jobs and family life
CAREERS STUDENT LIFE
SMART
S Be specific: what exactly do you need
to achieve?
M Effective goals are measurable and
motivating.
A If you set achievable goals you are more
likely to succeed.
R Are your goals realistic?
T What is your timeline?
ALAMY
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