Advice for Creating a Functional Timetable

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A timetable can be a great tool during the school-term — if created and followed properly.

There are certain characteristics a good timetable possesses:

- 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞

If one thing not going your way causes your whole timetable to collapse, then it isn't very good.

Structure it so that if you can't get a thing done (e.g. because mum is using the computer), you're able to get something else done instead.

So essentially, you're swapping out different tasks when you're not able to work on one of them.

Try to 𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙙 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨 that are precise to every minute, because chances are you won't be able to stick to them. Which brings us to the next characteristic.

- 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜

It might feel nice to fill out your timetable choc-a-block with study sessions, but will you actually complete all of them?

𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙚 what needs to get done most urgently, and then reward yourself with a break or fun (non-draining, non-toxic) activity.

Another trick is to 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙪𝙥 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩 to help make sure you don't get bored. For example, you could go from doing maths homework to writing a creative story for english to researching a new scientific discovery.

Speaking from experience, I've had rigid timetables filled to the brim with study sessions, and as early as the first task, something would get in the way, I would fall behind and then just give up entirely.

- 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝

Don't just put in study sessions. Schedule in 𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 time (in any form, e.g. sports, gym, jogging), 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 time (with friends), 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 time, and personal 𝙡𝙚𝙞𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 time too.

It's easier to integrate these into a timetable you'll be following anyway, rather than doing them when the mood strikes. ______

Feel free to ask us here or any of our tutors for advice on your timetable

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