by Catherine (Student Blogger: MSc Electrical Engineering)
When you have coursework or an assignment due, it it is important to take a step back and plan your work to get the most out of your time.
Creating a Timetable
Let’s say you have an essay due in a week. The piece is worth 20% of the module, but you have classes this week and are concerned you won’t have the time. The table below shows an example week plan for completing the work:
| Day | Planned Work |
| Friday (assignment set) | • Read and annotate the coursework assignment • Highlight key points to research |
| Saturday | • Research key points, collecting references • Plan structure, listing appropriate references for each section |
| Sunday | • Write introductory section |
| Monday | • Day off – reflect on assignment so far |
| Tuesday | • Write the bulk of the coursework, using references and structure from Saturday |
| Wednesday | • Finish writing the bulk of the coursework • Note key points for the conclusion |
| Thursday | • Write the conclusion sections, using notes from Thursday • Proof read, and note any improvements |
| Friday (assignment due) | • Execute improvements from Thursday • Submit assignment |
The key point of this plan is to not begin writing until a day or two after the work has been set, to give you the time to plan and prepare. Annotating the assignment is an important step to ensure you don’t miss any key points and can maximise your grade.
Coping with Stress
You have two pieces due, both significant to your grade, and you work weekends. Breath, everything is going to be okay.
Some stress levels can be beneficial and motivate you to work. Too much stress is distracting, effects your mental wellbeing, and worrying consumes your time.
My advice?
Try to Schedule a Day off
If time allows, take a day for yourself. You could attend a society meeting, spend time with friends, or catch up on a series. This gives you a motivating incentive to work towards.
Get Enough Sleep
Sometimes, you may not have a choice and you may find yourself trading sleep for time in order to meet that deadline. However, consistently losing sleep will affect your mood and productivity so it is best to take care of yourself, so you can work harder for less time.
Allow Yourself Time to Worry
If things become too much, set aside an hour to allow yourself to be stressed. If you can, use this time to create a mind map of how to solve the problems that are concerning you and refer to this the next time you become stressed.