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Gliding through your studies in a relaxed manner: this is how you take the pressure off (symbol image)
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Studying can be stressful.
One of the most common reasons for this: your own expectations.
Many students put themselves under so much pressure that they lose interest in studying.
Small sample:
"I have to pass every exam this semester."
»I have to study within the standard period of study.«
"I have to graduate with honors."
Basically, I have nothing against demanding study goals - quite the opposite.
However, if these expectations do more to paralyze than motivate, adjustments should be made as soon as possible.
And we're doing that now.
Big goals, small goals
Goals only make sense if you can implement them;
otherwise they stoke unrealistic expectations and may depress you.
Therefore, you should break down big goals into small steps.
Suppose you want to pass your next exam with a very good grade.
In this case, your overarching goal could be:
Pass »Introduction to Statistics« with a grade of 1.3.
However, you should not stick to this goal.
It is much smarter to divide this goal into small intermediate goals and assign them concrete actions that you can easily implement.
Roughly like this:
Intermediate goal 1: View lecture notes
Intermediate goal 2: Read the lecture notes
Interim goal 3: Summarize the lecture notes
Intermediate goal 4: Do the exercises for Chapter 1
And so forth
So you determine small milestones on the way to your big goal.
All you have to do now is think about the next, small intermediate goal and you can work your way forward step by step.
Structure that relieves
Mental pressure often only arises because tasks are poorly planned.
Uncertainty is the biggest problem here: Not knowing when to take care of what makes you feel like you have to think of everything.
A schedule can help here.
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First, collect all the important tasks on a list, including your intermediate goals from the previous point.
Assign a specific date to each point.
Also estimate the duration of each task.
Here it is important that you remain realistic: If you plan to repeat three chapters of the lecture, read a book, study seven case studies and write 25 pages of your research paper for the rest of the day, your schedule is everything - just not actionable.
This brings us to another advantage of this planning strategy: Unrealistic goals become visible.
Because your available time is non-negotiable.
If you find that you cannot actually achieve a previously set goal, it is your duty as a wise person to give up this goal.
Or to correct.
Back to reality
Intermediate goals and time planning will reduce the pressure on you in the long run - but you also need a strategy for your daily challenges.
What I particularly like to recommend to stressed students is a so-called »daily goal«.
With this concept, you define a task every day that you can definitely do.
Not ten tasks, not two - but really only one.
And it doesn't even have to be very extensive.
Your goal for the day is not about "just" worrying about that one goal.
Rather, it is a fixed point, a minimum of what you can achieve.
For example:
Read 10 pages
Learn 5 vocabulary
And so forth
When you complete even one task each day, you create a productive dynamic.
With every small success, your motivation will grow.
And it is very likely that you will not stop after reaching your daily goal, but will tackle the next intermediate goal.
This way you get into a completely natural flow without having to put yourself under too much pressure.
Conclusion
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Tim Reichel
Bachelor of Time: Time management during studies
Publisher: Studienscheiss
Number of pages: 144
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Number of pages: 144
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If you put too much pressure on yourself while studying, you risk getting stuck.
And that really stands in the way of your success.
Instead, you should take a critical look at your study goals: Are they realistic?
Are they actionable?
With the help of subtasks, schedules and daily goals, you can define a workload that suits you and puts you under as little pressure as possible.
That being said, studying is not about passing as many exams as possible with the best grades in record time.
Studying is a phase of personal development - and it doesn't start if you're clocked through like an efficient study machine.
Studying means discovering new things, trying things out and making mistakes.
Even if you fail an exam or study a few semesters longer: self-knowledge is worth more than a flawless certificate.