Making a schedule is one of the most advantageous things you can do when pursuing a doctoral degree. Several advantages of having a schedule is that it allows you to:
Maximizes productivity, i.e. time management, and focus on the tasks.
Minimize procrastination by staying focused on the task at hand.
Improve the quality of your doctoral experience by focusing on high-value activities while keeping to a schedule to meet goals.
A few tips for creating your schedule to ensure you are using your time properly include:
It's important to be truthful about how many hours you can dedicate to your school work daily. Remember to take one day off for yourself.
Plan only a week at a time. Some days you may only have 2 hours available, and that's okay, while other days, you may be able to contribute more.
Once you've decided on a schedule, stick to it and set a clear cut-off point. It can be challenging to stay focused when you're tired and overwhelmed.
Maintaining a healthy balance between your academic pursuits and other responsibilities, such as work or family obligations, is essential. To achieve a balance, it is crucial to establish a schedule that allows you to make progress on each course or section of your dissertation systematically. Doing so can ensure that you can focus on your studies while also fulfilling your other commitments and are managing you time wisely.
If you’re a doctoral student or candidate seeking to establish more structure using your time for more focused and intentional writing, I invite you check out the asynchronous course, Concentrated Writing Time. Click the link learn more.