Nursing students find that their educational process places great demands on their time. Feelings of being overwhelmed and not having enough time to meet expectations are common. “Cutting corners”, not allowing time to rest and relax, and not having enough time for family, are all too frequent experiences.

One way of reducing the stress associated with an extremely busy schedule is to actively manage one’s resources.Time management is an ongoing, dynamic process that can help you take control of your schedule. Time scheduling procedures require the use of several worksheets: Weekly Planning Worksheet, Daily Planning Schedule, and Weekly Activities Schedule. These worksheets will enable you to schedule your time from week to week.

1. Use the “Weekly Planning Worksheet” to set objectives for tasks and activities to be performed in the coming week.For example: Identify projects associated with reading assignments, exam, etc.
   Use the “Task Analysis Worksheet” to break down projects into component steps.
   
   
   • Divide a particular project into tasks components (i.e., number of pages, chapters, etc.)
     
     
   • Estimate time requirements for each task component.
     
     
   • Be sure to include daily assignments for class.
     
     
2. Use “Do List” on “Daily Planning Schedule”.
   
   
• List all activities and tasks you would like to accomplish in the next 2 days.
  
  
• Assign time estimates to all entries.
  
  
• Include time for recreational, relaxing, and family/social activities.
  
  
3. Assign priority to all items on “Do List”.
   
   
• Priority A—Outcome has direct benefit to you.
  
  
• Priority B—Benefit less direct to you; completion required by others.
  
  
• Priority C—Routine activities of low substantive value.
  
  
• Enjoyable experiences are assigned a (+) s
  
  
4. C. Helpful tips for a “Weekly Activities Schedule”.
   
   
• Schedule fixed time commitments first, classes.
  
  
• Schedule activities from “Do List” based on priority.
  
  
• Schedule at least one relaxing activity daily.
  
  
• Use any gaps effectively.
  
  
• For several large tasks, schedule completion of each component.
  
  
• Schedule an easier task right after a difficult task.
  
  
• Schedule high priority tasks during your most productive times of the day.

1. Scheduling Tasks
   
   Monitor Yourself
   
   
   1. Reward yourself for task completion.
      
      
      • Check off items from list as you complete them.
        
        
      • Take a break after completing an important task—relax, celebrate.
        
        
      • Do an easier task following a more difficult task to get a sense of making progress.
        
        
   2. Assess what has been completed and what remains to be done.
      
      
   • Evaluate goals of uncompleted tasks—were time estimates realistic?
     
     
   • Review priorities.
     
     
   • Reschedule uncompleted objectives
     
     
   • Don’t be too hard on yourself for uncompleted objectives, but do evaluate contributing factors in order to use this information in revising your schedule.
     
     
   • Try not to sacrifice usual leisure activities for catching up on incomplete objectives—better to schedule 1 or 2 catch-up periods per week.
     
     
2. Improving your efficiency and maximizing your time.
   
   
1. Controlling procrastination
   
   
• Careful scheduling will decrease procrastination.
  
  
• Identify your favorite periods of procrastination—coffee breaks, talking on telephone, etc. Pick one activity to target for reduction for the week.
  
  
• Identify high priority tasks you most often avoid or postpone, then try to schedule them at different time or place to reduce any unpleasant feelings associated with them.
  
  
2. Controlling interruptions
   
   
• Assert your right to uninterrupted time!
  
  
• Create and schedule interruption-free work times and places.Use a “Do Not Disturb” sign.
  
  
3. Effective study strategies
   
   
• During study periods follow the steps of the SQR3 Method: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.
  
  
• Use free hours between classes for reviewing.
  
  
• Review just after lecture classes.
  
  
• Schedule 1 to 2 hour study periods for a given subject.
  
  
• Allow a 5 to 10 minute break for each hour of study.
  
  
• For each subject, it is better to study 1 hour/day for 5 days rather than 5 hours on one day.
  
  
• Study your hardest subject first.
  
  
• Remember: A proper balance of rest, play, and study are very important for success.

Adapted from: Stress Management Training For Medical Students by Jeffrey A. Kelly, PhD, et. al.