INTRODUCTION
Activity
Brief: Look at one of your modules from Graphic Design 1 – any module. Write a plan and schedule for that module as if this were the week you needed to work on it.
Reflect on your planning and time management last year. What did you do well, and what can you do better? Use that to make this year even more successful. Reflect on what will help you stay on track this year.
Consider appointments and requirements outside of studying that you must do this week and slot this into your planning to make sure you work around it. Remember to include breaks, lunch, and motivational rewards in your weekly plan.
Plan & Schedule
I chose to construct a plan and schedule from Graphic Design 1 – Photography 1 – Module 2 – The Art of Photography: Exposure and Composition Basics. As I am a part-time student, my plan and schedule covers two calendar weeks (equal to one academic week). I will also cover my reflections on my planning and time management from last year, as well as what I did well, what I can do better, and how I plan to stay on track over this next academic year.
I have written out some notes prior to constructing my schedule in order to plan out my days and work around engagements outside of my studies. Firstly, I looked back at the module I have chosen so see what needs to be done and how I can fit each task into my schedule between the hand-out date and the deadline.
Within my plan, you can see that I have listed the days I am booked to work, personal engagements, chores, other responsibilities, and personal-time. From there, I used this information to work study-times into my schedule.
Plan
How was my planning and time management last year?
Honestly, my planning and time management last year wasn’t great and things ended up getting quite out of control for me. At first, my planning was on-point – I had post it notes set up on the wall like a calendar and was able to stay on track nice and easily, but then I was hit hard with covid twice. Following that, my computer died on me, resulting in needed to use a lot of my free-time to catch up in order to meet deadlines and resit a missed assignment during the course of another assignment. I was set back so much at this point that all planning and timing had gone out the window and I felt myself rushing through my CA’s and not having time for the LT’s, which I had to catch up with on holiday during my summer-break.
Despite all of these set-backs, I worked myself to the bone and pushed myself as hard as possible. Usually, I am super organised and great with time management and planning out my days/weeks/months, but last year I didn’t take any breaks or motivational rewards. I barely had any time to relax. I well and truly burnt myself out.
This year I plan to be better. Even if I get sick, or something else sets me back, I am going to ensure that I have a written plan and schedule no matter what. I would like to use the first day of a LT or CA hand-out to do this. I will take breaks for lunch and give myself motivational rewards as to not tire myself out or want to give up. I will continue to push myself beyond my limits, but also find time just for myself, which was almost non-existent during the last academic year.
Weekly Schedule – 1 Academic Week (Part-Time)
