Three ways to manage your AAT study schedule at Easter

Time management is a vital skill when studying AAT. Polly Mainds offers three handy tips to help you plan your Easter study time so you use it more effectively – and still have time for some fun stuff

As an AAT student you can become overwhelmed by conflicts between your academic demands, your extra-curricular activities, your job and your social life. However, remember that your main concern is your studies. Learn to manage your time effectively and the quality of your work will improve, and you will have more time to do the things that you want to do outside your studies.

1. Fuel your productivity

By maximising your productivity you will produce work to a higher standard and spend less time doing it. You can do this by taking short but regular breaks, such as five minutes between every 40 minutes of study.

This will allow you time to get something to eat and drink to fuel your next period of study. Also, have a bottle of water constantly on your desk – your brain needs to be hydrated to work efficiently.

You also need to make sure you are getting enough sleep – you will not be able to work productively if you are tired.

2. Be ruthless with your time management

Allocate time slots for everything you intend to do; if you think that a piece should take two hours without rushing it then allocate yourself two hours to do it. If you allow yourself more time than needed then you will work less productively and take up that entire time slot.

Write yourself lists and set goals; if you are able to tick something off a list you will feel that you have achieved something, and this will motivate you through the next piece of work.  A list will also allow you to focus your mind on important objectives and prioritise your work.

3. Beware distractions

Procrastination can be a killer when it comes to studying; the best way to stop yourself procrastinating is to eliminate as many distractions as possible. Switch off your phone. Avoid Facebook and Twitter.

Once you decide to ‘quickly’ check Facebook you’re going to end up losing half an hour of your study time. You also need to find the environment in which you work best; work out what you find distracting and then get rid of it. If you honestly work best with music then that’s fine, but don’t fool yourself: if you know deep down that it’s a distraction, switch it off.

AAT study support

AAT is running the following events in April and May to help students with their studies:

• 24 April – Level 3 – Indirect Tax webinar – 19:00
• 11 May – Level 3 – Cost and Revenues event – Chester
• 18 May – Level 4 – Financial Statements event – Manchester
• 18 May – Level 3 – Cost and Revenues event – London
• 22 May – Level 4 – Personal Tax webinar – 19:00
• 1 June – Level 4 – Financial Performance event – Chichester
• TBC – Level 3 – Cash Management – London

Webinars are free of charge, but will have limited numbers of places available. Events are £49 for the day inclusive of lunch and refreshments. Events can be booked online, as can the webinars (at the links above).

Polly Mainds is a former writer for AAT Comment.