Timetable may be defined as a system of organizing your schedule in a perfect manner to utilize your time efficiently and effectively. For student time utilization is the most difficult part that every student is confused about. Anyone can arrange for notes, books, and tutors for you, but time management is something that you have to manage yourself. Your peers or family may help you with your project work or make notes etc. but no one can really help you manage your time. Time management is the most important part of student life and every student wants to manage it well, but not all succeed to do so.

A study timetable is something that helps you to stay on track with your studies and helps you in balancing your study time well so that you have time for other activities too. When you plan ahead of your examinations, you know what you need to do and by when you need to do it also you become aware of how much time you actually need to complete a particular topic. A timetable can also help you to fit in other activities that are important to you and help you make time for other important activities of life. Most successful students know how to make a study timetable. If you want to succeed at getting good grades, then you may want to try this to make a schedule.

Preparing a Time Table

Preparing a timetable is not an easy thing to do. First of all, you need to figure out every aspect of your study topic that you need to cover, the time required and also you need to adjust in some important or mandatory activities in your timetable. There are some prior engagements that also you need to keep in mind while designing your routine. Also do not forget to keep some regular time for recreational activities and sports, as without this you won’t be able to freshen up your mind. You cannot just study continuously without taking a break, so it is necessary to keep all these things in mind before you make a timetable. Taking exams can lead to stress and anxiety if you have not studied during the year because you will find yourself cramming for each test and studying late into the night which won’t help you much. With a little time management during the school year, you not only minimize stress at exam time but maximize productivity and results and tend to get good grades with some normal effort.

To start with, draw up a study timetable and block in all activities, work, lectures, and any household or other responsibilities you may have to do and also remember if you have any previous engagements because later skipping your time-table will lead to a lot of chaos in your schedule. Include meal times and travel time. Be realistic about the facts and time that you will need to complete your topics. Try to make an actual timetable, which is possible for you to stick by, not some ideal that can never be achieved, be true to yourself about your capability. Make enough copies to cover all the weeks leading up to exams or assessment. Here are some steps that you must keep in mind once you begin to prepare your timetable:

• Work out your most effective study times when you believe you can concentrate well, and you don’t have anything around that may distract you, a time when you can study best. It is your choice to decide either morning, afternoon or evening time, according to your suitability. Select a time when it is really peaceful at your place and probably a time when no one’s going to disturb you or distract you.
• Go through your syllabus and consider which subjects need the most study and revision. Also, make a list of topics that are very important from the examination point of view. Estimate how many hours you think you need for each subject or topic and try to match this with the hours available in your weekly planner. Time yourself in such a way that you get enough time for revision.
• Give yourself enough separate time to go through the topics that were taught during the day in class and make some useful notes out of your class work, which would be helpful for you in further reference and understanding of the topics.
• Decide on your study plan and block in some study times, preferably 2-4 hours at a time, with 5-10 minutes’ break every 40-50 minutes. You should have a seating capacity of minimum 2 hours so that you have enough time to learn and to revise. There is no point studying for 15 minutes and then going to do something else, this way you won’t be able to do anything properly. Hence it is advised to take at least 2-4 hours of time when you sit down to study. Though you may take breaks in between.
• It is also advised to create your weekly targets. Your study schedule will be far more effective if you note down exactly what you need to study. Be specific about your goals and write down individual goals and targets for each subject.
• It is very effective to block in more study time in the relevant subject closer to the exam date. Make sure that you have already prepared well for each exam over the time and don’t fill up the last few days too heavily as this may stress you. Also put in any events which may affect your study times, such as birthdays, social events and work functions so that you plan in advance to devote your time there and may compensate for this well in advance.
• Some students have a habit to plan in detail for each study session. You may do so by writing down which lecture or topic you will be reviewing first and how much time you need to spend doing this. This way, you can ensure that you will cover all the required information in the times you have allocated.
• Students always face a problem with time management; if you have some smaller amounts of time available for study, consider how it could be used effectively: skim reading an article, proofing a draft, sorting a bibliography, organizing reference cards, etc. Travel time on public transport can also be used for reading. TRy to make most out of your study time and in an effective manner, using for yourself.

Benefits of making Time Table

Time-table is something that plays a very important role in student life when you have a lot of things to do in a limited period of time. Needs and benefits of timetable all depend on your life, your responsibilities your priorities, your interests, your commitments and your personality. Not everyone needs to make a timetable for their schedule; some have their time already scheduled for them. At the other end of the scale, some have no pressing matters and can do what they like when they like and no-one suffers as a result. Students have to schedule study time, otherwise, it is all too easy to do what you like doing, at the expense of doing what should be done. i.e. to study.

• A timetable helps us to be more punctual, efficient and effective. A schedule is a written record of considered decisions made on the allocation of time to tasks. It will serve as an aide-memoire for carrying out necessary activities, listing when and what needs to be done. Unless a specific time, day or a date is allocated to a particular task, especially if it is an unpleasant or difficult thing to tackle, the likelihood of it getting done is very close to zero. Hence timetable is effective in time utilization and punctuality.
• The advantages of time management by making a timetable include reducing stress, gaining effective time utilization, reducing avoidance while promoting reviews and eliminating cramming. Another advantage is that managing time helps us to stay motivated while we avoid procrastination. It is also a fact that we tend to complete important things on time this way, and there is no burden during the final days.
• Most people without a proper time management plan often suffer from poor health, insomnia, and other discomforting issues. There is a constant pressure to complete things and most of the times without proper planning people end up with high-stress level and poor performance, and this, in turn, leads to some health disorders which also create a tense atmosphere for your family too. So the time management is important since it affects everyone around you, but most of all, it affects you. If you set yourself a reasonable time slot to complete a particular topic or a series of topics and stick to it, you are more likely to have a life of accomplishment and satisfaction than you would if you leave everything until tomorrow, and it is a fact that tomorrow never arrives.