Finished report on student lifestyle
Introduction
A key to being a successful student is to have clear goals and a well-balanced lifestyle that provides the opportunity for you to achieve your goals. Students can do this by taking the time to clarify their goals, decide what activities are important, plan the use of their time, prioritise conflicting demands, monitor the continued relevance of their goals and the balance of activities in their life, maintain their motivation and manage their stress.
Deciding on goals and activities
- It is important to take some time to assess what is important to them and to make lifestyle choices that enable them to do those things that are central to their success.
- While they are studying it may be necessary to put on hold some of their other goals and/or activities so that they can achieve their study goals.
- On decision making they must set goals for themselves in each important area of their life for example study, family, friends, sport/exercise, and spiritual. Also they must decide what they need to do to achieve each of these goals. Some people find it helpful to list these. Include all the activities that are often taken for granted but that still need to be done. Students may find it helpful to discuss this with someone whose opinion they trust and ask them whether they can suggest any changes.
- On planning their time students will need to list their activities, then they need to plan their time carefully so that they can do everything they want to and achieve their goals. The planning could include, estimating the amount of time they will need to spend per week on each activity. Your study commitments will probably require that you spend 12-14 hours per week, including contact time, per 4.5 unit course. Also they will have to consider when they might do these activities. Some activities may require time every week and others may be less regular in their time requirements. Also entering all your regular weekly commitments into a weekly planner is a good idea. Don’t forget commitments like, travel, eating, sleeping and any other regular daily living activity. On entering the other activities you will need to do to achieve the goals they have set for themselves in each important area of their life. Making sure they leave some uncommitted time is essential. Some things will not go to plan so it is helpful to have the flexibility to respond to the unexpected, and complete tasks left over from the previous week.
