Keeping up with readings and workload in university can be challenging and overwhelming, especially when you’re getting pages and pages of reading to do weekly. However with the right strategies, you can manage your workload effectively. Below are some tips and tricks to keep organised when your workload seems to be piling, so that you’re not falling behind!
1. Prioritise Your Readings
You don’t necessarily need to read every single word cover to cover. Skim the syllabus to figure out which readings are essential for understanding key concepts and which are supplementary. Focus on primary texts or readings that will be discussed in class.
2. Create a Reading Schedule
Break down your readings into manageable chunks. Instead of cramming the night before, try reading a little each day. For example, read a chapter or a few articles daily, rather than all at once. You can do this by setting daily and weekly goals!
3. Preview Before Deep Reading
Quickly skim the headings, subheadings, introductions, and conclusions of readings before diving in. This gives you a sense of the structure and key arguments, making the actual reading easier to process. If you’re pressed for time, summaries and journal abstracts can give you an idea of the main points and key sections of focus.
4. Active Reading Techniques
As you read, underline key points, write questions in the margins, or summarise main ideas in your own words. This keeps you engaged and helps with retention. Summarise sections or concepts in your own words. Using apps like Notion, OneNote, or Evernote to organise these notes by topic or course can help you refer back to them easily.
5. Stay Engaged in Lectures
Engaging in seminar discussions can help you understand what’s essential in the readings. Sometimes professors focus on particular readings, giving you cues on what to prioritise, especially for upcoming essays and assessments.
6. Balance Reading with Review
Schedule short review sessions each week to go over your reading notes. This will help reinforce the material and make studying for exams less stressful. You can also review with your peers; discussing readings can help deepen your understanding, and different perspectives can fill in knowledge gaps.
7. Stay Organised
Keep track of your readings, due dates, and tasks in a digital planner or an app like Google Calendar or Notion. This ensures that you don’t forget important deadlines. I’ve definitely done this - deadlines have crept up and I haven’t realised because I didn’t keep apt track of it!
8. Be Kind to Yourself
It’s okay if you can’t read every single word your readings, or if you have no idea what to write for that forum post! Focus on what you do know, understanding the key arguments, and recognising when you need to read deeply versus skim. Take lots of breaks and practice self-care in between study sessions! You got this!
Creating a reading schedule has helped me so much too. Do you also skim readings before diving in? It saves me so much time!