With the online classes gaining a lot of traction among the students, thanks to the rise of technology across different sectors, students can now learn and study in their own time, when they are most productive. While online classes include many advantages such as experiencing home comfort, and flexibility of time, this can sometimes hamper the preparation of students. With the availability of extensive flexibility, some online students prepare a strict plan to study for competitive exams. However, certain students procrastinate their studies, which leads to a lack of time management in the expected way.
Today, we shall discuss some time management tips which the students preparing for ESE 2023 and GATE 2024 can follow to ensure that they prepare well for their competitive exams. These time management tips will ensure that you do not procrastinate your studies and instead utilize the enrolled online classes in the best possible manner.
How to manage time?
If you are starting your ESE and GATE 2024 online preparation, then the most important skill you need to master the time management tips like a pro. You need to remember the fact that improved time management skills will help you to achieve your goals in a better way. Every individual has the same 24 hours in a day, but what makes a difference is how you utilize those 24 hours to your advantage, thus juggling efficiently between studies, GATE 2024 and ESE exams preparation, and recreational activities.
Time management tips for students opting for online classes:
1. Use the syllabus as a guide
The subject experts design the online classes keeping the exam syllabus in mind. However, you need to acquaint yourself well with the latest syllabus associated with the ESE exam and GATE 2024 exams. Therefore, you must read the latest syllabus thoroughly much before the course starts officially. This will give you an opportunity to acquaint yourself with the exam, understand the expectations of the online classes, and allow you to start organizing the time required to complete the respective course effectively.
The syllabus will act as a guide and assist you prepare a schedule for your self-study and online classes. It also provides an in-depth insight into which subjects and topics are important from the GATE 2024 and ESE exams. This will ensure that you do not waste your time on topics, which have no to less significance. The syllabus will also help you find out the subjects/topics that you must learn well during the exam preparation phase. This includes non-technical subjects such as Reasoning, General Studies, etc. in most cases.
2. Make a Plan and Schedule:
In reality, time management begins with timely planning keeping the required commitments in mind. The most important point for time management is to have a schedule. A schedule provides you with a road map that you can follow to achieve your SMART goals. For clarity, the full form of SMART is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Once you are well aware of the syllabus, then make a plan of how you will approach each topic of individual subjects. Make a list of all topics in the respective subject that you need to cover before commencing with the ESE exams and GATE 2024 online preparation. The list will include:
- Topics related to each subject based on priority.
- Practice tests
- Previous years’ papers
- Newspaper reading
- Revision
- Other important resources are required for the exam preparation (only if necessary).
You can add immensely significant due dates to your schedule to stay on track and you can avoid the urge to procrastinate. Make easy-to-follow deadlines for bigger or long-haul assignments. Make note of any potential clashes that may influence your capacity to finish the coursework before the set revision time. You must prioritize and plan to work ahead to limit any such issues. Highlight those weeks that may require additional time to complete a particular series of topics than normal. For instance, mention the weeks that will pave the way to a significant test or where you will have various assignments due.
Once you have the list, make a plan of how you will approach each topic/subject as per your strengths and weaknesses. You must also have a schedule and fix the timing for each day when you will be studying with the slots during which you will take a rest. This will train your mind to be more efficient during the studying time as per the set study schedule.
3. Create a Study Space
Where do you normally study? If your answer is “lying in bed with my laptop propped on my knees while eating snacks,” then it is time that you might want to consider revamping your study space to avoid any chance to procrastinate. Studies have shown that the place—or “context’—in which you study affects how you will remember that information. In addition, it also impacts the level of SMART goals achievement.
You need to find a study space for yourself that is quiet, and not very cozy. You must ensure that the place is comfortable and comprises proper lighting with minimum distractions. Find a suitable study for yourself to take these online classes, so that you can concentrate properly on the classes. If possible, try to create a study space that evokes the same atmosphere as that of the actual GATE 2024 online and ESE exams.
A dedicated space for your study is important to stay focussed and efficient. If you keep changing your workplace every day then your mind will take time to adjust to the new place and thus will not be able to concentrate properly.
4. Resist getting distracted
Make a point to abstain from surfing the web unnecessarily even before starting with the exam preparation for GATE and ESE Exams. It is quite difficult to avoid getting distracted by social media or game sites. You must remain centered in your exam preparation, and maintain a strategic distance from social media and other internet-based distractions while maintaining your competitive exam preparation diligently.
If you are unable to concentrate efforts during the sessions, you can use the Pomodoro Method. In this technique, you need to use a timer to break down your work into intervals. On average, the study length time is 25 minutes with short breaks in between. This strategy helps you organize how you work, thus assisting in expanding your proficiency. The apparatus expands on 25-minute work meetings, advancing your chance to concentrate on your online examinations and avoid the tendency to procrastinate. In addition, you can download apps on Android and iOS that are available to follow the Pomodoro technique.
The ideal approach to utilize this technique includes the following steps:
- Set an alarm clock for 25 minutes and work continuously for the decided duration.
- Take a five-minute break to get an espresso, browse messages, or accomplish something different.
- When you have finished 3-4 study sessions you must treat yourself to a more extended break, e.g., 15 minutes.
The Pomodoro technique will help you in avoiding distractions and stay concentrated and dedicated to your studies throughout the exam preparation journey.
5. Deal with procrastination positively
For students opting for online classes, procrastination is like a virus, which negatively influences your brain. Procrastination is the evasion of carrying out a responsibility, activity, or task that one must practice with a specific cut-off time. You can consider it as a routine or deliberate deferral to begin or complete an assignment without thinking about the negative outcomes that one will experience in the ESE exam and GATE 2024 exam.
We must understand that we live in a world full of distractions right from electronics, apps, and social media. The owners’ design of the platform is to grab our attention and encourage us to stay dedicated to the platform, thus unintentionally ignoring the GATE 2024 online and ESE exams.
The logical part of your brain knows you need to study. However, the emotional part does not care. It is looking for fun and procrastination instead of hours of hard work. Therefore, you must ensure that you do not get into the natural trap to choose fun and procrastination instead of the need the time.
Therefore, when taking online classes, do not delay the classes especially if it is available in the recorded mode. This way, you can stick to your schedule without procrastinating.
6. Study with serious aspirants
In most cases, online classes experience is a tedious task. Therefore, in order to stay focused and make the most of it, study with serious aspirants and friends. Create a plan and convince your friends who are also preparing for the GATE 2024 and ESE exams, to take the same online classes. Once you have purchased it, make a fixed time when you take the online class simultaneously as it will help you manage your time well to complete the course.
You must understand that studying with friends will motivate you to study. Along with this, you can discuss with your friends later and clear any doubts that you may have at that point in time.
7. Make a to-do list
Towards the start of each course week, make a plan for the day that traces all coursework you have to finish. Separate the coursework for the GATE and ESE exams into individual assignments for the respective subject. Estimate the time it will take you to finish each undertaking and fit them into your routine calendar. Efficiency is commonly most elevated in short overflows with insignificant interruptions and successive breaks. Wherever possible, study in 20-minute blasts, and permit yourself an opportunity to rest before getting started with the next part of the enrolled course. If possible, choose an alarm clock to stick to the set schedule and avoid using your smartphone for this activity.
8. Set goals and rewards
In order to manage your time well during online classes, set goals for yourself and set rewards for achieving each goal. Encourage yourself with incentives to complete a course or topic within a certain period. Set personal learning and time-oriented goals associated with the same. Give yourself a treat when you have finished a module or a discussion. However, do not reward yourself when you have not achieved any of the milestones in your GATE and ESE exams.
These rewards will encourage you to work harder, complete the enrolled course at the right time and keep sufficient time for revision.
9. Create a balance
While rewarding yourself is important, creating a perfect balance between GATE and ESE exams studies and other work is also important. To ensure a perfect balance and avoid unnecessary exhaustion, prioritize your time in a way that will help you focus on online classes studies, rest, and any other work present in your routine. This includes job and/or college studies.
You will find it much more beneficial to add a schedule to your routine. It will assist you to work with your existing lifestyle in the best possible manner. This allows dedicated full attention to every critical part of your life.
10. Participate in the doubt-clearing sessions
You can follow online classes with doubt-clearing sessions. Make sure that you participate in those sessions, even if you do not feel to attend the same in the specified duration. This will require you to first complete the online classes for the GATE and ESE exams with the doubt-clearing classes.
In the year 2020, the pandemic witnessed and caused a sudden change in the exam preparation mode among exam aspirants, especially for the ones preparing for the GATE and ESE exams. There is a large set of students still getting used to online classes. Some students may find it difficult to learn digitally and execute the answers well in the actual exams. Online classes however are very beneficial if they are used in the best possible way. One needs to stay focused, avoid distractions, and one needs to learn the management of time and resources when attending online classes.
You must remember that ordinary people think of spending time, and great people think of using it in the best possible manner. By learning the art of Time Management, you learn how to utilize time to your advantage during your preparation phase and lifetime. With the right skill of Time Management, you will learn how to utilize the most precious asset, i.e., time in the best possible manner.
Here comes the most significant frequently asked questions associated with time management for GATE and ESE exams.
FAQs:
1. Is time management essential for competitive exam aspirants?
Ans. Yes. Time management is a crucial part of a competitive exam aspirant’s life. If you want to succeed in your target competitive exam, you must ensure that you do not leave any stone unturned in managing your time. You can choose different apps and platforms that guide students with the time management principles to implement in real life.
2. Can I manage a job and competitive exam preparation together?
Ans. Yes. If you dedicate yourself to dividing the available time towards your work and competitive exam preparation, you can create your path in the respective field of interest. You can even decide to find a mentor in this respective field. Choose to plan your journey well and ensure that you do not stress at all while creating your study timetable. Therefore, trust your guts and step towards creating and fulfilling an impactful career ahead.
3. How do I understand if I have chosen the right path to crack competitive exams such as GATE and ESE exams?
Ans. Firstly, you need to ensure that you have noted down the points including the pros and cons associated with your competitive exams such as GATE and ESE examinations (specifically for sessions GATE 2024 and ESE 2023). You must analyze your long-term interests and opportunities available in the discussed fields. If required, you can speak to someone in your network or seniors who have achieved success in your competitive exams.
4. Can I attend both online and offline classes?
Ans. Yes. You can attend both online and offline classes, depending on the time available apart from your self-study routine. This will help you balance your coaching classes with your study routine and work/college studies. However, you can choose the best resources and guidance linked with online and offline classes to reach your SMART goals successfully.
5. How do I improve my time management skills while preparing for competitive exams?
Ans. Firstly, just start. Do not wonder what to do or if you want to do something specific in your career. Apart from this, you must balance your work and studies initially and take one step at a time to improve the same. Stay focused on your SMART goals and put your best efforts towards fulfilling them from time to time without taking a lot of stress in your daily routine.
Thus, if you are a GATE and ESE exams aspirant, you must look into your current schedule and find the best fit to manage your time in the best possible manner. Stay stress-free with the art of time management and step towards a successful engineering career ahead.
All the best for GATE and ESE exams attempt!
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