Devise a schedule detailing working time for your degree course, and time off. Treat your university degree like a job, with start, finish and break times. If you work flexi time then make sure that you put in the correct number of hours each week. If you feel like you’ve had enough of a piece of work, try switch tasks as opposed to stopping.
On a degree there is always work to be done, you are in a race against time / deadlines. You do not have time to lose.
Do not procrastinate
Stick to your schedule!
If you work from 09:00 to 17:30 every day, allowing half an hour for lunch and two 15 minute coffee breaks, that gives you 37 hours per week as your minimum.
There is a big difference between attendance time and working time. The calculation for 37 hours per week is based on you working solidly, not chatting or surfing the Internet.
If you work solidly during these hours, you will maximize your quality free time at evenings and weekends.
When you need / want to work into the evening or weekends consider it overtime, do not deduct hours from the following week.
Never work less than your committed hours on your degree course with the intention of working longer the following week. If you cannot do 37 hours a week now, what on earth makes you think you can do 50 hours later on?
This is how the majority of people work every day, it’s no big deal to put in 37 hours hard work per week. It’s not physical work, it’s interesting, in fact, and it’s a privilege to attend University, treat it as such.
It helps a lot to continue working / reading through university holidays, don’t shut down over the summer. Make a start on the following years reading list.
Put your degree before other commitments such as part time work. If you need to work part time, then do it at weekends when it will fit more easily into your schedule.
If you work to a schedule, you can get the best marks at university and still have time to enjoy yourself. If you plan properly, and are disciplined in following this plan, you can have your cake and eat it!
