Law school is tough, isn’t it? Getting through it takes more than talent, grit, and hard work. If you’re overwhelmed and can’t seem to manage your tasks efficiently and notice yourself putting off work for later, you may need to instill some discipline in your life. With a little help from the experts at the leading law dissertation writing service in the UK, you can improve your productivity. They’ve used these tips themselves! With this, you can deal with the workload better.
Interested?
Here’s a complete list you can use:
1. Set a Physical or Online Timetable/Task Tracker
You may get multiple tasks for each of the courses in your semester. You’ll also have to find time to prepare for exams, attend court proceedings and more. With so much to do, it’s easy to get lost and miss a few deadlines or be late to start working on them. Having a calendar to remind you of the tasks is a good method.
You can either use a hand-drawn chart or get a whiteboard to add all your tasks with their deadlines. It allows you a full view of where you are and what you need to do. However, if you want something you can quickly check anywhere, you can choose an app or online tool for it.
2. Break Down the Goals
Imagine this: You have a well-documented calendar with all the task deadlines. Suppose you only jot in a reminder a few days or a week before the due date to start working on the project. In that case, the only goal is the project submission. Now, there’ll be a high chance you may overestimate your tasks or abilities and end up frustrated and overworked. It could also cause time management issues as you may not be able to allocate time for each project effectively.
A good approach is to break down the major goals into smaller components. For instance, if you have an essay writing task, you can divide it into these “sub-goals”:
- Topic research
- Rough draft
- Edit and second draft
- Proofread and final submission
It will be easier figuring out how much time it will take for you to work on each task when you have the breakdown. In this case, you will likely spend a major chunk of your time on the rough draft and the least on proofreading and submission. So, if you break down a goal, you can assign more days to the former and fewer days to the latter.
Breaking down major goals into smaller, more manageable tasks will help you append your time efficiently and more productively.
3. Focus on One Thing at a Time
Students try to multitask, working on multiple projects at once, but it can often result in failure. This is because they are often already running on a high mental workload. And in this phase, multitasking is not just less effective, but research shows it can be downright disruptive.
Try working on one academic task at a time. The UK’s best law dissertation writing service experts understand that working on a single task for a stretch can be exhausting, though. So, they have another tip to counteract the effects of monotasking:
4. Take Breaks
Taking breaks can refresh you and give you the boost you need to keep working. You can use the Pomodoro technique or any other method that works for you. Find a balance where the length of breaks doesn’t turn into distractions, and the duration of your work doesn’t get so overwhelming as to render the effect of a break useless.
Taking regular breaks while monotasking can improve your productivity by a huge margin!
5. Have a Clean, Clutter-Free Workspace
If you prefer working in your dorm, have a clean workspace where you can study without getting distracted by clutter or anything else. If it isn’t possible, try to book a space at your library. Most colleges and universities in the UK allow students a secluded space for solo or group study. However, make sure you apply for and book it beforehand, as it is usually available on a first-come-first-served basis.
Whatever workspace you choose, it should be clean and free from distractions. If it helps, create a playlist that helps you focus better. Both YouTube and Spotify have great pre-made lists you can choose from.
6. Avoid Perfectionism on the First Try
No matter what project you are expending your grey cells on, you will waste precious time if you try to make it perfect on the very first try. Sure, you may be tempted to try and get it done right away. However, many tasks—especially writing ones—require quality assurance before submission. If you’re already going to look over your task to correct your mistakes anyway, it’s better to compile a bad first draft.
That way, you can always come back and edit and polish your work. So, you won’t need to worry about the rough draft being too “rough”.
7. Experiment, Find When You’re Most Productive, and Make the Most of it
Every law student is different and works at their own pace. Each has their own way of studying better, too. Some are great at all-nighters, while others can’t function without getting a full night’s sleep. Everybody has their own time when they’re most productive.
You need to experiment and find the time that works best for you. And this is when you should schedule the bulk of or the most challenging of your work. It will help you power through the tasks quicker, while you can work on the easier tasks during your “downtime”.
8. Follow a To-Do List Every Day
While a weekly and monthly schedule can help you keep a bird’s eye view on all your tasks and projects, you should also create and follow a to-do list every day. Remember tip #2? When you break your tasks into smaller ones, you can set even smaller deadlines to work on something daily. This is essentially what you’ll be doing.
Moreover, when you check off the tasks on your list, it will help you feel accomplished.
9. Use the Eisenhower Matrix of Productivity
The Eisenhower matrix of productivity is highly useful for people who are faced with multiple projects but don’t know where to start. It helps you prioritise your projects and get through them efficiently. Our experts have tweaked the matrix for students:
Here are some examples of the four categories:
a. Quadrant 1—Urgent and Important
- Personal emergencies
- Cramming for exams
- Urgent deadlines
b. Quadrant 2—Not Urgent but Important
- Reading lecture notes
- Setting goals
- Following a healthy routine
c. Quadrant 3—Urgent but Not Important
- Follow-ups on group projects
- Emails
- Most things to do with your colleagues
d. Quadrant 4—Not Urgent and Not Important
- Using social media
- Browsing the internet
- Binging on TV
Once you categorise all your activities and tasks into the four quadrants, here’s how you should use this matrix to improve productivity:
- Work on quadrant 1 first, and complete the tasks in it quickly.
- Make time for all the projects in quadrant 2, or they will all go into quadrant 1 and cause stress
- Try to minimise involving yourself with the tasks in quadrant 3. Or, try to involve your peers so you don’t have to work on them alone.
- Avoid these tasks at all costs. They will suck up your time and lower your productivity.
Last Word
We hope the list above allows you to be more productive. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from Law Essay Teacher if you want a specialist to help you with any of the above or your law dissertation. Our reliable and affordable law dissertation writing service will support you with all your academic needs!
