Study skills workshops

Time management workshop Sunnyside August 2010

The Unisa Directorate for Counselling, Career and Academic Development (DCCAD) on the Sunnyside campus facilitated time-management workshops on 11 and 18 August 2010 that were positively received by students. During the workshops, it was discovered that students often find themselves overwhelmed with juggling work, family and their studies and this causes a lot of anxiety and stress that impacts on their studies.

The workshop helped students to identify practical ways of managing their time, taking into consideration their responsibilities and the context of studying through an ODL institution. Many of them expressed their frustrations and concerns in terms of the challenges with managing their time. Their feelings were contained and reflected on and the open workshop facilitated a discussion on what can be done and where to get support.

After the workshop, students commented that they managed to learn effective ways on how they can manage their time, how to stop procrastination, how to use a year planner effectively and how to prioritise and set goals.

Students suggested that the DCCAD consider offering the workshops after hours or on weekends because they are working and sometimes it is hard to ask for the leave from their employers. They also mentioned that they think attending the study skills workshops could benefit a lot of students, especially those studying part-time.

If you want to find out more about managing your study time more effectively, start with the time management and notemaking self-help materials available on our website at http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=15137.