Learn how to do multiple tasks at the same time: listen to a book
on tape while you’re working around the house; practice vocabulary
or math drills while you’re driving; or have your kids, parents, or room-
mates quiz you for an upcoming test while you are doing the dishes,
vacuuming, or dusting. And always carry your calendar, notebook(s),
pens, and a textbook with you—you can get a phenomenal amount
of reading or studying done while in line at the bank, the library, the
supermarket, or on a bus or train.
Strategy tip: Identify those items on your daily calendar, whatever
their priority, that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. These are
the ideal tasks to tackle during that “dead” time.
Collect What You Need
As you begin your planning session, make sure you have all the infor-
mation and materials you need to make a quality plan. Gather your
class syllabuses; work schedule; dates of important family events,
vacations, trips, or other personal commitments (doctor appoint-
ments, birthday parties, etc.); and a calendar of any extracurricular
events in which you plan to participate.
There are only two items you need to become the most organized
person you know: a long-term planning calendar that can be tacked
onto a wall and a daily calendar you can carry with you.
Keeping track of your day-to-day activities—classes, appointments,
regular daily homework assignments, and daily or weekly quizzes—
will be dealt with later in this chapter. For now, I want to talk about
the projects—term papers, theses, studying for midterm and final
exams, etc.—that require completion over a long period of time—
weeks, maybe even months.
82 How to Study