Get SMART

It's semester one and the assignments are building up already!  Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed when deadlines start to loom?  Maybe your time could be organised more effectively?

SMART goals might help!  SMART goals help students to make the best of their study time; working smarter and harder is the key to academic success.

  SMART goals are:

  Specific  

 Achievable

 Measurable 

 Relevant  

 Timely

For instance, a student might say: I have two assignments due in two weeks: an assignment on the causes of World War II and an assignment on benefits of wind turbines.  This week I will concentrate on reading / researching the topics.

Specific

Be precise and detailed when setting goals. Use action words and think about what actions will give you the best results for your time and commitment. 

Specific:  (1) I will read about the main causes of World War II and take notes.  (2) I will research the benefits of wind turbines and take notes.

Measurable 

In order to know whether or not you have been successful, it is important to create measurable goals.  Always be clear about what you will achieve and when you will achieve it.

Measurable: (1) Between 3-4pm on Tuesday, I will read and take notes on the recommended chapters for World War II.  (2) Between 10-11am on Wednesday, I will research the benefits of wind turbines on the online databases, and take notes.

Achievable  

It is tempting to be over-ambitious when we set goals!  Ensure that the goals you set for yourself are realistic; unachieved goals may lead to frustration or resignation.

Achievable: At the end of each hour, I will have read about / researched my topic.   I will have a set of notes outlining the main ideas and important details of each topic.

Relevant
Most of us are very busy during term-time.  If a goal is not particularly relevant, it is easy to lose interest and motivation.  Create goals where you will be able to see the benefit of achieving them!   

Relevant: When I take notes, I will be aware of how I plan to use them: to write my assignment and as a revision aid before my exams.

Timely 

With so many demands on our time, it can be challenging to fit everything in.  It is important to have a clear calendar of due dates so that we have enough time to work on each goal (even the ones we don't particularly like!)

Timely: Although I'm more interested in wind turbines, I will study World War II on Tuesday because that assignment is due sooner.


(image: "001_362_01.01.2013" by Paula Naugle via Flickr)