Introduction: understanding why planning is important

In university you need to be able to work without supervision. This includes being able to stand back, review an activity or task, and systematically plan the next steps required. On occasion you may have a number of competing assignment deadlines as well as other commitments. You therefore also need to be able to prioritise. However, before you can set goals or objectives you need to arrive at a clear understanding of where you are now and where you want to go. This means being crystal clear about what is expected of you and what you want to achieve in a particular task or activity. There are many ways to plan and manage your activities and tasks and in time you will develop a system that works best for you. Maybe you already have a system in place but you feel that it could be improved upon.

In this unit you will learn planning strategies in relation to goal setting and prioritising so that you can better meet the varied demands of university life. Being able to set goals, prioritise and meet deadlines for yourself can be linked with the broader skills set which many employers look for as part of project management. [Project management can be defined as the ability to plan, monitor and evaluate using project management tools and techniques to provide workable solutions].

It is important to point out that the guidelines provided in this unit are introductory and generic (in so far as that is possible!). You need to be aware of discipline-specific conventions in this regard. It may be that there are preferred ways of planning in relation to goal-setting and prioritising in particular subject area contexts. All learning skills should ideally be developed within the particular parameters of your discipline(s). As you engage in the university learning experience you will progressively develop knowledge of subject-specific discourse, and through participating in it come to understand its particular conventions. In the meantime, if in doubt, check with your School/Faculty.

Do you sometimes feel that there is no focus to your study-time or that it lacks structure? Do you often feel as though you are playing catch-up and struggling to meet deadlines? Do you generally feel snowed-under and not in control of your study and time?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to some or all of these questions this unit is for you! When there’s a plan, there’s a chance! Planning frees you from the need to constantly make decisions. Just as you have to plan an essay, you also need to plan your study life.

Learning objectives

At the end of this unit you will be able to:

• understand why planning in relation to goal setting and prioritising is important
• set both long-term and short-term goals
• use strategies to ensure that your goals and objectives are effective
• derive a task-breakdown structure from your short-term goals
• prioritise your tasks and activities
• establish the particular conventions in relation to goal setting and prioritising specific to your subject area.