Strategies for Empowerment in Time Management and Study Tools
This blog entry will briefly discuss the effective strategies that have aided me in my academic and working life and identify other strategies that can help me as an online doctoral student. The strategies to be addressed include planning, time management, study, and technology—four fundamental components of the DNP student’s success. I believe that analyzing these approaches will help me gain a better understanding of how I could enhance and succeed in my academic endeavors.
Reflection on a Strategy Used
An organizational skill I have practiced constantly at the academic and professional levels is planning and organizing my time. Getting accustomed to time management has made it easy to balance study (Parke et al., 2018). For instance, while writing my thesis, I set particular hours strictly for research, writing, and editing. This also helped me constantly work on my papers, official duties, family errands, and other activities all at once without blocking my progress toward achieving my goals.
One factor that will be vital to my success in the DNP program will be time management. The coursework in an online doctoral program might be rigorous, especially where professionals have other obligations they need to meet simultaneously. Through time management, I plan my time effectively to set aside time for coursework, clinical practice, and other activities. For instance, I will time my reading and writing ability in the morning, clinical practice in the afternoon, and evenings for my family and leisure activities. Also, organizing the work based on urgency and priority will minimize stress from the last days of a week or a month when all the work is to be done. It also helps me to schedule my time by taking a head start during normal working days so that I can cope well with busy days such as projects and exams, among others. If I am able to set a schedule and stick to it, I will be sure to get the proper balance between work, school, and my family, which is crucial to avoiding burnout while in the DNP program.
Reflection on a Strategy Not yet Used
A reasonable approach I have not employed in the given subject but would prefer to apply is using of enhanced notes, and study aids like mind mapping and flashcards (Priyatin, 2021). Before this time, I had always used conventional methods of studying, whereby you jot down notes or highlight some parts of your books. Although it has helped to an extent, as the level of learning intensifies, including at the doctoral level, more efficient and interactive methods may help to boost understanding and retention.
I have not employed tools such as mind maps and flash cards primarily because of ingratiation with my past methods and plain refusal to embrace change. However, the significant amount of information I will receive in the DNP program could help me organize the concepts and engage in active learning. Mind mapping can be helpful when I have to sort a lot of information at once, for example, when working on major projects, writing papers, or reviewing for exams, patient care models, and research data (Indahwati et al., 2024). While traditional flashcards might be helpful for writing exercises and vocabulary building, digital flashcards could be beneficial when memorizing terms, which can be vital in the medical profession. Also, the functionality of these tools means I can study from them using any device, especially if I am gaining study time between working. These strategies extend the existing practical organizational and time management skills while strengthening the areas of information remembering and analysis.
Conclusion
Time management has been a significant success factor in my learning as I acquire my DNP degree. Moreover, creating new forms of study will benefit me as it will influence the expansion of weak aspects such as data memorization and classification. Through these methods, the demands of the DNP program will be met, and my academic and professional dreams will be achieved.
References
Indahwati, N. A. S., Ardiasih, L. S., & Samanhudi, U. (2024). Improving Descriptive Speaking Skills By Implementing Project-Based Learning Using Flashcards and Mind Maping. EduInovasi: Journal of Basic Educational Studies, 4(2), 1270-1288.
Links to an external site.
Parke, M. R., Weinhardt, J. M., Brodsky, A., Tangirala, S., & DeVoe, S. E. (2018). When daily planning improves employee performance: The importance of planning type, engagement, and interruptions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(3), 300.
Links to an external site.
Priyatin, R. (2021, July). Improving effectiveness learning solar system through mind mapping strategy with mase paper ball and flashcard. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1957, No. 1, p. 012037). IOP Publishing.
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