Creating a Weekly Schedule
This module explains how to create a useful weekly schedule. A weekly schedule is a way to keep track of your activities and tasks for the week. It includes everything you have to do and helps you plan out when you can get things done. It also helps you see how much time you have available.
Top Tips
✓ Plan for real life. Be realistic about what you can accomplish each day. For example, make sure you have some gaps between activities to allow for downtime, eating, and travel.
✓ Give yourself enough time. Budget at least 1 hour of homework for every hour of class time.
✓ Plan study time. Plan blocks of time when you can study and work on assignments, and then figure out what work you need to do in each time slot.
✓ Plan time for fun. Leave time in your schedule for the things that make life worthwhile, such as hobbies or time with friends.
✓ Don’t over-commit. Try to avoid cramming your schedule with activities and tasks. Leave some free time for flexibility. Remember: you are not going to be able to predict all of the unexpected events that can and will happen.
✓ Spread things out. Try to spread activities without fixed times across the week so that they are not all concentrated on already busy days.
Why use a weekly schedule?
Watch the video below (The Learning Portal Ontario, 2020) to find out why you should use a weekly schedule.
How to create a weekly schedule
Watch the video from The Learning Portal Ontario (2020) or follow the steps below to create your own weekly schedule.
Steps to create a weekly schedule
Find a weekly schedule template that works for you. Use one of the following options:
Our Word template
Our PDF template
Calendars on programs such as Blackboard, Outlook/Office 365 or Google Calendar. (Check out the Software Tutorials tab for help using these programs).
Add your classes into the schedule.
Add other commitments or items that are already scheduled for the week, including classes, appointments, and part-time work.
Add dedicated study / homework time for your courses. Spread these study blocks across the week instead of on busy days. -- e.g., doing readings, working on assignments, or reviewing for a test. In most cases, you will need one hour outside of class for each hour spent in class. Be sure to schedule these hours for when you are at your best.
Add the specific class work you need to do for the week into these study periods, e.g., assigned readings, assignments, studying, etc.
Add activities that need to be done that week but don’t have a set time. Try to spread these activities across the week so that they are not all concentrated on already busy days.
Add other activities that provide balance in your life, such as spending time with friends or going to the gym.
Software Tutorials
Creating a weekly schedule in a tool such as Google Calendar and Outlook has several advantages:
You can create a separate calendar just for your weekly schedule and can hide this calendar from view as needed.
You can access these calendars online from anywhere and on multiple devices.
You can download the Google Calendar or Outlook app and allow your phone to send you notifications about events.
Check out these videos:
Attribution
Unless otherwise stated, the material in this guide is from the Learning Portal created by College Libraries Ontario. Content has been adapted for the NWP Learning Commons in May 2021. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0 International License.
All icons on these pages are from The Noun Project. See individual icons for creator attribution.