Studying law can be like working a full time job. If it is not approached sensibly, you will fluctuate between feeling completely carefree and then growing increasingly stressed and overwhelmed by the workload. A better approach is to get into a routine early – create a study plan in the first few weeks of semester and try to stick to it. Breaking down larger goals into manageable tasks will make it a lot easier to plan your studies over the course of the semester. If you are technologically minded, these apps can be very useful ways to organise yourself during the semester.
Project Management
- Trello – a simple yet powerful and highly flexible tool for managing tasks, creating lists and storing information. Can be used by groups. This is the project manager used by Google employees.
- Asana – Another group project manager. Has an excellent web app, but the mobile app leaves a bit to be desired.
- Wunderlist – One of the most popular to-do apps. Easy to use and a good way to remember specific tasks. Allows for reminders and checklists.
- do – A fairly simple to-do app. Good for remembering individual things.
- Evernote – This is more of a place for storing notes, but it does feature reminders and some people prefer to use it to manage their projects.
General Time Management
Mind-mapping software
- Xmind – Easy to use but very versatile, and produces some excellent looking mind-maps. The paid version allows you to create GANTT charts.
- Freemind – Much uglier than Xmind, but seems to have a lot more options, which can make it difficult to use.
Other Apps
- Google Docs – The spreadsheet in particular can be a simple way to maintain lists of everything that you need to do. As a bonus, everyone has a google drive account linked to their student mail, and you can keep your exam notes in the same spreadsheet if you want.
- This website has several templates which can be used to manage tasks and projects, and track your goals.
- Toggl – This is basically a timer, however it can be a useful way to keep yourself on task while studying. The app also tracks what websites you are using while the timer is running, so you can see where you are wasting time.
- Stay Focusd – This is an excellent option for people who struggle to resist the temptations of Facebook and the like. It allows you to block certain websites for set periods. It also features a ‘nuclear option’, which blocks all websites for a set time, and cannot be cancelled.
Studying law can be like working a full time job. If it is not approached sensibly, you will fluctuate between feeling completely carefree and then growing increasingly stressed and overwhelmed by the workload. A better approach is to get into a routine early – create a study plan in the first few weeks of semester and try to stick to it. Breaking down larger goals into manageable tasks will make it a lot easier to plan your studies over the course of the semester. If you are technologically minded, these apps can be very useful ways to organise yourself during the semester.
Project Management
General Time Management
Mind-mapping software
Other Apps