Student Success Story: How Intentional Planning Transforms Overwhelm into Progress
A student in Dr. Vickers’ summer Hermeneutics course recently reached out, overwhelmed by the demands of life and school. He was juggling multiple responsibilities:
As an associate pastor, his hospital visits had increased, taking up more of his time.
He’s a father of three, with two kids heavily involved in summer sports.
He leads a men’s discipleship group on Saturday mornings.
He had an upcoming family getaway that needed attention.
School felt like a looming burden, constantly overshadowed by other priorities.
This scenario might sound familiar. While your specific challenges may differ, the weight of schoolwork amidst life’s demands is a common struggle.
We jumped on a Zoom call and broke down his weekly schedule. It became clear that he wasn’t finding the large 2-3 hour blocks he thought he needed. Instead, we identified smaller gaps in his day where he could make progress.
Shift Your Approach to Reading
For his weekly reading quizzes on 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible, he was spending too much time taking notes as he read. In an academic setting, it’s crucial to adapt your reading strategy based on context.
Solution:
He bought the Kindle version and created a note in Apple Notes with the weekly reading assignments. Instead of scrolling through social media or checking emails during short breaks, he used these 5-10 minute gaps to read on his phone—while waiting in the hospital, after a church meeting, or during other small windows.
Result:
He performed well on the quizzes and, more importantly, found relief by spreading out the work.
Tackle Larger Assignments with Micro-Scheduling
He had a larger assignment on Getting the Message due in 10 days. We crafted a plan:
Micro-Block Reading: He scheduled four 30-minute sessions over the next four days to quickly read through the chapters, knowing he’d revisit them for the assignment.
Focused Work Sessions: He then set aside specific 45-minute evening sessions, coordinated with his wife, to dive deeper into the assignment. By pre-defining his focus for each session, he eliminated the usual 30-minute struggle to get started and stayed on track.
Outcome: Control, Not Overwhelm
He applied this pattern across the class—finding and creating small gaps for reading, lectures, and assignments. When I followed up, he described his experience as busy but manageable. He felt in control of his schedule and equipped with a game plan.
Final Thoughts
Mastering your time doesn’t require massive blocks of uninterrupted hours. It’s about intentionality—leveraging gaps, creating structure, and being specific with your tasks. This approach compounds over time, leading to meaningful progress without overwhelming yourself.
If you need help structuring your time, I’m here to assist, or I can connect you with one of our Academic Coaches. Sometimes, talking it through can make all the difference.
