A Simple Study Routine for Busy Students
Being busy does not have to keep you from succeeding in your studies. Whether you have classes, a job, family commitments, or other obligations you have to fulfill, a simple, flexible routine will help you learn without overcomplicating things.
The key to success is not to invest many hours, but to use your free time wisely and achieve the most crucial goals.
1. Plan Ahead, But Keep It Simple
Take five minutes at the end of the day to plan out your study session for the next day, and write down two or three reasonable goals , such as:
- Review a chapter
- Do 5 problems
- Make notes for tomorrow's lesson
The most important thing is not to set too many goals that you will not manage to achieve
2. Set a Particular Time for Studying
Choose a time when you are likely to have the most free time, and decide to study at that time every day
It is important to form a habit, so that you do not put off your learning for later.
If you manage to set aside half an hour or even an hour for your studies, this will bring amazing results
3. Use Your Free Time Wisely
If you are studying right after a hard day's work, it is a good idea to split your learning into several small sessions, like this:
25 minutes of study, 5 minutes of rest, 25 minutes of study, and a longer break after that.
During these short study sessions, concentrate on one goal
Do not try to do too many things at once: studying, texting your friends, watching TV, and browsing the web are all very different activities.
4. Prioritize Your Goals
Always start with the task that is the most important or the most difficult. Perhaps you need to prepare for an upcoming test, or you have homework due the next day. In any case, always start with what is the most urgent or the most challenging.
Ask yourself, "Which of these I have to do, would benefit me the most if I managed to do it today?"
5. Do Not Let Anything Distract You
The place where you study and the tools you use are critically important for your progress. Always try to
turn off your phone, or leave it in another room,
close all browser tabs or applications that you do not need,
disable all social-media notifications,
and have only the tools and books that you need for your studies.
If you need your phone or a computer for reference, you can use special applications to block social media and other distracting websites.
6. Study Actively
It is not enough to simply read the textbook or look through your class notes. To really learn something new, you need to actively engage in the learning process by
summarizing the material in your own words,
answering questions,
using flashcards,
doing the math problems,
and other effective techniques.
After you have finished a chapter or a section in your textbook, close the book and try to write down everything you have learned. This simple trick will greatly enhance your learning and help you identify any weak points.
7. Use Spare Moments for Learning
If you are a very busy person, you may never have an hour to study, but you can always set aside 5 or 10 minutes for your studies.
For instance, you can look through your flashcards on the bus, listen to a recording of a lesson while walking to school, review your lesson notes while waiting for an appointment, and so on.
Such mini-learning sessions are a great way to reinforce the information, but they should supplement your longer learning sessions, and should not replace them.
8. Always Review What You Have Learned Right Before Going to Sleep
Dedicate 5 or 10 minutes before going to bed to reviewing what you have learned that day. There is no need to re-read the whole chapter, but you can go over the most important points to help your brain consolidate the information.
Example of a One-Hour Learning Session
Let us imagine that you have an hour to study every day. Here is a sample session that you can follow:
- First 5 minutes: Prepare for your study session and review your plan for the day.
- Next 25 minutes: Study the most difficult or the most important subject.
- The next 5 minutes: Take a break, drink some water, stretch, and relax.
- The next 20 minutes: Review the material you have studied or practice.
- The last 5 minutes: Summarize the material and plan your next session.
If you only have half an hour, you can study for 25 minutes and spend the last 5 minutes reviewing the material.
Taking Care of Yourself Is Part of a Study Routine, Too
Apart from planning and executing your learning sessions, it is important to take care of your body. Try not to skip meals and go to bed too late, and get enough exercise. Although studying at night may seem like a good idea, it may affect your health and the quality of your studying.
Only by getting proper rest can you ensure that your brain is in good condition and can retain the maximum amount of information.
Being Flexible, But Always Consistent
Remember that you should always be flexible and adapt your learning plan to your daily needs. If you skip a learning session, do not beat yourself up about it, but encourage yourself to continue, and do not push your learning for next week. On the contrary, if you have plenty of free time on a given day, you can dedicate more time to your studies. You can even create several different plans: for instance, a 1-hour learning plan, a 30-minute one, and a 10-minute one for really busy days. After all, better late than never, but also never better than late!
Conclusion:
Although there are many complex learning schedules and systems, such as the Pomodoro Technique, an effective learning session can be as simple as deciding on a few priorities and studying at a particular time every day. Remember that consistency is more important than the length of a learning session. Half an hour of concentrated effort is better than several hours of inattentive studying before an upcoming test.
Once you have mastered these simple rules, you can always develop your abilities further and raise your productivity.