If you want to study but lack of time is holding you back, this study success guide is here for you.
The good news is that study time doesn’t have to involve locking yourself away in a room for hours on your own. When you’re diligent and motivated, your study can become a part of your everyday routine without having to sacrifice the other parts of your day. These study success tips will help you take the next logical step to improve your career.
Smart study is all about efficiency. Whether you’re revising for an exam or preparing a presentation, make sure you know which areas you need to focus on and stick to those. Keep your course guide or assessment rubric handy while you work and check off all the key points that will guarantee your success. Utilise resources like learning coaches and tutors. Complete all your compulsory readings and questions before moving on to extra or more advanced sections. This helps you to avoid potential time wasting on reading irrelevant textbook chapters or course notes.
Chunk and plan. When you feel lost and overwhelmed by the course content you need to get through, break it down into key headings or points and then work your way through this list. Take five minutes before a study session to plan which areas you need to focus on and exactly what you’re going to cover. Planning can save you hours of wasted time down the track.
While it’s tempting to spend hours reading every Wikipedia article that’s loosely related to your study topic, when time is scarce, staying on target is the key. Minimise distractions like social media, television and instant messages.
Tip: Have a set guideline of your topics and key points you need to cover during your study sessions. Study smarter, not harder.
Become an active studier. Don’t simply read and highlight your notes. Go the extra effort and rewrite content in your own words to aid memory retention and build review notes at the same time. For longer, detailed sections, it’s best to make simple summaries and mind maps. This will force you to hone in on what’s important and provides you with a key resource you can consult later.
Study techniques such as the Pomodoro method, where you take small breaks between short study chunks, can keep you switched on and focused during a study session, so you avoid procrastination.
Complete all questions and exercises, consolidate your content, and when you think you understand something, attempt to teach it to someone else. This reinforces your understanding, shows you where knowledge gaps are, and makes studying social and engaging. Explain what you’re learning to your friends or family over a meal or talk to the dog while you walk.
Tip: Put information into your own words and use images or diagrams to consolidate the knowledge. Consolidation is key.
Plan your study week, and successfully prioritise your tasks with our templates!
Download the PDF below, and select print.
Download the templates
Get creative. Really starting to feel the pinch? Don’t think you can find even an hour to sit down and study? Then it’s time to get creative about when and where you’re studying.
Tip: Think outside the box and find innovative ways to take advantage of dead time during your day.
Try text-to-speech tools. Make use of a text-to-speech program and turn your notes into an MP3 that you can listen to on the go. Additionally, look at resources like Audible to see if any of your texts are available as an audiobook.
You’ll be surprised how much content you consume if you put it on whenever you’re in the car, walking the dog or doing chores around the house such as ironing or preparing dinner. After a while, you’ll find that certain parts of the course have stuck in your head and be much further along with review than where you would have been otherwise. However, be careful of relying too heavily on this, listening to your notes is most effective when combined with active study later on.
Use your voice, too. Research also suggests that speaking out loud will aid in memory recall. Use time around the house to talk to yourself or your pets or sing your notes to calming music.
Tip: Listening can be just as effective as reading. Utilise listening tools to help consume course content.
For busy people, Sunday is often designated meal prep time. Why not use another hour of your weekend and prep the study you’ll do for the rest of the week too?
Then treat yourself to a Netflix session or dinner with a friend, knowing you are organised for the week ahead.
Tip: You can never be too prepared. Plan your week before it starts and never feel like you’re at a loss for what to study.
By following this guide, you’ll find yourself feeling less stressed about finding time in your schedule to get your studying done. You’ll feel accomplished and satisfied knowing that you are studying smart for yourself and your future.
