How To Plan And Structure Your Study Time

Work hard to establish a routine. 

If you make a point of trying to study at a regular time every day, it will soon become a habit. In other words, a form of behaviour that starts to feel perfectly natural - even effortless - after a while. 

Plan ahead, and be discplined. 

If you can, write down your entire study schedule for the coming week. Use a chart or your regular diary. Then treat each study session just as if it was an important business appointment. The kind of appointment you'd never dream of breaking!

Study in short but frequent stretches. 

All the research shows that this is better than trying to cram everything into one long study session. Research also suggests that sessions lasting 30 to 40 minutes work best for most people. Take a five minute break at the end of that time, then you'll be ready to continue. And don't stay seated during your break. Stand up.   Stretch. Walk around, and get the blood flowing.

Study in daylight, if you can. 

Okay, it won't always be possible. But research shows that we study most productively in daylight hours. In fact, it's suggested that studying in the daytime is up to 50% more effective than studying at night.

Avoid studying within half an hour of eating. 

We all know that drowsy feeling after a meal, while your body works hard to digest what you've eaten. This is not a good time to try and engage your brain in serious effort.

Leave at least half an hour between finishing your study and going to sleep. 

Studying stimulates the brain, so allow yourself some "unwinding time" before turning in. That way, you've a much better chance of a refreshing night's rest.

Ask the people you live with to support you. 

Explain that you need them to leave you alone while you're studying. It's a simple step, but you could be pleasantly surprised at how well it works.