my study habits essay

27 Good Study Habits of Straight-A Students

Study habits refer to the consistent practice and approach to study, on a regular basis, to enhance academic performance.

The good thing about a habit is that once you do it on a regular basis, it becomes easy. So, your job is to get into this habit early. Once you’re into the habit, university becomes easy (well, easier ).

Good study habits that I recommend include getting into the routine of heading to the library (or a similar study space) to study without distractions, chunking your studies by subject, and using spaced repetition for things that require rote memorization .

I also recommend studying with friends – such as by testing one another – whenever possible.

The integration of efficient study habits enhances academic performance and motivation to study . By developing effective study strategies adjusted to your personal learning style, you improve concentration and retention of information – and concentration, more than time spent studying, is found to be a key factor for success (Nonis & Hudson, 2010).

Good Study Habits

1. Time Management Time management refers to being able to efficiently allocate your time so you don’t run out of time, and so you have enough time to allocate to all important tasks. As a basis, you could initiate a dedicated study schedule, specifying the time slots for each subject. For instance, you might want to allot your mornings for theory-heavy subjects like Anatomy, and save the afternoons for practice-oriented subjects like Clinical Skills. Don’t forget to also block time for regular study breaks and social events. This is crucial to prevent burnout and maintain longevity – university is a marathon, not a sprint.

Read Also: 7 Things to do in your First Week of University

2. Using Active Reading Strategies This is the process of engaging with the material by asking questions and drawing connections. Instead of passively reading your texts, you can participate more actively by summarizing the information in your own words, teaching it to someone else, quizzing yourself, or creating visual aids like diagrams and mind maps. As Issa et al. (2012) found, reading relevant information daily is an effective study habit for improving grades.

3. Setting Realistic Goals This strategy involves laying out achievable objectives for each study session or topic. Setting goals not only keeps you focused, but also helps gauge your progress. For example, instead of aiming to read an entire biology textbook in two days, you might target mastering one chapter per day. I recommend setting both short-term study goals and long-term study goals using the SMART Goals method .

4. Prioritization Successful students often prioritize tasks based on their deadlines and degree of importance. You might follow the Eisenhower Box method: divide your tasks into four categories, namely, important and urgent, important but not urgent, not important but urgent, and not important and not urgent. For instance, an upcoming exam translates into an important and urgent task, hence it would be first on your list.

5. Spaced Repetition This strategy involves studying information over incremental intervals instead of cramming it in one sitting. You might review your notes on the day you learn something, then again in a couple of days, then after a week, and so forth. There are even apps like the Anki flashcards app that have a built-in spaced repetition algorithm that can space how often ideas are presented to you.

6. Creating a Suitable Environment Each individual’s ideal study environment may differ based on personal preferences . Some people need complete silence, while others work better with some background noise. If you like silence, the quite section of a library is a good place to start – I recommend making it a habit to go to the library at your university as often as possible. Conversely, if you feel background noise helps you to concentrate, consider studying at a cafe. But the key is to ensure your environment is right for you. As Ogbodo (2010, p. 229) argues: “Where to study is as important as what to study and how to go about studying.”

7. Taking Breaks Integrating regular short breaks into your study pattern can boost your productivity and mental agility because it decreases distractions during focused study time. And this is important. As Walck-Shannon, Rowell and Frey (2021) found, “students reported being distracted about 20% of their study time, and distraction while studying negatively predicted exam performance.” So, let’s avoid that – by splitting our time between strong focus, then rest. Typically, the Pomodoro technique is a popular method for this, where you study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four such cycles, you take a longer break of 15-20 minutes. During your breaks, you can engage in some light activity such as stretching or walking to invigorate yourself.

8. Maintaining Physical Health Eating well, getting regular exercise, and ensuring enough sleep are often overlooked aspects of efficient studying. Research shows that a balanced diet, physical activity, and proper sleep improve cognitive functions , including memory and concentration. You may want to establish a regular sleep schedule, incorporate a balanced diet, and schedule regular exercise sessions each week into your routine.

9. Using Technology Wisely Technology offers a range of tools that can streamline your study process. For instance, you can use apps for time management (e.g., Rescue Time), note-taking (e.g., Evernote), or spaced repetition (e.g., Anki). While these apps can be beneficial, remember to keep checks on screens’ disruptive nature and the habit of digital distraction. As practice, try turning off your phone’s notifications when you study, or set ‘Do Not Disturb’ intervals.

10. Review and Revise Sessions Regular review of study materials aids in long-term retention of information. You can allocate specific time slots each week to revisit old notes, attempt self-test papers or engage in group discussions. For instance, you might dedicate your Sunday mornings to revising everything you’ve covered during the preceding week.

11. Active Writing Transcribing information demands active engagement, thereby reinforcing your understanding and memory of the subject. You might opt to rewrite complex concepts in your own words or diagrammatically represent intricate processes. For example, instead of merely reading about the human circulatory system, consider drawing it out with brief annotations.

12. Seeking Help When Needed Understanding when to seek help is an underrated study habit. If you find yourself struggling with a subject, don’t hesitate to approach your professors, peers, or study groups for clarification. You might also seek online resources such as academic forums or educational websites. Remember, it’s better to clarify doubts initially than to have misconceptions hamper your overall learning.

13. Mindfulness and Focus Mindfulness, or present-moment awareness, can help enhance your comprehension and retention during studying. You could practice mindfulness by removing distractions, concentrating on the task at hand, and making a conscious effort to absorb the material.

14. Integrating Study with Real-Life Scenarios Applying the theoretical knowledge learned during study sessions to real-life instances can facilitate a deeper understanding. You might relate basic principles of economics to household budgeting or chemistry to cooking. This practice can help convert abstract concepts into tangible examples.

15. Regular Self-Assessment Implementing regular exams or quizzes to assess your understanding and memory can be a direct way to monitor progress. You can either use ready-made quizzes available online or design a short assessment yourself. As you answer, mark out the areas you struggled with for further review. This method will help you know where you stand in your preparation and what areas need extra effort.

16. Employing Mnemonics This involves using techniques to retain and retrieve information. The method could be as simple as creating an acronym or conjuring up a relevant mental image. For example, in recalling the taxonomical rank in biology – Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species – you might use the well-known mnemonic phrase: “King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup.” Examples of additional mnemonic techniques include the method of loci and memory linking .

17. Incorporating Understandable Examples Since abstract concepts can be confusing, associating them with relateable analogies can help you grasp the idea. This technique depends heavily on your creativity and could be as simple as linking a literary theme to a popular movie plot. Ensuring your examples make sense to you is vital.

18. Varying Study Methods It is beneficial to avoid monotony and experiment with multiple learning techniques. This can include oscillating between solitary studying and group study sessions, or alternating between text-based learning and audio-visual aids. For instance, following a hefty reading session, you might want to watch a related documentary or podcast on the topic. Switching up strategies not only prevents burnout but also caters to different facets of your learning style.

19. Note-Taking Strategy Effective note-taking is a skill that helps in better understanding and remembrance of knowledge. You should decide a note-taking strategy which could be outlining, mind mapping, or the Cornell method, and stick to it. For example, you might use the Cornell Method, which divides the paper into notes, cues, and a summary section for enhancing retention and review.

20. Regularity and Consistency Consistency is the cornerstone of strong study habits. Establishing a regular routine that allocates specific periods for study each day leads to better academic performance. For instance, studying for two hours per day consistently is more effective than cramming for fourteen hours once a week.

21. Engage All Senses Engaging multiple senses aids in strengthening your memory of the subject matter. This could involve reading aloud, rewriting notes, creating visual aids, or even using software to convert text to speech. The goal is to consume the information through as many sensory channels as possible to maximize retention. For example, if you’re studying foreign vocabulary, you could listen to the pronunciation, read the definition, write the word several times, and visualize an image related to it.

22. Reflective Learning Reflective learning involves regularly taking a few moments to contemplate what you’ve learned. This process ensures you understand the main concepts and helps you evaluate how effectively the learning material has been understood. For instance, after reading a section on World History, take a moment to think about what questions have been answered and what new questions have arisen in your mind about the topic.

23. Preparing for the Next Class Reviewing the material that will be covered in the next class helps make the class more productive and understandable. By having prior knowledge of the topic, you can better participate in class discussions and raise insightful queries. For example, if tomorrow’s Physics class covers Electromagnetic Waves, you might want to read the corresponding chapter tonight.

24. Constructive Procrastination While complete avoidance of procrastination is the goal, sometimes it’s unavoidable. Constructive procrastination involves doing another task that also needs to be done when you feel like procrastinating. If you find yourself unable to study Civil Law, consider switching to another pending task, such as completing your Mathematics assignment. This way, you remain productive while giving in to the urge to procrastinate.

25. Visualization Techniques Visualization involves picturing the information in your mind, which can significantly improve memory and recall. For instance, when studying Anatomy, envisioning the body parts, systems, and processes can enhance your understanding. If you’d like to explore this strategy more, read my article on the visual peg-word system for memorization .

26. Listen to Music Without Lyrics Listening to music while studying is a controversial topic. Some people think it helps them to achieve a flow state, while most research suggests that “ media multitasking ” is a distraction whether we realize it or not (Xu, Wang, & Woods, 2019). Generally, I recommend that if you do like that background nose, try to listen to music without lyrics, like lo-fi playlists from YouTube, which act as background noise and could potentially prevent your mind from wandering.

27. Study with Friends Thalluri (2016) found that “study buddy support groups” significantly support studying. Friends can keep each other accountable and help motivate one another. And, according to social learning theory , working in groups helps us to reinforce knowledge. For example, if you’re talking about the course content with friends, you’ll hear their unique perspectives, which you can critically compare to your own, which augments, supports, positively alters, and strengthens your own perspectives.

Study habits act as the building blocks of your academic journey. Efficient study habits not only ensure better academic performance but also help in gaining lifelong skills like time management, goal-setting, and self-discipline. By adopting effective study habits, you modulate your academic journey to a more favorable and fruitful path.

If you want to dive deeper into getting good study habits, I’d recommend James Clear’s Atomic Habits book – it’s an amazing book for learning to get more productive and optimize your time as a student.

Issa, A.O., Aliyu, M.B., Akangbe, R.B., and Adedeji, A.F. (2012). Reading interest and habits of the federal polytechnic students. International Journal of Learning & Development, 2 (1): 470-486.

Nonis, S. A., & Hudson, G. I. (2010). Performance of college students: Impact of study time and study habits.  Journal of education for Business ,  85 (4), 229-238.

Ogbodo, R. O. (2010). Effective Study Habits in Educational Sector: Counselling Implications.  Edo Journal of Counselling ,  3 (2), 230-242.

Thalluri, J. (2016). Who benefits most from peer support group?–First year student success for Pathology students.  Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences ,  228 , 39-44.

Walck-Shannon, E. M., Rowell, S. F., & Frey, R. F. (2021). To what extent do study habits relate to performance?.  CBE—Life Sciences Education ,  20 (1). doi: https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-05-0091

Xu, S., Wang, Z., & Woods, K. (2019). Multitasking and dual motivational systems: A dynamic longitudinal study.  Human Communication Research ,  45 (4), 371-394. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/hcr/hqz009

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Habits — Study Habits: The Key to Effective Learning and Academic Success

Study Habits: The Key to Effective Learning and Academic Success

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Published: Feb 7, 2024

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Table of contents

Study habits for effective learning, study habits for memory retention, study habits for exam preparation, study habits for online learning.

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11 Good Study Habits to Develop

Good study habits include finding a quiet location to study, taking breaks, settings goals, and taking practice tests. Here's the full list, and the psychological reasons why they work.

Studying can be hard. The good news is that anybody can develop good study habits to make studying more effective, efficient, and enjoyable.

Want to develop good study habits? Start small—don’t expect to do everything in this list, at least not right away; pick one or two instead. It’s also important to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself. 

Good study habits to develop

Here are 11 tips to improve your study habits:

Find a good place to study.

Minimize distractions.

Take breaks.

Space out your studying.

Set study goals for each session.

Reward yourself.

Study with a group.

Take practice tests.

Use your own words.

Ask for help.

Take care of yourself.

Let's take a closer look at how you can implement each of these habits.

1. Find a good place to study.

Finding a good location to study is one of the most important elements of studying well. Look for a quiet place with minimal distractions—someplace where you’ll be able to focus, and won’t be interrupted by loud sounds or people who constantly want your attention.

A school or public library, a coffee shop, or a quiet corner of your house can all be good places to start. 

Should I stick to one place to study?

Not necessarily. Some studies show that occasionally changing where you study can help retain information. This is because studying the same material in different locations helps your brain create multiple associations with that material, making it easier for you to remember it [ 1 ]. It can be beneficial to find three or four places you like to study and switch locations when you’re feeling stuck or need a change of pace. That said, everybody is different. Find what works best for you.

2. Minimize distractions.

Picking a good location to study can be the first step in keeping yourself focused on your work. But there are many types of distractions that can reach you no matter where you choose to work. Here are some tips on minimizing these distractions:

Turn off your wifi: If you’re working on a computer and you don’t need your wifi, try turning it off. This can keep you from inadvertently wandering into the distracting parts of the internet.

Be mindful of your phone: It’s no secret that our smartphones can be hugely distracting. Turning off your notifications, keeping your phone out of sight in your bag, or giving it to a friend to keep you from checking it too often can help you stay focused. You might also try a focus app, like Forest or Focus To-Do , that can block distracting apps and set timers for study sessions.

Study with a friend: Sometimes studying with a friend or two, whether or not you’re working on the same material, can help keep you accountable and focused. Make sure you each are on the same page about studying and keeping one another distraction-free, at least until it’s time to take a break.

Should I listen to music while I study?

Listening to music while you study has some benefits; it can boost your mood and calm anxiety or stress. But studies show that reading comprehension tends to fall when the music is too loud, fast-paced, or contains lyrics [ 2 ]. Stick with calming, wordless songs while studying, and save the upbeat numbers for breaks.

3. Take breaks.

Taking intentional breaks has been linked to better retention, increased attention, and boosts in energy. Research shows that working for around 50 minutes, then giving yourself a 15- to 20-minute break, can lead to optimum productivity [ 3 ]. Here are a few ways you can give yourself a break:

Take a short walk

Listen to a mood-boosting song

Relax with a friend

Zone out and daydream

Have a snack

Take a shower

Clean your desk or room

Not all breaks are created equal. Checking your phone or social media as a study break has actually been linked to a decrease in performance [ 4 ]. 

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4. Space out your studying.

Cramming can still help you get a good grade on a test, but studies show that you’re much more likely to forget that information as soon as the test is over. Really holding onto the material you learned (and making exam seasons less stressful) requires consistent and well-spaced study sessions.

Instead of saving your studying for before a test, briefly review material you learned once a week. If you are studying for an exam, space out your studying up to several weeks (or even months, depending on the test) leading up to the exam day. This can help you retain the information long term. 

5. Set study goals for each session.

Set study goals for each session of studying you have. These can be time-based or content-based. For example, you might aim to study for two hours, or review three chapters of your textbook—or both.

Don’t be too harsh on yourself if you didn’t get through as much as you had planned; sometimes studying can take longer than expected. Keep taking well-spaced breaks, and schedule another study session.

6. Reward yourself.

Rewarding yourself with treats—“bribing” yourself—has been linked to better self-control, and can be helpful in forming good habits [ 5 ]. Telling yourself you’ll get a small reward if you finish the section you wanted to get through, or perhaps a larger reward if you have a productive day of studying, can be good motivation to get to your goal. 

Small rewards can be a candy bar, a hot drink from your favorite coffee shop, a quick game of your choice, or a short episode of a TV show. Bigger rewards for a long day of studying or getting done with an exam can include getting your favorite meal, spending some time relaxing with friends, or making time for your favorite activity. 

7. Study with a group.

There are several benefits to forming a study group. Group members can help one another work through difficult problems, provide encouragement, hold each other accountable to studying goals, provide different perspectives, and make studying more enjoyable. Even explaining difficult concepts to others can help with comprehension and retention. 

If you have a group study session, set a goal the group will work towards and take periodic breaks as you would studying by yourself.

8. Take practice tests.

Tests and practice tests have been long seen as useful tools to help students learn and retain information. Besides revealing gaps in knowledge and reducing exam anxiety, being tested makes us retrieve information from memory—a powerful, study-backed way of holding onto information we’ve learned [ 6 ].

Don’t have a practice exam? There are several ways you can “test” yourself and gain the same benefits. Try the following methods:

Create flashcards

Write your own questions

Search for practice questions online

Have a friend quiz you

9. Use your own words.

Expressing an idea in your own words increases your understanding of a subject and helps your brain hang on to information. After you read a section of text, summarize important points by paraphrasing. 

10. Ask for help.

You might find yourself stuck on a problem or unable to understand the explanation in a textbook. Somebody who is able to walk through the issue with you might provide the fresh explanation you need. Approach your teacher or professor, teaching assistant, friend, or study group member for new ways to understand what you’re stuck on. Feel like you can benefit from being coached through a subject? Consider looking for a tutor.

And don’t forget the myriad online tools that might be at your disposal, like the Khan Academy . A quick search through Google or YouTube can also surface helpful articles or videos on subjects you’re trying to grasp.

11. Take care of yourself.

At the end of the day, your brain is an organ in your body—take care of it by taking care of yourself. Get regular exercise, eat well, don’t overdrink, get good sleep, and take care of your mental wellbeing. 

Sleep: Studies have linked sleep deprivation to decreased cognitive function, including reduced attention spans and doing worse on tests [ 7 ]. Everybody’s sleep needs are different, but people typically need between seven and eight-and-a-half hours of sleep a night. Plus, getting more sleep can make you happier and benefit your social life.

Food: Try to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, plant sources of proteins, nuts, and unsaturated oils like olive oil into your diet, all of which have been linked to better cognitive performance [ 8 ]. 

Exercise: Exercise brings oxygen to the part of your brain responsible for thought, encourages the development of new nerve cells, and boosts brain cell connections [ 8 ]. This makes for brains that are more neuroplastic and efficient—plus it brings a host of other health benefits, like lower blood pressure, reduced mental stress, and weight control.

Mental wellness: Mental health is important because it helps us deal with stress, improves our relationships with others, allows us to live more meaningfully, and be more productive in our work. Exercising, eating well, and getting good sleep can each boost our mental health. But there are other ways of fortifying mental strength, such as connecting with others, practicing gratitude, meditating, and developing a sense of meaning in life [ 9 ].

Getting started

Forming good habits can be difficult, but starting with small, achievable steps can set you up to have consistent study habits for the rest of your life. Explore more personal development courses from leading universities and institutions on Coursera. Sign up for a free 7-day trial and start learning today.

Looking to get a degree? Knowing what’s out there is a good first step. Take a look at bachelor’s and master’s degrees on Coursera .

Article sources

New York Times. " Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits , https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html." Accessed July 27, 2022.

University of Wollongong Australia. " Is it OK to listen to music while studying? , https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2019/is-it-ok-to-listen-to-music-while-studying.php." Accessed July 27, 2022.

TIME Magazine. " The Exact Perfect Amount of Time to Take a Break, According to Data , https://time.com/3518053/perfect-break/." Accessed July 27, 2022.

Bustle. " A New Study Says Scrolling Through Social Media Doesn’t Actually Give You A Mental Break , https://www.bustle.com/p/taking-a-break-by-looking-at-social-media-doesnt-help-your-mind-reset-a-new-study-says-18682642." Accessed July 27, 2022.

PsychCentral. " The Pscyhology of Rewarding Yourself with Treats , https://psychcentral.com/blog/psychology-rewarding-yourself-with-treats." Accessed July 27, 2022.

KQED. " A Better Way to Study Through Self-Testing and Distributed Practice , https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/49750/a-better-way-to-study-through-self-testing-and-distributed-practice." Accessed July 27, 2022.

Forbes. " New Studies Show What Sleep Loss Does To The Brain And Cognition , https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2019/11/29/new-studies-show-what-sleep-loss-does-to-the-brain-and-cognition/." Accessed July 27, 2022.

Harvard Health Publishing. " 12 ways to keep your brain young , https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/12-ways-to-keep-your-brain-young." Accessed July 27, 2022.

MedlinePlus. " How to Improve Mental Health , https://medlineplus.gov/howtoimprovementalhealth.html." Accessed July 27, 2022.

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• Study Skills

How to Improve Your Study Skills

Last Updated: April 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Sean Alexander, MS . Sean Alexander is an Academic Tutor specializing in teaching mathematics and physics. Sean is the Owner of Alexander Tutoring, an academic tutoring business that provides personalized studying sessions focused on mathematics and physics. With over 15 years of experience, Sean has worked as a physics and math instructor and tutor for Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Stanbridge Academy. He holds a BS in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MS in Theoretical Physics from San Francisco State University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 902,806 times.

Studying is a skill you can improve, just like any other. Set yourself up for success by taking notes, keeping a study schedule, and practicing growth mindset thinking. When you start studying, limit your distractions, avoid multitasking, and take breaks to keep focused. Experiment with different strategies of preparing for tests, like using mnemonics, and joining a study group, until you find a few that work great for you.

Things You Should Know

• Create a study daily schedule to get organized. Prioritize the most important tasks and focus on one subject at a time instead of multi-tasking.
• Pay attention in class and take good notes so you can review them later. If you have any questions, bring them up to your teacher.
• Take a 10-minute break at least once an hour to avoid overloading yourself. Taking regular breaks will help you retain more information in the long-term.

Improving Your Focus

• If you like studying with music, make sure it is chill music, without words, that won't have you singing along and getting distracted.
• You can ask one of your family members to help you keep all the distractions away from you, such as mobile phones and laptops.

• Studies have shown that multitasking isn't only ineffective; it's also stressful. You can get much more enjoyment out of a task if you focus on it and do a good job, and then move on to the next thing.

• It's also very satisfying to be able to check off each item as you complete it. You feel accomplished!

• Some textbooks will also mark the most important information in bold, or have review sections going over key points. [6] X Research source

• Your brain and body need a little activity and fun so that you're able to focus again.

• Studies have shown that students who practice a growth mindset learn better than students with fixed mindsets, who tell themselves that every setback is a bad thing, instead of an opportunity to grow.
• Don't worry if you have a more negative mindset now. You can develop a growth mindset with lots of positive self-talk.

• Aim to get 8-9 hours of sleep a night, or more if that's what you need.

Memorizing Information Strategically

• For example, a tactile learner would best learn how a clock works by taking one apart and putting it back together.
• A visual learner would look at a diagram of how the clock worked.
• A reading/writing learner would read an essay about the clock's function and take notes.
• An auditory learner would listen to a lecture about it.
• If you're not sure what you're learning style is, you can take an online quiz about it here: http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml

• Try building a visual memory of things you need to remember if you're a visual learner. For example, if you have to recite a long poem for your English class, try to picture each line or verse as a specific image.

• Taking notes in class also forces you to pay attention.
• Don't feel the need to write down every word your teacher says.

• If you're going to have to write an essay on your test, don't just memorize information that you might have to include. Actually practice writing an essay in a short amount of time, so that when the day comes, you won't feel nervous, because you've done it before.

• Cramming the night before a test isn't just stressful and exhausting, it's also not very effective.

• If your study group is having trouble focusing, try setting a timer for 45 minutes. Say: “Let's study until the timer rings, and then we'll have a snack break,” or something like that. Having a short, set amount of time to focus is more manageable.

• Depending on the concept, you can also try teaching it to a younger sibling or somebody else who has less knowledge than you. Trying to explain a tricky concept in simple language can clarify your understanding. Also, explain your study concept to someone. This will help you understand the concept better because you're talking out loud. If you can't talk to someone, talk to your pet, your TV, your pillow, your imaginary friend, etc. The point of this isn't to teach someone the concept, it is to read it out loud, but it might feel weird talking to yourself, which is why talking to someone or something can help.

• Try your best on a problem before you ask for help from your teacher. Then phrase your question like this, “I tried this, but I couldn't figure it out. Could you help?” or “I understand this part, but I'm confused about that part. What does it mean?” This will make it clear that you're not asking your teacher to do your work for you, you are just looking for clarification.

Joseph Meyer

Review basic concepts before diving into advanced topics. Identifying the gaps in your knowledge helps you avoid difficulties later on. Take an assessment or get your teacher's advice on where you can improve. Practice targeted exercises to build a strong foundation so you can confidently tackle new lessons.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• Remember to close your door so that you don't get distracted by noise anywhere else in the area. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Switch off your cellphone before preparing for studying. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Don't lie down when you study. You may find yourself dozing off and not getting any work done. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/take-charge-of-distractions/
• ↑ Sean Alexander, MS. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-notes-while-reading/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ulterior-motives/201108/test-yourself-learn-better
• ↑ https://success.oregonstate.edu/sites/success.oregonstate.edu/files/LearningCorner/Tools/taking_breaks_from_studying.pdf
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/sleeping-to-succeed/
• ↑ https://www.stetson.edu/administration/academic-success/media/LEARNING%20STYLE%20TIPS.pdf
• ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/studentsuccess/chapter/memory-techniques/
• ↑ http://labs.psychology.illinois.edu/~lyubansk/Therapy/Tips.htm
• ↑ https://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/learning/exam-prep/efficient-effective-study
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/study-partners/
• ↑ https://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/study-and-training/help-with-study/how-to-study-better/top-10-study-tips

About This Article

To improve your study skills, always start by studying the hardest subject first since you'll be more alert and focused when you first start studying. Also, remember to take a break from studying every once in a while to go for a walk or listen to some music, which will prevent you from feeling stressed and overwhelmed. It's also helpful to quiz yourself as you're studying so you know which things you don't understand and should spend more time on. To learn how to create an ideal study space, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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My Study Habits by Sarah

Sarahof Auburn's entry into Varsity Tutor's May 2016 scholarship contest

My Study Habits by Sarah - May 2016 Scholarship Essay

My study habits move and flow with each different quarter and depend on what classes I have to study for, and in which order the final exams are.I generally try to keep it the same as much as possible; I know the time of my exam and how much time until I need to take it. Last quarter I had a math and a philosophy class that I needed to study extensively for. I devised a schedule to help me be organized and not overwhelmed with my studies; I make a list of the times of each exam and calculated how much time outside of each class I could afford to use to the best of my abilities and study.

I found that with the one hour break in between the classes I could alternate my days of one hour of studying on subject and the next day study the other subject, I of course had approximately five hours of study time that did not cut into my homework time but those went much the same way: alternating each subject each day. I quickly realized that I needed a better method because I would study math on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and philosophy Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays (leaving Sundays to absorb the information). This hectic schedule constantly left my head aching wondering which day it was or what subject I had to review, so I decided to research my math on Monday and Tuesday take a break on Wednesday to let my brain absorb the information and leave plenty of space to study philosophy on Thursdays and Fridays.

For the weekends, since it was only two weeks until my exams, I took a break on Saturday and used Sunday to study extensively on math the first week and then philosophy the second Sunday. With this less intensive schedule I did positively great on my exams and I did not feel overwhelmed and out of control, which I believe, led to me being calm and prepared for these exams. I also believe that that was the reason that allowed me to pass my finals.(355)

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter 4: Effective Study Habits

Work smarter, not harder: effective studying techniques, developing smart study skills.

At the beginning of the semester, your workload is relatively light. This is the perfect time to brush up on your study skills and establish good habits. When the demands on your time and energy become more intense, you will have a system in place for handling them.  The goal of this section is to help you develop your own method for studying and learning efficiently.

As you work through this section, remember that every student is different. The strategies presented here are techniques that work well for many people; however, you may need to adapt them to develop a system that works well for you personally. If your friend swears by her smartphone, but you hate having to carry extra electronic gadgets around, then using a smartphone will not be the best organizational strategy for you.

Take a moment to consider what techniques have been effective (or ineffective) for you in the past. Which habits from your high school years or your work life could help you succeed now? Which habits might get in your way? What changes might you need to make?

Understanding Your Learning Preferences

To succeed in your post-secondary education—or any situation where you must master new concepts and skills—it helps to know what makes you tick. For decades, educational researchers and organizational psychologists have examined how people take in and assimilate new information, how some people learn differently than others, and what conditions make students and workers most productive. Here are just a few questions to think about:

• What times of day are you most productive?  If your energy peaks early, you might benefit from blocking out early morning time for studying or writing. If you are a night owl, set aside a few evenings a week for schoolwork.
• How much clutter can you handle in your workspace?  Some people work fine at a messy desk and know exactly where to find what they need in their stack of papers; however, most people benefit from maintaining a neat, organized space.
• How well do you juggle potential distractions in your environment?  If you can study at home without being tempted to turn on the television, check your email, fix yourself a snack, and so on, you may make home your workspace. However, if you need a less distracting environment to stay focused, you may be able to find one on campus or in your community.
• Does a little background noise help or hinder your productivity? Some people work better when listening to background music or the low hum of conversation in a coffee shop. Others need total silence.
• When you work with a partner or group, do you stay on task?  A study partner or group can sometimes be invaluable. However, working this way takes extra planning and effort, so be sure to use the time productively. If you find that group study sessions turn into social occasions, you may study better on your own.
• How do you manage stress? Accept that at certain points in the semester, you will feel stressed out. In your day-to-day routine, make time for activities that help you reduce stress, such as exercising, spending time with friends, or just scheduling downtime to relax

Video source: https://youtu.be/Bxv9lf5HjZM

Understanding your Learning Style

For the purposes of this chapter, learning style  refers to the way you prefer to take in new information, by seeing, by listening, or through some other channel. (For more information, see the section on learning styles.)

Most people have one channel that works best for them when it comes to taking in new information. Knowing yours can help you develop strategies for studying, time management, and note taking that work especially well for you.

To begin identifying your learning style, think about how you would go about the process of assembling a piece of furniture. Which of these options sounds most like you?

• You would carefully look over the diagrams in the assembly manual first so you could picture each step in the process.
• You would silently read the directions through, step by step, and then look at the diagrams afterward.
• You would read the directions aloud under your breath. Having someone explain the steps to you would also help.
• You would start putting the pieces together and figure out the process through trial and error, consulting the directions as you worked.

Now read the following explanations of each option in the list above. Again, think about whether each description sounds like you.

• If you chose 1, you may be a visual learner . You understand ideas best when they are presented in a visual format, such as a flow chart, a diagram, or text with clear headings and many photos or illustrations.
• If you chose 2, you may be a verbal learner . You understand ideas best through reading and writing about them and taking detailed notes.
• If you chose 3, you may be an auditory learner . You understand ideas best through listening. You learn well from spoken lectures or books on tape.
• If you chose 4, you may be a kinesthetic learner . You learn best through doing and prefer hands-on activities. In long lectures, fidgeting may help you focus.

Learning Style Strategies

Time Management

Getting Started: Short- and Long-Term Planning

At the beginning of the semester, establishing a daily/weekly routine for when you will study and write can be extremely beneficial. A general guideline is that for every hour spent in class, you should expect to spend another two to three hours on reading, writing, and studying for tests. Therefore, if you are taking a biology course that meets three times a week for an hour at a time, you can expect to spend six to nine hours per week on it outside of class. You will need to budget time for each class just like an employer schedules shifts at work, and you must make that study time a priority.

That may sound like a lot when taking several classes, but if you plan your time carefully, it is manageable. A typical full-time schedule of 15 credit hours translates into 30 to 45 hours per week spent on schoolwork outside of class. All in all, a full-time student would spend about as much time on school each week as an employee spends on work. Balancing school and a job can be more challenging, but still doable.

In addition to setting aside regular work periods, you will need to plan ahead to handle more intense demands, such as studying for exams and writing major papers. At the beginning of the semester, go through your course syllabi and mark all major due dates and exam dates on a calendar. Use a format that you check regularly, such as your smartphone or the calendar feature in your email. (In  Section 1.3 Becoming a Successful Writer , you will learn strategies for planning major writing assignments so you can complete them on time.)

PRO TIP:  The two- to three-hour rule may sound intimidating. However, keep in mind that this is only a rule of thumb. Realistically, some courses will be more challenging than others, and the demands will ebb and flow throughout the semester. You may have trouble-free weeks and stressful weeks. When you schedule your classes, try to balance introductory-level classes with more advanced classes so that your work load stays manageable.

Self-Practice Exercise

Now that you have learned some time management basics, it is time to apply those skills. For this exercise, you will develop a weekly schedule and a semester calendar.

• Working  with  your  class   schedule,   map   out   a   week-‐long  schedule  of  study  time.  Try  to  apply  the  two   to   three-hour   rule.   Be   sure   to   include   any   other   nonnegotiable   responsibilities,   such   as   a   job   or   child   care   duties.
• Use  your  course   syllabi   to   record   exam   dates   and   due   dates   for   major   assignments   in   a   calendar   (paper   or  electronic).   Use   a   star,   highlighting,   or   other   special   marking   to   set   off   any   days   or   weeks   that   look   especially  demanding.

Staying Consistent: Time Management Dos and Do Not’s

Setting up a schedule is easy. Sticking with it, however, may be challenging. A schedule that looked great on paper may prove to be unrealistic. Sometimes, despite students’ best intentions, they end up procrastinating or pulling all-nighters to finish a paper or study for an exam.

Keep in mind, however, that your weekly schedule and semester calendar are time management tools. Like any tool, their effectiveness depends on the user: you. If you leave a tool sitting in the box unused (e.g., you set up your schedule and then forget about it), it will not help you complete the task. And if, for some reason, a particular tool or strategy is not getting the job done, you need to figure out why and maybe try using something else.

With that in mind, read the list of time management dos and don’ts. Keep this list handy as a reference you can use throughout the semester to troubleshoot if you feel like your schoolwork is getting off track.

• Do set aside time to review your schedule and calendar regularly and update or adjust them as needed.
• Do be realistic when you schedule study time. Do not plan to write your paper on Friday night when everyone else is out socializing. When Friday comes, you might end up abandoning your plans and hanging out with your friends instead.
• Do be honest with yourself about where your time goes. Do not fritter away your study time on distractions like email and social networking sites.
• Do accept that occasionally your work may get a little off track. No one is perfect.
• Do accept that sometimes you may not have time for all the fun things you would like to do.
• Do recognize times when you feel overextended. Sometimes you may just need to get through an especially demanding week. However, if you feel exhausted and overworked all the time, you may need to scale back on some of your commitments.
• Do make a plan for handling high-stress periods, such as final exam week. Try to reduce your other commitments during those periods—for instance, by scheduling time off from your job. Build in some time for relaxing activities, too.
• Do be kind to yourself – many students balance school and other important responsibilities (work, family, friends, etc.).  There will be times where you will have to prioritize where your time goes, and that’s okay.

Try Not To:

• Procrastinate on challenging assignments. Instead, break them into smaller, manageable tasks that can be accomplished one at a time.  An assignment calculator can be a useful tool for helping to get yourself organized.
• Fall into the trap of “all or nothing” thinking. (e.g. “There is no way I can fit in a three-hour study session today, so I will just wait until the weekend.”) Extended periods of free time are hard to come by, so find ways to use small blocks of time productively. For instance, if you have a free half hour between classes, use it to preview a chapter or brainstorm ideas for an essay.

One of the best things you can do for yourself as a student is realize that we  all procrastinate at some point.  Knowing your procrastination style can help you to recognize and change bad habits.  Look at the chart below and see if you can identify your procrastination style (you might use more than one!):

The  key  to  managing  your  time  effectively  is  consistency.  Completing  the  following  tasks  will  help  you  stay  on  track  throughout  the  semester.

• Establish  regular  times  to  “check  in”  with  yourself  to  identify  and  prioritize  tasks  and  plan  how  to  accomplish  them.  Many  people  find  it  is  best  to  set  aside  a  few  minutes  for  this  each  day  and  to  take  some  time  to  plan  at  the  beginning  of  each  week.
• For  the  next  two  weeks,  focus  on  consistently  using  whatever  time  management  system  you  have  set  up.  Check  in  with  yourself  daily  and  weekly,  stick  to  your  schedule,  and  take  note  of  anything  that  interferes.  At  the  end  of  the  two  weeks,  review  your  schedule  and  determine  whether  you  need  to  adjust  it.

studying & Note-Taking Methods

Summarizing  is one of the most effective means of studying and making sure that you’ve learned the concept/skill.  Can you go through the steps mentally?  Can you describe or explain it to someone else in your own words?   This is the process of summarizing and synthesizing information.

When summarizing material from a source, you zero in on the main points and restate them concisely in your own words. This technique is appropriate when only the major ideas are relevant to your paper or when you need to simplify complex information into a few key points for your readers. To create a summary, consider the following points:

• Review the source material as you summarize it.
• Identify the main idea and restate it as concisely as you can—preferably in one sentence. Depending on your purpose, you may also add another sentence or two condensing any important details or examples.
• Check your summary to make sure it is accurate and complete.
• Make a careful record of where you found the information because you will need to include the reference and citation if you choose to use the information in an essay. It is much easier to do this when you are creating the summary and taking notes than having to go back and hunt for the information later. Guessing where you think you got it from is not good enough.

Summaries and Abstracts

When you read many academic journal articles, you will notice there is an abstract before the article starts: this is a summary of the article’s contents. Be careful when you are summarizing an article to not depend too much on the abstract as it is already a condensed version of the content. The author of the abstract identified the main points from his or her perspective; these may not match your own purpose or your own idea of what is important. What may also happen if you try to summarize the abstract is you will probably end up replacing some words with synonyms and not changing the overall ideas into your own words because the ideas are already summarized, and it is difficult to make them more generalized. You have to read the entire source or section of the source and determine for yourself what the key and supporting ideas are.

PRO TIP: A summary or abstract of a reading passage is one-tenth to one-quarter the length of the original passage, written in your own words. The criteria for a summary are that it:

• Is similar to an outline but in complete sentences and can stand as an independent piece of writing
• Includes only the main points and key details
• Is valuable because it is the surest way to measure your understanding
• Helps you remember because you must attend carefully to what you read, organize your thoughts, and write them out to make it meaningful to you (This is absolutely necessary when you cannot mark a book because it belongs to someone else.)
• Challenges you to be concise in your writing while providing balanced coverage of the main points.
• Challenges you to paraphrase or use your own words and avoid using too many quotations.
• Is important to remain objective because you are giving the author’s views not your own.

Article:  Assessing the Efficacy of Low – Carbohydrate Diets

Adrienne Howell, Ph.D. (2010)

Over the past few years, a number of clinical studies have explored whether high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are more effective for weight loss than other frequently recommended diet plans, such as diets that drastically curtail fat intake (Pritikin) or that emphasize consuming lean meats, grains, vegetables, and a moderate amount of unsaturated fats (the Mediterranean diet). A 2009 study found that obese teenagers who followed a low-carbohydrate diet lost an average of 15.6 kilograms over a six-month period, whereas teenagers following a low-fat diet or a Mediterranean diet lost an average of 11.1 kilograms and 9.3 kilograms respectively. Two 2010 studies that measured weight loss for obese adults following these same three diet plans found similar results. Over three months, subjects on the low-carbohydrate diet plan lost anywhere from four to six kilograms more than subjects who followed other diet plans.

In three recent studies, researchers compared outcomes for obese subjects who followed either a low-carbohydrate diet, a low-fat diet, or a Mediterranean diet and found that subjects following a low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight in the same time (Howell, 2010).

What Is aNNOTATION?

Most students already know how to annotate.  When you make notes in the margins and highlight your textbooks, you are annotating that source.

When you take notes in the margins of your readings, highlight key ideas, underline passages, etc, you are  annotating a source.  Annotations are a valuable research tool because they allow you to capture your first ideas and impressions of a text, as well as enable you to find key information again quickly without having to re-read the entire text.

When annotating, you should be looking for several things:

• Key ideas, terms, and concepts
• Words or concepts that you don’t understand yet
• Points that are being made with which you (dis)agree
• Pieces of evidence that would be useful for your own paper
• Inconsistent information with what you have read elsewhere
• Parts of the text you may wish to return to later in the research process

PRO TIP: LEARN TO USE YOUR HIGHLIGHTER PROPERLY!

Many students – if not most – do not use highlighters effectively.   Highlighting is a  visual cue that is intended to help you recall or find information quickly.  If you are the person who highlights 3/4 of the page or chapter, you are not using the tool effectively.

When studying, you should have multiple colours of highlighter with you and designate certain colours for certain things.  For example:

DEFINITIONS MAIN IDEAS UNCLEAR CONCEPTS KEY EVIDENCE OR POINTS

This strategy has a few benefits:

• It forces you to slow down to switch colours, giving you more time to process what you’re reading
• It makes you read actively in order to determine how the information should be classified (for example: is this a definition or a  main idea ?)
• It creates a study system for you that is consistent and easier to follow

Video source: https://youtu.be/eVajQPuRmk8

• Read  the  following  passage  and  use  a  note-‐taking  method  to  identify  the  main  points.
• Compose  a  sentence  summarizing  the  paragraph’s  main  points.

Several  factors  about  the  environment  influence  our  behaviour.  First,  temperature  can  influence  us  greatly.  We  seem  to  feel  best when  the  temperature  is  in  the  high  teens  to  low  20s.  If  it  is  too  hot  or  cold,  we  have  trouble  concentrating.  Lighting  also  influences how  we  function.  A  dark  lecture  hall  may  interfere  with  the  lecture,  or  a  bright  nightclub  might  spoil  romantic  conversation.  Finally, our  behaviour  is  affected  by  colour.  Some  colours  make  us  feel  a  peaceful  while  others  are  exciting.  If  you  wanted  a  quiet  room  in which  to  study,  for  example,  you  would  not  paint  it  bright  orange  or  red.

Collaboration:  Please  share  with  a  classmate  and  compare  your  answers.  

Here  are  possible  answers:  

Key  points:  

Environmental  factors  influence  behaviour:

• Temperature:  extremes  make  focus  difficult
• Lighting:  inappropriate  lighting  is  disorientating
• Colour:  colour  affects  relaxation

Summary  sentence:   Three  environmental  influences  that  impact  human  behaviour  include  temperature,  as  extreme  fluctuations  make it  difficult  to  focus;  lighting,  which  can  affect  our  ability  to  engage  with  different  environments;  and  colour,  which  affects  our  mood.

Passage  taken  from:  Ueland,  B.  (2006).  Becoming  a  Master  Student.  Boston,  MA  :  Houghton  Mifflin  College  Div.,  p.  121.

• Read  the  passage.   
• Highlight  or  underline  necessary  information  (hint:  there  are  five  important  ideas).   
• Write  your  summary.    

Most people drink orange juice and eat oranges because they are said to be rich in vitamin C. There are also other foods that are rich in vitamin C. It is found in citrus fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots.

Vitamin C is important to our health. Do you really know how essential this nutrient is to our health and well-being? Our body needs to heal itself. Vitamin C can repair and prevent damage to the cells in our body and heal wounds. It also keeps our teeth and gums healthy. That is not all. It protects our body from infections such as colds and flu and also helps us to get better faster when we have these infections. That is why a lot of people drink orange juice and take vitamin C tablets every day. This wonderful vitamin is also good for our heart. It protects the linings of the arteries, which are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood. In other words, it offers protection against heart disease.

If we do not get enough vitamin C, which means we are not eating enough food that contains this vitamin, it can lead to serious diseases. Lack of vitamin C can lead to scurvy, which causes swollen gums, cheeks, fingers, hands, toes, and feet. In serious conditions, it can lead to bleeding from wounds, loss of teeth, and opening up of wounds. Therefore, make sure you have enough vitamin C in your diet.

Exercise  taken  from:   http://www.scribd.com/doc/98238709/Form-‐Three-‐Summary-‐Writing-‐Exercise

Annotating, note making, or note taking is a matter of personal preference in terms of style. The most important thing is to do something . Again we stress that reading is like a dialogue with an author. The author wrote this material. Pretend you are actually talking to the author.

• Do not let an idea pass without noting it.
• Do not let an ambiguity go by without questioning it.
• Do not let a term slip away if context does not help you understand it; look it up!
• Engage and you will both understand and remember.

PRO TIP: Put small checks in pencil where you would normally underline. When you finish a section, look back and see what you really need to mark. (If you check over 50 percent of the page, you probably are marking to go back and learn later versus thinking about what is really important to learn now!)

Use consistent symbols to visually help you identify what is happening on the page:

• Circle central themes or write at the beginning of the section if it is not directly stated.
• [Bracket] main points.
• Underline key words or phrases for significant details.
• Put numbers 1, 2, 3 for items listed.
• Put square brackets or highlights for key terms when the definition follows.
• Use stars (*), question marks (?), or diagrams in the margins to show relevance.
• Use key word outlines in the margins for highlighting.
• Write questions in the margin that test your memory of what is written right there.
• Use blank spaces indicating the number of ideas to be remembered, forcing you to test yourself versus just rereading.

General Note-Taking Guidelines

• Before class, quickly review your notes from the previous class and the assigned reading. Fixing key terms and concepts in your mind will help you stay focused and pick out the important points during the lecture.
• Come prepared with paper, pens, highlighters, textbooks, and any important handouts.
• Come to class with a positive attitude and a readiness to learn. During class, make a point of concentrating. Ask questions if you need to. Be an active participant.
• During class, capture important ideas as concisely as you can. Use words or phrases instead of full sentences, and abbreviate when possible.
• Visually organize your notes into main topics, subtopics, and supporting points, and show the relationships between ideas. Leave space if necessary so you can add more details under important topics or subtopics.
• If your professor gives you permission to do so, you could consider taking pictures of the notes on the board with a mobile device or audio recording the lecture.
• Ideas that the instructor repeats frequently or points out as key ideas
• Ideas the instructor lists on a whiteboard or transparency
• Details, facts, explanations, and lists that develop main points
• Review your notes regularly throughout the semester, not just before exams.

Organizing Ideas in Your Notes

A good note-taking system needs to help you differentiate among major points, related subtopics, and supporting details. It visually represents the connections between ideas. Finally, to be effective, your note-taking system must allow you to record and organize information fairly quickly. Although some students like to create detailed, formal outlines or concept maps when they read, these may not be good strategies for class notes because spoken lectures may not allow time for to create them.

Instead, focus on recording content simply and quickly to create organized, legible notes. Try one of the following techniques.

Modified Outline Format

A modified outline format uses indented spacing to show the hierarchy of ideas without including roman numerals, lettering, and so forth. Just use a dash or bullet to signify each new point unless your instructor specifically presents a numbered list of items.

The first example shows Crystal’s notes from a developmental psychology class about an important theorist in this field. Notice how the line for the main topic is all the way to the left. Subtopics are indented, and supporting details are indented one level further. Crystal also used abbreviations for terms like development  and  example .

If you are a visual learner, you may prefer to use a more graphic format for notes, such as a mind map. The next example shows how Crystal’s lecture notes could be set up differently. Although the format is different, the content and organization are the same.

If the content of a lecture falls into a predictable, well organized pattern, you might choose to use a chart or table to record your notes. This system works best when you already know, either before class or at the beginning of class, which categories you should include. The next figure shows how this system might be used.

The Cornell Note-Taking System

In addition to the general techniques already described, you might find it useful to practise a specific strategy known as the Cornell note-taking system. This popular format makes it easy not only to organize information clearly but also to note key terms and summarize content.

To use the Cornell system, begin by setting up the page with these components:

• The course name and lecture date at the top of the page
• A narrow column (about two inches) at the left side of the page
• A wide column (about five to six inches) on the right side of the page
• A space of a few lines marked off at the bottom of the page

During the lecture, you record notes in the wide column. You can do so using the traditional modified outline format or a more visual format if you prefer.

Then, as soon as possible after the lecture, review your notes and identify key terms. Jot these down in the narrow left-hand column. You can use this column as a study aid by covering the notes on the right-hand side, reviewing the key terms, and trying to recall as much as you can about them so that you can mentally restate the main points of the lecture. Uncover the notes on the right to check your understanding. Finally, use the space at the bottom of the page to summarize each page of notes in a few sentences.

Over  the  next  few  weeks,  establish  a  note-‐taking  system  that  works  for  you.

• If  you  are  not  already  doing  so,  try  using  one  of  the  aforementioned  techniques.  (Remember  that  the  Cornell  system  can  be  combined  with  other  note-‐taking  formats.)
• It  can  take  some  trial  and  error  to  find  a  note-‐taking  system  that  works  for  you.  If  you  find  that  you  are  struggling  to  keep  up  with  lectures,  consider  whether  you  need  to  switch  to  a  different  format  or  be  more  careful  about  distinguishing  key  concepts  from  unimportant  details.
• If  you  find  that  you  are  having  trouble  taking  notes  effectively,  set  up  an  appointment  with  your  school’s  academic  resource  centre.

Using Online Study Tools

1. guided study session videos.

One excellent tool to help with accountability is guided study session videos.  Much like guided meditation, these videos can help you stay on track and give you some accountability.  It’s like a study partner that can’t distract you!

Video source: https://youtu.be/reRYtjr1BNo

2. The Pomodoro Technique

Much like a Guided Study Session, the Pomodoro Study Session plays ambient noise and displays a timer.  Every 25 minutes, you take a break from whatever you’re doing.  During this time you can stretch, check your phone, etc.  Here’s a neat  Harry Potter themed one!

Video source: https://youtu.be/SkmH9CsMqOo

3. Browser Lockdown Tools

Are you the person who is always getting distracted while studying?  You might consider a  website blocker (list of some available here) that will prohibit you from accessing certain sites for a certain length of time.  You tell it your guilty procrastination sites (Reddit? Instagram? Discord?) and how long you want them locked.

And maybe leave your phone/tablet in another room… 😏

4. Find a Notetaking Program/System

There are a variety of free notetaking systems and programs available.  Many students prefer the ease of a program like  Google Docs , but there are others such as  Evernote , and OneNote .

5. Looking into Assistive Technology

Assistive technology has been used by students with disabilities for a long time; however, these tools are equally valuable for all students!  Not all of them are free, but they can be a game changer for some people:

Digital Highlighters:  these cool gadgets allow you to scan hardcopy texts with a pen and it will transfer the text into a digital format on your computer/tablet.  Some popular options are Scanmarker and IrisPen

Text-to-Speech Pens/Reader Pens: Similar to digital highlighters, these pens also have the ability to read the text that you scan out loud.  Some of them also feature dictionaries built into the pen.  They are often a tool of choice for students who are learning English as an additional language and for those with dyslexia, AD(H)D, etc.  The most popular option is the C-Pen

Digital Notebooks and Smart Pens:  Digital notebooks are an excellent hybrid of physical note taking with technological storage.  One of the more popular options is the Rocektbook , which is reusable and allows you to write notes and scan them to a notetaking program using a phone app.  Smart Pens, like the LiveScribe Pen allow you to record audio, take pictures, and transfer handwritten notes to a note taking program.

Text-to-Speech Readers: this type of technology has become more popular in recent years.  These programs read digital texts aloud to you, and many are available online for free, but you may wish to start with one like NaturalReader to see if it’s helpful.

Speech-to-Text Programs:   the opposite of a text-to-speech reader and exactly what it sounds like, Speech-to-Text programs allow you to dictate to the computer using a microphone and what you say will be converted into text.  This website has a list of popular free programs, broken down by OS.

Using Available ACADEMIC Support Resources

One reason students sometimes find post-secondary courses overwhelming is that they do not know about, or are reluctant to use, the resources available to them. There is help available; your student fees help pay for resources that can help in many ways, such as a health centre or tutoring service. If you need help, consider asking for help from any of the following:

• Your instructor:  If you are making an honest effort but still struggling with a particular course, set a time to meet with your instructor and discuss what you can do to improve. He or she may be able to shed light on a confusing concept or give you strategies to catch up.
• Your academic advisor or program coordinator: Many institutions assign students an academic advisor or program coordinator who can help you choose courses and ensure that you fulfill degree and major requirements.
• The academic resource centre:  These centres offer a variety of services, which may range from general coaching in study skills to tutoring for specific courses. Find out what is offered at your school and use the services that you need.
• The writing centre ( Sheridan Tutoring Services ): These centres employ tutors to help you manage your writing assignments. They will not write or edit your paper for you, but they can help you through the stages of the writing process. (In some schools, the writing centre is part of the academic resource centre.)
• The career resource centre:  Visit the career resource centre for guidance in choosing a career path, developing a resumé, and finding and applying for jobs.
• Sheridan Counselling services : Sheridan offers counselling services on campus for free. Use these services if you need help coping with a difficult personal situation or managing depression, anxiety, or other problems.

Students sometimes neglect to use available resources due to limited time, unwillingness to admit there is a problem, or embarrassment about needing to ask for help. Unfortunately, ignoring a problem usually makes it harder to cope with later on. Waiting until the end of the semester may also mean fewer resources are available, since many other students are also seeking last minute help.

Writing for Academic and Professional Contexts: An Introduction Copyright © 2023 by Sheridan College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How To Improve Study Habits For Students: 15 Strategies From The Science Of Behaviour Change

by William Wadsworth | Jan 29, 2021

by William Wadsworth

The Cambridge-educated memory psychologist & study coach on a mission to help YOU ace your exams . Helping half a million students in 175+ countries every year to study smarter, not harder. Supercharge your studies today with our time-saving, grade-boosting “genius” study tips sheet .

How do you change when change is hard? How can students like you or me improve their study habits, and actually make the new habits STICK?

The secret is knowing WHAT you want to change and HOW to change it.

Prefer to listen? This article also available as a podcast episode:

If you’re reading this, you might already have some ideas about WHAT you want to improve about your study habits:

• Maybe you want to work harder.
• Adopt some productivity hacks to get more done in less time.
• Get your assignments completed well ahead of time.
• Or switch to smarter ways of learning information.

Perhaps it’s all of the above, and more!

(Still looking for ideas on WHAT to improve about your study habits? Then check out my previous article on the 7 habits of highly effective students for a great overview.)

But honestly, deciding what you want to change is the easy bit.

This article focuses on what happens next.

How to make the changes stick .

I think we all know that it’s one thing to set good intentions. It’s quite another to actually see them through consistently for the long term.

So let’s find out how to improve your study habits – for good.

Let’s make this your best year yet!

Free: Exam Success Cheat Sheet

My Top 6 Strategies To Study Smarter and Ace Your Exams

Privacy protected because life’s too short for spam. Unsubcribe anytime.

Part 1: Meeting your inner caveman, and why s/he can make it so hard to act on your motivations

I’m going to start by answering a very simple question:

Why is it that you do certain things and don’t do certain other things?

What drives your behaviour?

Why do you find yourself doing so many things you know aren’t in your best long-term interests? Things like helping yourself to an extra slice of cake, or procrastinating on TikTok rather than getting on with your essay?

The psychology of human behaviour is very complex. But it’s very important to understand, because only once we understand why we behave in the way we do, can we truly become masters of our behaviour.

I’m going to cut through the complexity for you today, and boil it all down to 3 very simple factors. Together, these underpin just about anything you decide to do. The 3 factors can work together, but often, they are in conflict, pulling you in different directions.

The 3 factors that drive your actions each day are:

Factor 1: your automatic habits

Think of all the things you do on autopilot every day.

You might have checking habits when you leave the house (“phone, wallet, keys…”), or hygiene habits (you brush your teeth, right?).

It’s entirely possible to train new habits. For example, in the past 5 years, I’ve trained myself to wipe down the screen afterwards with a squeegee thing after every shower. I do it every day. If I’m showering when travelling and there’s no squeegee, I feel a fleeting moment of discomfort when I can’t perform my post-shower ritual.

When you train an animal, what you’re really doing is building a habit. You’re training a dog to respond to the word “sit” by sitting down.

Habits are very primal, very raw things.

Their impact can be pretty powerful, but they’re usually slow to build and change.

Factor 2: your motivations

What exactly is it that you want to do?

How do you think you should be allocating your time?

What tasks will produce results that are in alignment with your goals and values?

This is anything from your long-term destination in life, right down to your plan for any given day. If you want to be an A-grade student and graduate at the top of your class, that motivation might spur you on to put in some extra work over the holidays or vacation. (Even if no one is asking you for that work!)

You can of course choose your motivations. The trouble is, what you intend to do doesn’t always translate to what you actually do .

Why? Time to meet Factor 3:

Factor 3: the instincts of your inner caveman

As we all well know, your motivations don’t always translate into your actions.

You’ve been meaning to finish an assignment before the night of the deadline for once… but it’s never quite worked out.

You’ve been meaning to get out for some exercise every day… but somehow life has got in the way.

So what’s the problem?

Why is it so hard to actually see through on good intentions to improve your study habits?

It mainly comes down to a set of instincts that are constantly guiding your actions and behaviours. It’s possible to trace most of these instincts traced back to explanations from evolutionary history. They are the patterns of thought that evolved to keep you safe in a very different world to the one you face today.

I collectively refer to this set of instincts as your “inner caveman”.

There are 3 really important instincts to know about:

A. Your inner caveman is lazy…

…S/he likes you to conserve energy.

To take the low-effort path rather than doing something that’s harder work.

For your hunter-gatherer ancestors, the supply of food (energy) was limited, so it made sense to conserve calories whenever possible. If there was a choice between taking an energetic action or not, your inner caveman will tend to prefer not.

B. Your inner caveman hates taking risks…

… S/he wants to keep you safe from harm.

In 10,000BC the dangers were very real and very physical. Your ancestors didn’t want to get eaten by a predator, or trampled by the animal they were trying to catch for lunch!

In the modern day, the dangers are much more theoretical. Now, we’re afraid of failing a harder course, or of putting in extra effort on a project only to be rewarded with an average mark.

This also ties into social risks: your inner caveman loves to be accepted, to stick with the tribe, because life as a lone caveman is a darn sight harder than if you can share the burden of surviving. It’s good to have other tribe members around who can watch over you through the night. So the possibility of any form of social embarrassment is often a particularly painful risk to contemplate.

C. Your inner caveman loves quick thrills

Your brain evolved a reward system that responds very strongly to certain desirable things in the environment.

The rush you get from eating sugar is a great example – it’s a fast hit of energy to fuel a burst of activity, like a hunt. Sugar used to be hard to come by, so our ancestor’s craving was only rarely indulged. Modern humans find it only too easy to indulge that craving, of course!

Many modern-day pleasures take advantage of our love of a quick thrill.

That ranges from the sugary foods we most crave, through to the addictive video games on your console or smartphone.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking these pleasures in moderation. But if you allow your inner caveman to get too obsessed with them, you end up with rotten teeth, and getting nothing done all day because you’re too busy gaming.

Taming the beast

Your inner caveman is starting to sound like a bit of a wild beast, no?

But the good news is that, like any wild beast, your inner caveman can be tamed.

You just need to learn how to turn their strengths to your advantage, like a judo master.

I’m going to walk you through a set of 15 strategies to help you master your inner caveman.

As you’ll discover, many of these strategies work beautifully together to create a complete system to bring about the improvements in your study habits that you want to make.

Ready? Let’s do this!

Your inner caveman is lazy: here’s how to persuade him/her to get up and GO!

I’m going to start with strategies designed to counteract your inner caveman’s laziness.

1.      Be clear on exactly what new study habits you’re adopting

Your inner caveman is looking for any excuse for an easy life.

If there’s a change you’ve decided to make in your study habits, don’t give him / her any reasons not to get with the plan.

That starts with being absolutely clear on what the plan is . Be really specific about what actions to take, and exactly how are you’re going to go about them. Go beyond the obvious here.

Let’s say your new habit is to go running every morning: what do you need to do to make that happen?

• What will you be wearing?
• What time are you going to set the alarm?
• And what route are you going to follow?

If you expect to just wake up on Day 1 and figure all that out on the fly, you’re setting yourself up for failure. So set yourself up for success, by planning it all out in advance.

It’s exactly the same with adopting new habits in your studies. Think through all you’ll need in order to make your improved study routine happen. When will you do the work, what materials will you need, and so forth.

And by the way, if you need some advice on the specifics of what good study technique looks like, I would highly encourage you to download my exam success cheat sheet:

If you’re doing flashcards, which is one of the recommendations in my study cheat sheet (see above), you’ll need some sort of cards to work with. You might also want to dig out your exam syllabus, and have a copy printed out for you by your desk.

Do you have a way to stay hydrated – if you’re working in a library for example, do you have a water bottle you can take in?

If you’re not in a library, are there any textbooks you’ll need to go and borrow or buy before you start work?

You get the idea.

Anything you need to make your plan work, get it all ready in advance.

By the way, this process of gathering your stuff is a great way to ease yourself into starting a new study routine . None of this takes a huge amount of effort, so it’s a nice way to feel you’ve taken the first step, without really having to summon up too much willpower.

2.      Make it easy, make it obvious

Next, I want you to remove any friction to following through on your plan for improved study habits.

Try leaving out all your study stuff neat and ready to go the night before.

Put your books out on the desk, open to the right page.

You’d be shocked at how that little action helps you slip straight into work mode. I have a friend who wants to spend more time learning the guitar. The guitar is out of its case, propped on a stand by the sofa – making it super-easy to just pick it up and start playing instantly.

On the other hand, hide away anything that might distract you.

I’ve talked before about turning your phone off and putting it out of sight when you’re working. Same if you have a games console in the house – you don’t need to throw it out, but unplug it and put it away in a cupboard. Distractions become substantially less tempting when they’re out of sight, and when there’s just a little extra effort needed to find them.

Put chocolate out on a table in my house, and it will disappear very quickly. But put it away in a cupboard, and it lasts substantially longer. Out of sight really is out of mind when it comes to things you don’t want to be distracted by.

So put the distractions out of sight, keep your study stuff in sight.

Though a small caveat that you might not necessarily want your study materials out and at the top of your mind 24/7. You might need to compartmentalize, and have some times of the day or week when you’re not engaged in your studies, so you can allow your mind chance to rest.

3.      Start small: the “just five minutes” trick

If you’re still feeling resistance to starting your new improved study habits, try starting small.

There’s two variants of this: the “just 5 minutes” trick, and the Virginia Valian approach.

Try the “just 5 minutes” trick to overcome light to moderate resistance, and bouts of laziness or low willpower.

It’s simple: set a timer for 5 minutes of work, and give yourself permission to stop when the timer goes off.

Chances are, you won’t feel like stopping once the 5 minutes is up! Once you’ve started, it’s much easier to carry on, and you might get a whole study session in after all. Often the idea of doing an hour of studying is far more off-putting to your lazy inner caveman than the reality once you get started.

So get started, then watch as the resistance melts away.

Same with starting on a run. If don’t want to do a whole run, then try running for just 5 minutes. Or even getting changed into your exercise clothes and standing outside. Once you’re there, you’re much more likely to want to go ahead and do some more.

4.      The Virginia Valian Approach

Now, if you’ve got a much more deep-seated aversion to working, you may need something more drastic. That’s the Virginia Valian approach, which I’ve named after the famous academic who inspired this approach.

Virginia was a very high-ability student, but had, in her words, a pretty serious work problem. You can read her full story here .

In summary, Virginia had got literally no work done for weeks on her assignment. She was in a bad way: she knew she needed to start making progress, but was facing titanic resistance to the idea of working.

So she asked herself: what daily target would I feel comfortable about setting?

For her, even just a couple of hours a day seemed completely daunting and off-putting. No way.

What about half an hour?

Better, but still feeling a lot of resistance to that idea.

OK – so what about 15 minutes?

That feels OK. Let’s try that.

And she did. For weeks on end – just 15 minutes per day. It may not sound like much, but it’s amazing what you can accomplish with a quality 15-minute session day after day after day.

Eventually, she felt her stamina improving, and was able to stretch that 15 minutes to 20 minutes. To half an hour. And eventually, to several hours every day.

So if you’re stuck in a complete rut with improving your study habits, start by asking yourself the question:

What small amount of action every day could I set myself that feels comfortable and completely do-able?

Start with that, and build from there.

Your inner caveman hates taking risks: take back control and improve your study habits

With the help of these first strategies, you should already be starting to overcome the laziness of your inner caveman.

The next set of strategies will help you get around your inner caveman’s preference for avoiding risks.

5.      Set process goals, and focus your energy on those

Your inner caveman hates the idea of setting yourself up for a goal that you’ll probably fail. No-one likes to feel a failure (even if the only person that knows about it is you!).

I recommend setting an overall goal for your studies – the outcome you want from your course – and writing it down. Have it as a North star to make sure you’re always steering in the right direction. But day-in-day-out, there’s no need to be constantly looking up at the star. You’ve got more immediate concerns.

I’d much prefer you to focus your daily energies on a clear process goal : a target for what actions you’re going to take on a regular basis.

To explain the difference between a process goal and an outcome goal:

A process goal would be to work for 2 hours, or run for 30 minutes.

An outcome goal is to finish Chapter 2, or write 5000 words, or run a personal best on the race track.

In other words, a process goal is about the journey, the process, the outcome goal is about the destination.

And the nice thing about a process goal is they’re completely predictable, and completely within your control.

The outcome goal involves aiming for something that’s only partially in your control. Sometimes you can finish a chapter in 2 hours, sometimes it might take more or less time depending on how challenging the material is, and how familiar you are with it.

On the other hand, if your goal is about the process rather than the outcome, it’s entirely in your control. Every single day becomes a day in which you can succeed against your target, and feel great about yourself.

6.      Make sure your goals are realistic

Process goals are great, but the target you choose needs to be realistic, otherwise, you’ll have a hard time improving your study habits.

I recommend being conservative in what you think you’ll be able to achieve at first, and scaling up over time as you’re able to. It doesn’t get much more conservative than the Virginia Valian approach – 15 minutes a day! – so don’t be afraid to set very modest goals to start with.

I’d far rather you set a small daily goal and achieved it every single day this week than tried to stretch yourself too far, only to fail, feel demoralised and demotivated.

Be realistic in your target setting. Put all your energies into focusing on what you can control – trusting the process – and trust that the outcome will follow from that.

7.      Change your environment: work on fitting in

Your inner caveman is a deeply social creature.

S/he craves being accepted by the tribe, and hates the idea of being cast out and isolated. Any kind of social embarrassment is an abhorrence.

(We’re all a little different in this respect of course. Some crave social acceptance more than others – but it’s true to some extent for most people.)

So instead of fighting this fact of life, let’s work with it to improve your study habits.

If you want to boost your motivation to study hard , find yourself a tribe that works hard.

Look for an environment where “fitting in” means getting your head down and getting some studying done.

An easy place to find such a tribe is at a library, or perhaps a silent study room if your school or college has one. You’re basically looking for a room that’s got other people working studiously in it. You don’t even need to know the other people for your herd instincts to kick in.

Once you find such an environment, you’ll likely perceive some peer pressure to look as if you’re working.

Your inner caveman will WANT to work in order to fit in, and avoid social embarrassment. Perfect!

8.      Find an accountability partner: improve your study habits together

Working among a herd isn’t right for everyone – for some, the pressure will be too great, tipping over into anxiety.

A slight variant on this strategy is to see if you can find a friend who’s on the same journey as you.

Hold each other accountable.

Agree to debrief every day, or every week, on how you’re doing with those new habits.

Your need to impress will kick into overdrive. You’ll want to have positive news to report, and will want to avoid embarrassment by admitting to your friend that you’re failing.

This principle is a very powerful one, and underlies the huge effectiveness of many group classes to change behaviours. Just think of effectiveness as support groups to help people quit smoking or lose weight.

9.      Look out for limiting beliefs

I’ve come across many inner cavemen in my 1:1 work with students as a school and exam success coach .

One of the peskiest things about these cavemen is that they’re great storytellers. Often their stories are neither accurate nor helpful. As modern humans, we’re subjected to a constant babble from our inner caveman of stories about what we can and can’t do.

What we are and are not capable of.

To achieve success, we need to get past these limiting beliefs.

Let’s take one of the most common limiting beliefs: that we’re not good enough to achieve something. In order words, that our level of talent in a given area is fixed, and there’s nothing we can do about it.

“I’m not good at math(s).”

Or “I’m not smart enough to get good grades.”

Here’s the truth: your levels of ability in a given field are not fixed forever.

You can improve.

There’s a growing body of evidence that your brain can literally grow and change at a neurological level as you learn. The very wiring in your brain levels up as you practice and gain skill in an area.

So, train yourself to relish the feeling of finding things challenging, of feeling your ability stretched. Because that feeling is the feeling of your brain growing bigger and stronger and fitter! Exactly the same way that finding a workout challenging is the feeling of your body growing stronger and fitter.

As I tell my coaching students , “feel the burn when you learn”!

If you want to find out more about how 1:1 exam success coaching with me could save you time and get you bigger results this year, hit the button below:

10. Build on the bright spots

You might not have heard of Dr Timothy Wilson , but he’s one of the world’s leading authorities on behaviour change.

His book Redirect is one of my all-time top recommendations. In it, Tim talks about how the stories you tell yourself have a powerful impact on your behaviour, and how to go about changing those stories.

We’ve already met some examples of those “stories” when we talked about limiting beliefs just now. (I’m bad at math(s), I’m not smart enough, etc.)

I particularly like his “bright spots” technique.

This means looking for examples of places or circumstances where you’re not quite as bad as normal!

If you struggle in math(s), say, is there a particular topic you actually did OK with?

Was there a teacher you started to flourish with?

Was there a time when you showed a little more promise?

Starting by nurturing these bright spots as proof that better things are possible, that you are capable of more. Take courage and confidence from the very existence of these bright spots.

Then go a step further.

Ask yourself what it was about these examples that made them different and better. If there were particular things you did that time that helped, could you do more of that in future?

See if you can spread the light from the bright spots wider and wider through your work.

Your inner caveman loves a quick thrill: here’s how to use that to your advantage to improve your study habits

So, let’s take stock.

By now, we’ve got over your inner caveman’s laziness, we’ve convinced him or her that change isn’t so risky after all.

Now all we need to do is solve the problem of your caveman wanting its quick thrills.

My final strategies allow you to do just that.

11. Improve your study habits by promising your inner caveman a reward

Can you “manufacture” a quick thrill to reward your inner caveman for good behaviour?

Much as you might toss your pooch a doggy treat when it’s obeyed a command to “sit” in training, you give your inner caveman a tangible reward to say “good job” when you follow through on your intentions.

Food is an easy example. My high school Biology teacher used to polish off a whole packet of chocolate digestive biscuits on the one night of the year he blitz-marked all of the practice exam scripts.

(Don’t try this at home!)

For you, it might be rewarding yourself for a good day’s studying with an episode of your favourite show on Netflix.

12. Threaten your caveman with a “punishment”

The flip side of craving quick thrills is a strong aversion to suffering punishments. That’s just psychologists’ term for any outcome which is unpleasant in some way, such as losing money.

How can we use “punishments” to keep that inner caveman in line and improve study habits?

There are plenty of apps that will help: Beeminder is one good example. The app is totally free to use as long as you’re on track, and it’ll send you nice “well done” messages along the way. But if you go off the rails… you pay!

I’ve even known a PhD candidate set up a contract with a friend. For every month he fails to stick to his word count target, he’ll owe $200. Ouch.

You could even combine this strategy with your inner caveman’s fear of social embarrassment. Make the “punishment” a social embarrassment if you fail to hit your goals, for example, announcing to your friends on your social media account of choice if you miss your writing target one day. Hopefully, that will have a bit of a positive feedback loop, as your, hopefully, supportive friendship group encourages you to get back on track the next day.

A word of caution on rewards and punishments

Whether you’re promising a good outcome or threatening a bad one, beware making the incentive too strong.

If you do, there’s a risk that you start to erode any intrinsic interest you have in your new study habit. Your brain thinks that the only reason you’re studying is to get the reward or avoid the punishment, and so you actually become less interested over time in your studies.

So if you’re going to use punishments and rewards, try to use the lightest possible prize or threat that still gets you to take the action you want.

My advice would be to use punishments and rewards as a kick to get you started, but switch to something else to stay the course over the long term.

13.  Temptation bundling to improve your study habits

You could also try “ temptation bundling ”. This is where you bundle something you don’t especially want to do together with something you really, really want to do.

Don’t want to go to the gym? Addicted to that new show on Netflix? Perfect: from now on, the only place you’re allowed to watch that show is when you’re in the gym .

Resisting adopting a new study habit? Wild about that new shake shack that just opened? Perfect: from now on, the only time you’re allowed a milkshake is as you’re sitting down to work with your new study technique.

Combine the thing you’re resisting with the thing you really want to do.

You might need the gym idea if you have too many of those milkshakes!

But you get the idea 🙂

14. Making long-term goals into short-term actions

If you heard my recent podcast episode Eating The Frog with productivity legend Brian Tracy , you’ll have heard him talk about the buzz you get from completing a task.

As Brian explained, it’s easy to feel daunted by the idea of working on our biggest tasks – that giant project or assignment or dissertation. We know a day’s work on it isn’t going to make much progress on it, so we delay starting in earnest until the last minute. Then it all ends in panic, and having to finish it in a big hairy time-pressured ball of stress.

The strategy to counter that is to break the big task up into lots of little sub-tasks. You won’t get the whole dissertation written today, but you can tick off some of the papers you need to read. You can still get a sense of accomplishment from ticking off the “sub-tasks”.

Anything that gives you a feeling of progress is going to motivate you to keep working every day on the project.

And for projects where the daily tasks are very repetitive, consider tracking your actions on a wall-chart.

Try putting a simple tick on each day of the calendar when you fulfil the habit you set out to achieve each day: whether that’s going for a run, or spending 10 minutes reading ahead for your classes the next day.

It’s surprisingly satisfying to see that streak of days building up. Visual proof that you’ve now accomplished the action you intended to take for 3 days running, or 10 days running, or for 30 days running!

And you’d better do it again tomorrow – you don’t want to break that streak!

And speaking of “tomorrow”, that brings us nicely to our fifteenth and final strategy:

15. Connecting to your future self

Fascinating research suggests it’s possible to re-programme your brain to value your future self more than it does currently. (At least temporarily – and that might be all it takes to improve your study habits and get into a new way of working for good).

So make the future feel closer: connect to your “future self”.

To do this in practice:

• Hang out with your future self on AgingBooth: ( iOS / Android ) an app that transforms a picture of your face into what you’ll look like decades in the future. I’ve even known people to get their AgingBooth photo framed and hung on their wall, as a constant (if slightly weird?) reminder of your very distant future.
• Use FutureMe.org to send an email to your future self: write a letter to yourself to be delivered at a time of your choosing. “Dear Me, I hope you’re happy with the results I’m currently working so hard for you to enjoy…”. The act of writing the letter connects you with your future self, makes you think hard about what “future you” will want. Receiving the letter is a pretty wild moment too!

Both of these strategies will help bring your perceptions of the future a little closer, helping to motivate your inner caveman to make preparing for the future a priority in the present.

That helps reset the balance between your long-term motivations to work towards an important goal, and your inner caveman’s love of a quick thrill in the present.

As a quick aside, I see you’re listening to this from the future – what’s it like?!

Did you manage to figure out how to improve your study habits…?

An invitation: take the shortcut to exam success, with my help

Before I leave you, I want to end today with an invitation.

If you’re studying for exams at school, university, college, or in the workplace to further your career, I hope you’ve found this blog helpful. I put a lot of energy into creating it for you, and I know there are literally hundreds of thousands of students who use my free resources to get an advantage in their exams.

But if you’re looking for the ultimate shortcut to study smarter, upgrade your study habits, and get the exam outcomes you’re for with less work and less stress, I would like to warmly invite you to my exam success coaching programme.

You can work with me for as little as a single one-off session to rapidly fine-tune an aspect of your study habits or exam technique, or invest in maximising success while minimising your stress levels with a long-term coaching programme throughout exam season or even through your whole course.

Just hit the blue button below to find out more, and book a complimentary chat today:

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Creating Positive Change: Good Study Habits Essay

Good study habits are best described as a set of tools that facilitate an increase of the amount of information learned and also make the information to be remembered for a long time. Well, I did not grow up with good study habits, I used to spend most of my free time playing video games, watching movies and listening to music, and hardly doing my homework. Despite my parents’ effort of taking me to a good school, I paid little attention to schoolwork. As a result of these, I registered very poor school grades, which in turn led to frustrations both for me and my parents. It is this experience that made me convict myself to creating a positive change towards studying my school work. I realized that developing good study habits was paramount because through them, I could gain success and satisfaction during the school years and the same could be extended to the working world.

The journey towards attaining this positive change has not been easy though. I am still working on this endeavor. The very first step I am taking is to make sure that, my home is a good place to study. For any positive results to be attained in studying at home, the home environment should be made conducive for thinking. It is now clear to me that, I can only concentrate on one thing at a time; this then means that, the home environment should be free from noise and distraction. In light of the importance of quietness and less distraction, I now design a time chart for one week in which I allocate study time late in the afternoons and early evening because at this time there is minimal activity in my house.

The second step I am taking to make this change happen is to eliminate common distractions such as television, radio, and stereo, just to mention but a few. Well, I was used to studying in a noisy environment. But at the moment, I switch off the television and reduce the volume of the radio while studying. I am optimistic that, within a short time, I will be able to study in absolute silence. Furthermore, I have arranged for phone time when I can make or receive calls to avoid disruptions during study time. In addition, I have informed my friends of the appropriate time they can visit me. Lastly, I keep all the supplies I need in the study area, for instance, pens, papers, clips, calculators, and many others.

The third important step I am taking to make this change happen is providing physical conditions in the study area that are conducive for concentration. To achieve this, I have good lighting, cool temperatures, a comfortable chair, and a table to help me be alert.

For me to have reached where I am now, it took me hard work and patience. When I was starting to cultivate this habit, I felt fatigued and was almost giving up. I even lost some of my friends. Sticking to the goal of developing good study habits in order to make a change for the better, has made me realize the importance of developing a routine and term commitment to each and every decision I make in life. It is through this experience that I also realize, good concentration doesn’t just come but it takes time and patience to shape.

In conclusion, good study habits are acquired and developed by an individual. In order to achieve this, it is equally important to set a study time for work at home, allocate a comfortable amount of work every day without being too pushy, provide a conducive studying environment free from destructions and noise, and above all have a positive attitude, commitment, and patience.

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FNU Advising 11 Techniques to Improve Your Study Habits

11 Techniques to Improve Your Study Habits

When it comes to developing good study habits, there is a method to all of the madness. The type of study habits that you’ve come to practice in high school may not work so well in college. However, you can certainly build on those practices to make your study habits more disciplined—because you’ll need to! In college, you’ll have more responsibility, but you’ll also have more independence. For first-time college students, this could be a challenge to balance. That’s why Florida National University (FNU) wants to help prepare all of our students for how they can improve their study habits with these 11 helpful techniques.

Study Habit #1. Find a good studying spot.

This is important. You need to be in an environment with little to no distractions—an environment that will aid in keeping you focused on your assignments. The library has always been a reliable place to get some real academic work done, but if you prefer someplace else, just make sure that you’re set up for success. Your university may have other places on campus that will provide you with a nice little studying spot. While cafeterias may be quite busy, there are some university campus cafeterias that tend to have just enough silence for students to study while they grab a bite to eat.

You might get campus fever and decide to venture outside of your university to get some work done. Many students find little coffee shops with Wi-Fi that will let them sit there all day long for a buying customer. Outdoor parks and recreational centers, even the public library might be a nice change of scenery.

Even study lighting is also important. If you want to preserve your eyesight and maximize your time and energy, then choose lighting that will not cause eye strain or fatigue so you can keep your study session effective at any time of the day.

Establish rules when you’re in your study zone. Let people living with you know that when your door is closed, it means you do not want to be disturbed. Try not to respond to phone calls or texts, this will break your concentration and you will lose focus.

Let’s not forget about your home. No matter the size of your apartment or house, we recommend dedicating a little office space just for studying—away from any distractions.

Study Habit #2. Avoid social media.

Speaking of distractions, nothing can sap away your time for a good 20-30 minutes like good old social media! Emails used to be the necessary evil in order to keep life going, but now people are communicating through social media platforms more than email or even talking on the phone! As a result, it’s pretty common to have a browser tab open just for social media. The problem with this is the alerts! As much as you may try to ignore it, you won’t be satisfied until you follow through with the alert—an alert that will most likely require a reply! In all likelihood, it will end up being a conversation that could’ve waited an hour—and now you’ve just added another 20-30 minutes to your study time! Congratulations!

Study Habit #3. Stay Away From Your Phone.

Distractions also include avoiding your phone. The best thing you can do is either put your phone on silent, turn off the alerts and flip it over so that you can’t even SEE them, or just turn the thing off! If it helps, place the phone out of sight so that you’re not even tempted to check your messages. The world can wait. Your education is a priority and anyone who’s in your circle of friends should understand this. If you are absolutely adamant about keeping your phone nearby in case of an emergency, then allow yourself some study breaks so that you can dedicate a certain amount of time just for checking your alerts and messages.

Study Habit #4. No Willpower? Enlist the Help of an App.

Apps like Focus Booster and AntiSocial have your back!

AntiSocial blocks your access to a selection of websites with a timer that you select.

Focus Booster is a mobile phone app that relies on the Pomodoro Technique, where you work intensively for 25 minutes and then you break for five minutes. The app also includes productivity reports and revenue charts.

Study Habit #5. Take a break and take care of yourself.

Talking a little more about taking breaks, this really shouldn’t be an option. College is hard work, and just like any other kind of job, you deserve a break. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Working until the wee hours of the morning to complete an assignment might be great for that class, but it’s not for you or other academic courses. You MUST take care of yourself in order to give your academic career the attention it deserves. You’re paying to get an education—to learn. Running yourself into the ground without allowing time for your body and mind to rest is unacceptable.

• Ophthalmologists will warn you that you need to remember to blink when working on a computer screen to save your sight. Give your eyes a rest by gazing into the horizon, preferably out of a window with natural light. Did you know that your eyes need exercise, too? Especially in today’s world where we are reading everything at such close distances. Keep your head in a neutral position and with just your eyeballs, look at the ceiling or a tree and try to focus. Go from corner to corner, focusing up, then do the same for the floor. Roll your eyes.
• Your hands also need a break: learn to use the mouse with your other hand, put the keyboard in the most comfortable position, which is actually on your lap. Take a moment to stretch your wrists and fingers.
• Blueberries

And don’t forget to sleep and reboot!

Study Habit #6. Organize lectures notes.

For some students, the best way to organize notes is to ask if you can record your professors’ lectures for a better understanding of the lesson. The best way to do this is to transcribe the recorded lecture notes. This way, you can rewind what you didn’t understand. It also behooves you to revisit those notes—while the material is fresh in your mind and rewrite them in a style that’s more legible and review-friendly. On the day of the exam, you’ll be glad you did.

Fact: it has been proven that information retention is higher when you go over your notes and repeat the lesson after the class is over. Rewriting your lecture notes is going to be one of the most brilliant study techniques to practice. Rewriting will help you remember the context better and reorganizing them in nice outline forces you to comprehend the lesson.

Study Habit #7. Join or create a study group.

Finding fellow students who are struggling to understand the coursework can be comforting. However, joining or creating a study group can be helpful in many ways.  Guaranteed someone in your study group can help you through a certain assignment you’re struggling with and you’ll be able to do the same. It’s all about helping each other succeed!

Study Habit #8. Aromatherapy, plants and music.

Science is always tinkering with nature, but in this case, in a simple way, only studying the effects of essential oils and plants on concentration, focus, and memory.

Some studies have shown that lavender has a good effect on memory, however, others have shown that its effect is negligible and in fact, lavender oil and teas are used to relax the body in preparation for sleep. So lavender may calm and center yourself, but for focus, sandalwood and frankincense (also known as Boswellia) have shown much more promising results in most studies.

Plants, in general, have a natural, comforting effect and in their presence, humans tend to have a higher pain tolerance and faster recoveries from hospitalizations. Music, also improves brain function, can help you focus and also eases the pain. Learn more about the benefits of studying with music.

Study Habit #9. Leave time for the last-minute review.

Here are where well-organized lecture notes come into play. Always, always leave time for the last-minute review. Here, we’re exercising the tried and true memory game. This is a technique that most students apply as one study habit. That’s just impossible for the amount of college work you’ll be taking on, but it can work quite well as a last-minute review—only if you have good notes!

Better still, ff you can pair reviewing your notes with a good night’s sleep, then you will significantly improve your ability to retain more information. Just know that studying when you’re sleepy is ineffective. If your body is telling you that you’re tired, then have a nap or go to bed early. A good night’s sleep is another technique to use that will help you understand and remember information better.

If you’re finding that you are getting stressed out or tired, reflect back on your study schedule and priorities. Make sure that you have dedicated time for rest and de-stressing activities as well.

Study Habit #10. Understand Your Best Learning Style

It’s important to know that there are many different styles of learning and each person will retain information better in different ways.

• Visual learners who learn best when pictures, images, and spatial understanding is used.
• Auditory learners who prefer using music, sounds or both.
• Kinesthetic learners actually use a more physical style of learning through using the body, sense of touch and hands.
• Logical learners need to use reasoning, logic, and systems.
• Verbal learners will prefer using words in writing and speech.
• Social learners will thrive in learning with other people or in groups.
• Solitary learners are able to learn best when alone.

Think about which style of learning works best for you, and it will help you determine how to study, where to study when to study and other important factors like what study aids you should use and be aware of, and knowing what things may distract you while you are trying to study.

Study Habit #11. Make Study Time a Part of Your Daily Routine

If cramming all of your study time into a few long days isn’t working for you then it’s time to try something new and less stressful. What you do every day is more important than what you do occasionally, so make time for studying every single day, with or without exams coming up.

Consistency is key and once you start getting into good study habits, so make it a routine that you will be able to maintain throughout the school year.

When it becomes part of your schedule, you don’t need to find the time, you’ve made time for your study sessions each month. Don’t forget to also check your schedule for the week or month, and consider your personal commitments: chores, must-attend activities, and appointments. All you need to do now is to stay committed to your new study schedule.

Make studying your priority and place these sessions when you’re at your peak performance times to make them extra effective. Some people work best in the mornings, and others, at night. Experiment with this and don’t assume that because you wake early you should study early, but instead try morning, noon, and night to see which is best.

FNU Want You To Succeed!

Try to learn and not just memorize and remember, keep it simple. Don’t try to get fancy with your study notes. They are for your eyes only and won’t be graded. The goal is to help you get a high-scoring grade. We hope this quick checklist will alleviate some anxiety you might have for managing college work. If you have questions about this or any of our degree programs, contact an FNU advisor at any of our campus locations today!

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Essay on My Habits

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Habits in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Habits

Introduction.

Habits are routine behaviors that we perform regularly. They can be good, like brushing our teeth, or bad, like biting our nails. I have several habits that shape my daily life.

Good Habits

I have a few good habits. I wake up early in the morning, which helps me start my day positively. I also love reading books, which improves my knowledge and imagination.

Everyone has some bad habits, and so do I. Sometimes, I procrastinate on my homework, which isn’t good for my studies. I am trying to overcome this habit.

Habits play a crucial role in our lives. They shape our health, productivity, and happiness. It’s important to cultivate good habits and get rid of the bad ones.

250 Words Essay on My Habits

Habits are the building blocks of our character, shaping our daily routines and, ultimately, our lives. They can be powerful tools for self-improvement, or they can act as obstacles that hinder our progress. As a college student, my habits have evolved over time, reflecting the complexity of my academic and personal journey.

Academic Habits

My academic habits are a blend of discipline, curiosity, and resilience. I have a strict study schedule, dedicating specific hours each day to each subject. This routine has helped me maintain a consistent academic performance. However, it’s not just about rote learning; I also cultivate the habit of critical thinking. I constantly question, analyze, and synthesize information, a habit that has deepened my understanding of the subjects.

Physical Habits

Physical habits play a crucial role in my well-being. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep are non-negotiable aspects of my daily routine. These habits not only keep me physically fit but also boost my mental agility, enhancing my overall academic performance.

Social Habits

My social habits are about maintaining a balance between solitude and companionship. While I value my alone time for introspection and self-growth, I also understand the importance of social interactions. Engaging in meaningful conversations, participating in group activities, and volunteering are habits that have enriched my college experience.

In conclusion, my habits are a reflection of my commitment to personal growth and academic excellence. They are the outcome of conscious choices, driven by the desire to make the most of my college years. As I continue to evolve, I am certain that my habits will, too, adapt to serve my changing needs and aspirations.

500 Words Essay on My Habits

Introduction to my habits.

Habits, the regular tendencies or practices that one engages in, are often seen as a reflection of one’s character. They serve as a mirror, reflecting our personality, values, and lifestyle. As a college student, I have cultivated a set of habits that I believe contribute significantly to my personal and academic growth.

Embracing the Morning

I am an ardent believer in the power of mornings. I have made it a habit to rise early, usually around 5 a.m. This practice provides me with a quiet, uninterrupted space to plan my day, meditate, and engage in a brief exercise routine. The tranquility of the morning hours helps me to start my day with a clear mind and a calm spirit.

Continuous Learning

The habit of continuous learning is another cornerstone of my lifestyle. I dedicate a portion of my day to reading, be it academic literature, novels, or news articles. This habit not only broadens my knowledge but also helps me to develop critical thinking skills, fostering a deeper understanding of the world around me and my place within it.

Self-Care and Wellness

In the hustle and bustle of college life, self-care is a habit that is often overlooked but is of paramount importance. I make it a point to engage in activities that nourish my body, mind, and spirit. This includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. Additionally, I engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga, which help to maintain my mental well-being.

Time Management

Time is a precious resource, and managing it effectively is a habit I have deliberately cultivated. I use various tools and techniques, such as to-do lists and time blocking, to ensure that I make the most of my day. This habit has increased my productivity and reduced stress, allowing me to balance my academic responsibilities with leisure and relaxation.

Reflection and Gratitude

Each day, before I retire to bed, I spend a few moments reflecting on the day’s events. I consider the lessons learned, the achievements made, and the challenges faced. This habit of reflection helps me to grow and evolve continually. Alongside reflection, I practice gratitude, acknowledging the positive aspects of my life. This habit has cultivated a positive outlook and has significantly improved my overall happiness and satisfaction.

In conclusion, my habits serve as the framework for my daily life. They are the building blocks that shape my character, influence my actions, and guide my journey towards personal and academic growth. While these habits have been beneficial, I am aware of the need for flexibility and adaptation, as change is a constant part of life. As I continue to grow and evolve, I am open to cultivating new habits that contribute positively to my life’s journey.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Health and Food Habits
• Essay on Food Habits
• Essay on Habits

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Home / Essay Samples / Education / Study / Building Better Habits: A Guide to Improving Study Skills

Building Better Habits: A Guide to Improving Study Skills

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Have a study partner, take a break in between study sessions, review what you learn, ask teachers’ for assistance.

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