Habit #1: Create a weekly schedule

When you schedule time for a particular task like studying, you’re saying
to yourself, “I’m going to focus on studying at this time, on this date, and
it’s going to take this number of hours.”

Once it’s down in writing, it becomes a reality and you’re more likely to
stick to it.

This might sound weird, but it’s true.

Do this in your calendar, in a spreadsheet, or download a template –

whatever works best for you.

First, think about your fixed commitments like school, sports practice,
family time, religious activities and so on.

Now, decide which times around these fixed commitments are the best
for you to do your work and revision each week.

Don’t worry about exactly what work you’ll be doing, or what

assignments are due. Just focus on blocking out the times.

Your weekly study schedule might look something like this (the blue slots
are the times you’ve blocked out to do work):
Give yourself a study-free day (or at least half a day) once a week.

Everyone needs a break, so you’re more likely to come back to the work
refreshed if you give yourself permission to take some time off.

Habit #2: Create a pre-studying checklist

Have you ever heard your mother say you should never go to the
supermarket without a shopping list?

You’ll wander up and down the aisles, wasting time. You’ll make poor
choices about what to buy and end up with all the wrong things for
dinner.

By using a shopping list, your mind will be focused. You’ll only put items
in your shopping trolley that you need, checking them off as you go.

It’s no different from a checklist used by a pilot before he takes off, or a

mechanic as he services a car.

Checklists are essential as you learn how to develop good study habits.
They ensure that you cover all the necessary steps to achieve an
outcome.

Here are some of the things that might be on your pre-studying checklist:

 Set up workspace
 Make sure your phone is in another room or turned off
 Let family members know not to disturb you until the end of
the study session
 Gather together all the notes and reference books needed
 Get a glass of water
 Set timer
Keep your checklist handy, and tick everything off at the start of every
study session.

Habit #3: Create a study plan

The purpose of a study plan is similar to that of a checklist. It keeps you
on track.

When you go camping, you might have a checklist that covers all the
equipment you need to pack into the car.

But you also need a road map to show you how to get to the campsite. It
allows you to plan your route, and keeps you focused on your
destination.

So, at the start of each study session, create a study plan.

For example, today you might need to complete a math assignment and
write up the summary notes of chapter 4 of your history textbook.

Write down the key tasks, together with a list of steps you’ll need to take
along the way.

To complete your math assignment, you might write:

 Read notes from math class

 Read chapter in the textbook on algebraic calculations
 Do questions 1 to 3
Your study plan will help you concentrate on what you need to get done
today, without being distracted by the things that can wait until tomorrow.

Habit #4: Study offline as much as possible

When you study, you want to be focused, which means limiting all those
annoying interruptions that happen when you’re online.

Switch off your Internet connection and give your brain the peace and
quiet it needs to concentrate.

And while you’re at it, try not to use a laptop to take notes.

This may sound like strange advice, but research has shown that taking
notes by hand is a much smarter way of learning.

When you write notes by hand, your brain absorbs the meaning of what
you’re writing. But when you use a laptop, you’re not processing what
you’re learning as deeply.

Habit #5: Take three deep breaths before each study

session
What’s the one thing that comes to you so naturally, you don’t even think
about it?

Breathing.
We each take about 20,000 breaths a day, so you’d think we’d be pretty
good at it. But did you know that there are better ways to breathe than
others?

And guess who breathes the best? Babies.

As babies, we all take deep, relaxing breaths. These breaths push the
oxygen around our bodies and into our brains, helping us to concentrate
better.

But as we get older, we take shorter, faster breaths. As a result, we have

trouble staying alert.

There are plenty of ways to breathe more deeply, but here’s one method
you can try before you start each study session:

 Close your eyes and breathe in through your nose for four
seconds
 Exhale through your mouth for four seconds
 Repeat three times
Tip: Try this just before you go to bed as well. It will help you sleep
better.

Habit #6: Learn how to motivate yourself

Do you find that sometimes it’s almost impossible to start studying? In
fact, your body feels like a heavy stone as you drag yourself towards
your workspace.

Don’t worry. Everyone feels like that from time to time.

You just need to know how to motivate yourself to study, and to do that
we’re going to create another list.
This time, write down all the reasons why you want to study hard, such
as:

 I want to do my best
 I want to become more disciplined
 I want to prepare well for the future
 I want to develop perseverance
 I want to learn as much as I can

Put your list somewhere you can see it. The next time you feel like
watching TV instead of studying, go through your list.

You’ll be fired up and ready to get back to your studies in no time!

Habit #7: Take notes during class

Taking notes in class is an important study tip to implement.

Why?

Think about the number of classes you go to every day at school and the
mountain of information that gets thrown at you.

You’d never be able to remember everything you learned without taking

notes.

Taking notes also helps you to absorb and retain information much better
than just listening.

And lastly, think of your class notes as the backbone of your focused

study time. They sum up what you’ve learned, and they make your study
time more efficient.

Here are some great tips for taking notes in class.

Habit #8: Review what you learned in school that day

Reviewing new information you learned in class is one of the most

effective study habits you can develop.

Before the end of each day, read the notes you took or re-read the
chapter that your teacher taught in class.

It won’t take long to do, and it will help you retain what you learned. It will
also make the process of moving the information from short-term to long-
term memory smoother.

Habit #9: Read your notes before you start doing your
homework
This is similar to the last study habit we talked about.

The first thing you should do in your study session is to re-read the notes
you took in class before you start the homework assignment for that
topic.

Don’t forget to include this task in your study plan (see Habit #3).
It will refresh your memory, so you’ll be well prepared to tackle the
homework assignment.

Habit #10: Get at least eight hours of sleep every night

We all know that a good night’s sleep makes us more alert and
energised the next day.

But did you know that it also improves your memory and makes you a
better student?

You probably think there’s no way a top student could get enough sleep,
but you’re wrong. In fact, getting eight hours of sleep before an exam is
more effective than staying up late, trying to cram all the information in.

The best way to make sure you get eight hours of good quality sleep is
to go to bed at the same time each night. (Set an alarm to remind you, if
necessary.)

Read a chapter of a book, but don’t read it on your phone or tablet. This
is because the light from such screens makes it difficult for the brain to
wind down and inhibits melatonin production.

In addition, turn off phones and other electronic devices that may disturb
you during the night.

Habit #11: Create an environment that helps you study

Trying to work in a noisy room, or one with poor lighting, is going to
make your study time less effective.

To develop good study habits, take a few minutes to ensure your

workspace is conducive to studying.

Here are a few things to think about:

  Do you have the necessary supplies and stationery within
reach?
 Is the lighting adequate?
 Make sure your desk is tidy and uncluttered (do this before
and after each study session)
 Is the room at the right temperature?
 Is your work chair comfortable?
 Is the room quiet? (Use earplugs if necessary)
 Is your phone switched off?
 Delete any apps on your phone that you might be tempted to
open when you should be studying
 Are there any other distractions in the room that might disturb
you, like a magazine or the TV? Switch them off or remove
them altogether.
Habit #12: Time your study sessions and breaks

Do you find it hard to concentrate for more than 45 minutes at a time?

That’s perfectly normal.

In fact, I’d recommend that you take a 5-minute break from studying
every 30 to 40 minutes.

Don’t fall into the study habit of stretching out your break so it ends up
being longer than your study time, though.
When you start a study session, set a timer for 30 to 40 minutes and
then take a break. Likewise, set the timer for the end of the break so you
know when to get back to work.

Habit #13: When you take a study break, step away

from your desk
To develop good study habits, don’t forget to take breaks and use them
wisely.

Step away from your desk and do something completely different to give
your brain a break, as well as your body. Go for a short walk around the
block or get a snack from the kitchen.

I encourage you not to watch a video, turn on the TV or check your

social media news feed.

This is because these activities won’t give your brain a proper break.

Habit #14: Make use of the breaks you have during the
school day
Do you have a long break in the middle of the school day or after lunch?

Is there something useful you could be doing with this time?

Maybe you could review the notes you took that morning or start
preparing your study plan for later in the day.

Another great use of your free time is to seek out a fellow student and
talk about what you’ve just learned. This is especially so if you need
some clarification, or if you have doubts about something.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s an excellent way to learn faster and
better.
Habit #15: Stay on top of your homework
This may sound like an obvious habit to cultivate as a student, but I’m
often surprised by the number of students who let their homework pile
up.

If it gets out of hand, just the thought of doing your homework can
become overwhelming and stressful.

Before you know it, you’ll find yourself working so hard to catch up, you’ll
have no time to study for important tests and exams, which are stressful
enough on their own.

One of the most effective study habits to practise is to start your

homework on the day it’s assigned.

At the very least, take a look at the questions while the information you
learned is still fresh in your mind.

That way, if you have to come back to it later, you’ll have a rough
framework as a starting point, making it much easier to complete.

Habit #16: Ask your teachers for help at least once a

week
Your teachers are there to help you succeed. Don’t be afraid to reach out
to them.

Asking for help is a crucial study habit to cultivate.

Include asking for help in your weekly schedule (see Habit #1) and keep
a list of any questions you think of during the week.

Bring the list of questions with you, and don’t let them pile up.

If you let the questions pile up, you may start to feel overwhelmed, and
you may become reluctant to seek help.

Habit #17: Use a planner to keep track of assignments

and deadlines
If you’re not organised when it comes to things related to school, you’ll
waste precious time doing last-minute work you forgot about.

Or you may stay up late to finish an assignment you should have started
a week earlier.

Use a planner to keep track of important dates, tasks and deadlines. You
can either use a physical diary or an online one like Google Calendar.

The important thing is to keep your planner up to date, so you don’t have
to rely on your memory or wait for your teachers to remind you.

Planning and studying effectively will improve your test-taking skills and

performance.

Don’t just include the date of a test, for example, when you use your
planner. Include a reminder to start revising for the test well in advance.
And review your planner at least once a week. Every Monday, go
through all the upcoming deadlines, and prioritise the tasks and projects
you’ll need to keep on top of for the week.

Habit #18: Test yourself periodically

Don’t wait for regular tests and exams to come around before you start
studying. Set mini-tests for yourself every few weeks.

You may have reviewed your class notes once, but it doesn’t mean the
information has been absorbed or effectively memorised for a future
exam.

Here’s how to test yourself…

When you review your class notes, highlight some of the key things
you’ve learned.

For example, in history it might be the date of an important event. Write

down some test questions on a separate sheet of paper as you go, such
as “When did the war start?” or “What caused the civil war?”

The next day, pull out the test questions and see how many answers you
can remember.

It takes some effort to succeed at a test you give yourself, but that effort
will be rewarded when it comes to exam time.

Habit #19: Check your work before you consider it

done
When you finish an assignment, don’t consider it done until you’ve
double-checked your work for careless mistakes.

Here’s what you should be looking out for:

  Spelling mistakes
 Grammar mistakes
 Poor presentation
 Have I responded to the question?
 Have I left out key facts?
 Have I got the equations correct?

Habit #20: Keep a “worry” list

It’s common for students to worry about not doing well, but it’s a
distracting pastime.

When you worry about something, it can hinder your ability to focus on
learning and improving.

That’s why you need to keep a “worry” list.

Strange as it may sound, research has shown that writing down a list of

your fears about school can actually improve your grades.

When you write down a list of your worries, it’s as though you’re
unloading your anxieties and freeing up your brain to concentrate on
learning.
So whenever a worry pops into your mind, write it down and move on.

Habit #21: Use online resources (if your teacher isn’t

available)
Your teacher should be the first person you go to with a question or
concern about the class material – unless you can easily find the answer
on the Internet.

But if your teachers aren’t available when you need something clarified
(which often happens in the middle of study time), there are some great
online resources you can use.

Here are some of them:

 Khan Academy
 SparkNotes
 BBC Bitesize
 Mathispower4u
Habit #22: If you struggle with procrastination, use the
Pomodoro Technique
Procrastination or a lack of focus is a big problem during study time.

We’ve already talked about the need to take regular breaks (see Habit
#13), but there’s another method you might find useful.

It’s called the Pomodoro Technique.

The idea is that you’ll stay on top of your work if you break your study
periods up into focused but manageable bursts of 25 minutes.

This is instead of trying to concentrate for two hours or more at a go,

which takes a lot of energy and willpower.
The objective is to train your brain to focus on a task that needs to be
completed and postpone all distractions until later.

Here’s how it works:

 Set a timer for 25 minutes

 Concentrate 100% on studying until the timer rings
 Take a five-minute break – and remember to step away from
your desk
 Repeat until the end of your study session

Here are some apps you can try:

 Focus Booster – This is available for desktop and mobile

devices. You can download the starter version for free.
 Marinara Timer – This one is free and doesn’t need
downloading. Just open it up and start the timer.
Check out this article for even more apps you can use.

Start practising your new study habits

Well done!