Creating and maintaining a study schedule requires intentionality and consistency. Generally, pursuing higher education both at home and abroad is demanding and requires that students give the right amount of focus to see the desired result. There is always a form of satisfaction that comes when you’re successful in an aspect, and this doesn’t exclude education. If you want to know how to successfully run a schedule, especially a study schedule, then this article will prove helpful. This article explains in-depth how to run a study schedule. However, do not forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more helpful updates.
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Creating and Maintaining a study schedule
Gaining admission into a higher institution of learning is often regarded as a milestone for many people. However, while higher institutions are often regarded as academic centers, students enrolled have lots to learn that isn’t necessarily related to education. For many, it’s a place to explore opportunities, build friendships, socialize, learn important life skills, and lots more. There’s a whole lot to be gained from the university experience in addition to academic knowledge. Consequently, if not properly managed, students can get caught up in other activities and forget the main purpose they enrolled in the school. Hence, the a need for a study schedule.
Perhaps you’re engaged in so many activities and you’re finding it difficult to keep up with school work and you do not want to fail. The points below will provide a helpful guide on how you can successfully run a study schedule while in school and how to successfully balance it with other aspects of your life.
1. Setting Clear Goals
The first step to successfully creating a study schedule is to set clear goals. Having a well-defined goal helps you identify areas that need attention and you should solve the arising problems. This principle does not only apply to academics alone, it applies to other areas of your life. If you desire to maintain a successful and balanced life then you must have a well-defined goal. In the goal setting process ensure that your goals are SMART.
This means that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For better understanding, they should also be clear, precise, and straight to the point. Your academic goal can be to ace a particular course. Or to finish studying the outline of a list of courses. Or maybe you’re struggling with a particular course and you want to pay extra attention so as not to fail. Whatever your goal is, ensure that you first identify the problem (your areas of weakness or what you desire to achieve) and then set your goals accordingly.
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2. Understanding Your Learning Style
Furthermore, the second step to successfully running a study schedule is to understand your learning style. One mistake college students often make is to generalize their reading styles rather than sit and observe their unique reading patterns. Some students study well in the library, others might do well being in a discussion group while some depend on staying alone. Understanding what works for you matters and it can contribute to your effectiveness and the general success of the schedule. You can ask yourself questions like:
- Where do I find it most comfortable to study?
- What is the most effective way to study?
- What enhances my study process?
Getting to know your strengths and weaknesses, especially as it bothers studies abroad, can indeed be a game-changer. This is because you wouldn’t do things out of pressure as you will work at your pace according to your strengths and preferences.
3. Prioritizing Subjects and Tasks
Additionally, another thing to consider is prioritizing subjects and tasks. You must do this based on urgency. You should dedicate ample time to subjects you seem to be struggling with first, before considering other ones. Alternatively, you can also prioritize voluminous subjects that require attention first, and then fit others into your schedule afterward consistently. You must identify and know the subjects you believe need help with and arrange them in your schedule according to the order of priority without neglecting the other aspects too.
4. Time Blocking Techniques
Also, adopting a time-blocking technique will be effective in running your study schedule. You will be more productive when you adopt the time-blocking strategy. This means that you will allocate a specific time frame for the various courses or topics as the case may be. It will help you to focus, and to be more intentional as you read.
In addition to adopting the time-blocking strategy, creating a weekly study calendar will also prove effective in your study schedule. Assign courses to days according to your schedule and then fix a time frame for each of the courses. This will help you have a thorough reading plan and ensure consistency.
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5. Utilizing Technology Tools
Adopting technological tools and applications can enhance the effectiveness of your study schedule. Applications like Focus Keeper, My Homework, Todolist, and Google tools including Drive, docs among others will help you maximize your study time.Â
Moreover, you can also adopt a pen and a jotter to take down ideas while you study.
6. Balancing Study and Breaks
In your study journey, do not forget to take breaks when necessary. Dedicating long hours to study without balancing it will lead to burnout, hence the need to include breaks in between. Studying means sitting down, sitting down for long hours isn’t healthy as a human and can affect your posture. Staring at your computer screen for long hours isn’t recommended. You can fit in a 30-minute break every three hours or modify it to fit into your uniqueness. Taking a break will ensure you keep being refreshed allowing you the time to cover a large aspect of your schedule. Consequently not taking breaks will result in stressing yourself and will leave you ineffective as you will need time to recover.
7. Flexibility and Adaptability
Carefully mapping out a study schedule and not following it as expected can make you feel down. Have it at the back of your mind that you might not follow everything you mao out verbatim as there can be unexpected events. It might be an impromptu class, a project, or an emergency. As much as you want to be disciplined, also allow your study schedule to be flexible and ensure that you can adapt to the new changes if need be.
8. Accountability Partnerships
Furthermore, having a study group will enhance the effectiveness of your study schedule. Having a group where you have intellectual and academic-related conversations will prove helpful in your academic journey. Belonging to a study group also enhances accountability as there will be people you can discuss your academic journey with and they can also go the extra mile by putting you through difficult subjects. Group discussion can also facilitate assimilation and understanding of the subject matter.
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9. Reflection and Adjustment
Finally, from time to time, you will have to revisit your schedule to determine ways you can improve upon it to meet your needs. As time goes by, the study schedule adopted in your first year may not work effectively in your second year. You will have to revise it to fit into your current season also taking your strengths and your weaknesses into consideration.
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