It’s pretty much a universal experience to make a plan, and then… ignore it. It’s all too common, but it can be super annoying, especially when you have an exam coming up and really, really need to study. If you’ve made tons of study schedules and revision plans but you can’t seem to find *the one*, this post is for you.
Set your goal
The first thing you should do is decide on a goal for why you’re studying to help focus your plan. Is it to be ready for your biology mock? To get 100% on that calculus test? Or is it simply to better understand a history topic? Make sure your goal is SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) because this makes it more effective!
Make a to-do list
Now that you know why you need to study, break down your goal into a to-do list. Decide on what subjects you need to study, and break those down into specific tasks, like “make notes for history” or “study mitosis and DNA replication.” You can be a little general with this, don’t worry – we’ll make it really specific in the next step!
Decide on a study method
You know what you need to study, so now you have to decide how to study it. Choose a study method that you enjoy and are happy to do daily. Also, try to choose an active recall method, since this will help you remember so much more of what you study. If you’re not sure what active recall is, check out this video to help you use it in your study plan!
Stay organised
You have your goal and your to-do list, so now you just have to schedule them! You can use software like Google Calendar or go old-school and use a planner to schedule when you want to study. Remember to note down the subject and the study method!
Keep it sustainable
Now that you have your study plan, make sure you can stick to it!] Give yourself enough breaks and downtime so that your energy levels stay high. This is to prevent burnout and other adverse mental health effects of being overworked. Make sure that you’ve set aside time for your hobbies and friends, too!
