11 Good Study Habits for a Breakthrough Routine

Are you finding your current study routine not as effective as it could be? Maybe it’s time to
follow a new study schedule that will help you better retain material, manage your time and even
help you improve your concentration and focus. Here are some ways to enhance your learning
style, develop a good study routine and start achieving your goals.

Read on to see all 11 habits….

Habit #1 – Know Your Dominant 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. Check out this link to see what we mean.

 As you can see, visual learners learn best when pictures, images, and spatial understanding is

used.

 Auditory learners prefer using music, sounds or both.

 Kinesthetic learners prefer a more physical style of learning through using the body, sense of

touch and hands.

 Logical learners desire to use reasoning, logic and systems.

 Verbal learners will prefer using words in writing and speech.

 Social learners will prefer to learn with other people or in groups.

 Solitary learners are able to learn best alone.

Once you have figured out which style of learning works best for you, 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.
 SOURCE

Habit #2 – Create and Write Down Realistic

Study Goals
An essential part of having a successful study routine is to write down realistic goals that include
a deadline. If you do not set up a deadline, you will not be motivated to do the work on time.

Furthermore, if your goal is too big to achieve, then you might be setting yourself up for failure
and this will also not help motivate you to study and accomplish your goals.

Once you know your learning style, do a self-assessment of your current study habits and your
current grades. Here are some questions to ask yourself that will help you create realistic goals
and come up with a a plan for good study habits.

 When do you usually study and for how long?

 Do you find that it is effective?

 Are you happy with your grades?

 What subjects do you need to focus on or are having difficulty with?

 What grades do you need to have in order to pass?

 What are your personal commitments and priorities?

After answering and reflecting on these questions, you’ll be able to see what areas you need to
put a little more focus on. Maybe you are not spending enough time doing the right amount of
work necessary each day or perhaps you choose to study late at night when you’re not as alert
and energetic.

If you have noticed your grades are slipping in certain courses then perhaps you need to hire a
tutor to help you with those subjects.

If you are finding yourself short on study time and are more focused on your personal
commitments, then maybe you may need to give up some social activities and devote more time
to focus on your studying.

Use the SMART method when setting up goals: set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant
and Time-bound goals. [Find out everything about the SMART goal setting system HERE.]
Habit #3 – 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 way less stressful). Make time for studying every single day, with or without
exams coming up.
Remember that consistency is key and once you start getting into good study habits, it will
become a routine and that you will be able to maintain throughout the school year.

Check your schedule for the week or month, and consider your personal commitments: chores,
must-attend activities and appointments. By looking at your calendar, and setting up your
priorities, you will be able to schedule your study sessions for the month. All you need to do now
is to stay committed to your new study schedule.

When placing your study sections on your calendar, choose blocks of time during the day when
you are at your peak performance. Some people work best in the mornings, and others, at night.
If you’re unsure when you work best, try studying at different times of the day to see which suits
you and your body clock best.

Once you have found which block of time works best for you and scheduled it in, be aware that
you can always add in additional time to study by waking up an extra hour early to review your
notes, or if you work better at nights, go to bed an extra hour later.

Make sure you build flexibility into your schedule. Your calendar and schedule will change
because of unforeseen events. Be ready to plan around some things that come your way and
still make time to study.

Habit #4 – How to Structure Your Study

Time
Here are some great ways to structure your study routine. It works best when you are mixing
some of the different leaning styles as mentioned above.

Try starting with watching or attending your lectures, and then doing an additional 1-3 hours of
personal study (with breaks) to reflect and review notes on those lectures. This way, you are
using your auditory and visual learning styles as well as repetition, which will help you
remember what you learned more clearly.

Start with the difficult topics and subjects first, so that you are not going to put them off until a
later date. If these subjects are really difficult for you, then shorter study sessions will work
better.

Schedule study sessions in 2, 30-minute to 1-hour blocks and be sure to take short 5- to 10-
minute breaks in between. When you take breaks, you allow your mind to rest, revitalize and be
ready for more learning.

Habit #5 – Establish a Study Zone

Establish a study zone. Some people like quiet places, others will need a little bit of background
noise. Which one do you prefer? If there is too much going on at your house then maybe it’s
time to think about going to the library or a coffee bar and using headphones.

Make sure you have the necessary items with you when you study. You’ll need a desk that’s big
enough to spread your books, laptop, paper and supplies.

Using the best study lighting is also important for everyone when studying. If you want to
preserve your eyesight and maximize your time and energy, then choose lighting that will not
cause eyestrain or fatigue so you can keep your study session effective at any time of the day.

Don’t be afraid to 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.

It’s best to find not just one place to study, but at least 2 or 3. This way, you will have a backup
plan in case your main study area can’t be used. A change of environment is said to improve
concentration and creativity so even if you don’t need to change places, it wouldn’t be a bad
idea.

While you establish rules for others, you also need to establish rules for yourself. Get rid of all
distractions. Don’t choose a place where you will be tempted to watch TV, check in with your
smartphone, or study in a high traffic area where people will be coming and going.
 Choose to study offline as much as possible. There are way too many distractions that are only
a click away. If you need to check something, write it down and check it after your study session
is over.

Here are some other helpful study tips to get the

most out of your study session:
 Avoid eating a heavy meal before studying. A heavy meal can make you sleepy which will make

it more difficult for you to study. Choose to eat small and frequent meals instead.

 Move or take a short walk before sitting down to study. Stretching, walking or even dancing will

help prepare your body and mind to be more receptive to learning.

 Prioritize your assignment dates: write down every assignment or task when you first hear about

it instead of just “remembering” it. We live in such a fast paced world that’s full of distractions

and it’s easy and normal to forget things.

 Include important details such as page numbers, due dates, test dates, pointers, or anything

else that might be helpful when writing assignments down.

One way to make prioritizing your tasks simple is to organize your study notes by using colors
or labels. Whether you use an online notebook or a binder, developing your own color-coding
system will help you (and your thoughts) get organized.
You can use colors to color-code your subjects, projects and even teachers. You can also use
different colored pens, highlighters, sticky notes, folders and labels.

Colors and labels will also help you later when you when you need to review your notes, the
colorful sections will help those notes stand out and be unique and memorable.

Habit #6 – Review Your Notes

Before and after your study sessions, you should always skim your notes from the recent lesson
or topic you studied before starting on a new one. Reviewing your notes once before going to
bed will also help to cement new knowledge into your brain.

If you couple reviewing your notes with a good nights sleep, then you will significantly improve
your ability to retain more information.
Habit #7 – Take Great Notes
Do you find yourself struggling with taking good notes? It’s important that you develop your
note-taking skills so that, when you review them, they are beneficial and will help you study and
remember important information.

Remember that you don’t need to take notes of everything! Only write down what is important; if
the teacher keeps repeating something or has written something down then, you should take
note of this.
Your note-taking style might also depend on your learning style like we mentioned above.
Perhaps you might need to draw little diagrams in your notes if you are more of a visual learner.
If you are an auditory learner, you might learn better if you audio-record the class discussions
and lectures and then listen to them over again to help you study. The definition of a good study
routine is, after all, one that works with your specific quirks and personality.

Another fun way to remember things is to use mnemonics for better memory recall. For any type
of list, steps, stages or parts you can use mnemonic devices to help you retain information.
Mnemonic types include: music, name, expression, rhyme, spelling and more.

Habit #8 – Use Laptops and Smartphones

Wisely During Class
If you are using a laptop for note-taking in class, then make sure you are still able to focus and
pay attention. Laptops and phones can bring down your grade. Don’t believe us? Check out this
link. (source)
You don’t want to get used to surfing the web or using your smartphone while learning in class,
if you are on the internet, texting, or checking your email in the presence of a teacher, then you
will probably do the same when you’re studying.

Habit #9 – Consider Joining a Study Group

If you are a social learner then you should consider joining a study group. Study groups can
help you remember class material better. You can ask questions to clarify difficult points, and
hear questions that others have that may be beneficial for you to know the answer to.
In order to find a study group that will work for your needs; find people as dedicated as you are.
You don’t want to study with a group that isn’t devoted and willing to work hard. You should also
keep your study group numbers to a decent size; you shouldn’t need more than 6 people in your
group.

Exchange contact details and decide together on a place and what type of study schedule will
work best for the group. One of the best benefits of joining a study group is that you will be able
to ask, discuss, debate, and quiz each other on the topics at hand. You could even keep your
study group online if traveling to one spot won’t work well for everyone.

Habit #10 – Get Enough Sleep and Rest

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 will help you understand and remember
information better. It is also much less stressful to take an exam or attend a class when you feel
well rested and alert.
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. You can’t be a
study machine 24/7 and taking some time away from learning is a great way to relax your mind.

Good study habits require you to be fresh and sharp. A good night’s sleep is far more effective
than a night cramming for a test could ever be.

Habit #11 – Track Your Progress

Make sure you track your grades along with your study hours and lesson notes to see if your
new studying techniques are helping. If you find that it is not helpful, then it’s time to re-prioritize
your schedule to fit in more time for studying and re-examine your goals for success.
Remember that throughout school, work and life, you will always need to be learning something.
When you have set up the proper studying techniques and note-taking skills, you are giving
yourself one of the greatest gifts possible, the ability to learn.