How to Get Organised to Study
Keep a course binder., Prioritize your studying., Write a study checklist., Make flashcards., Choose a quiet space to study., Make the space comfortable., Optimize the lighting., Keep everything you need nearby., Set aside distractions., Keep it...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Keep a course binder.
For each class you are studying for, it is best to keep a binder.
All of your course notes, homework assignments, quizzes, and tests should go into the binder.
You can sort them and keep them divided with tabs in the binder.
Keep extra paper in the binder for taking notes during class.Place the syllabus in the front of the binder with important deadlines highlighted.
Color code your subjects to easily keep track of everything. -
Step 2: Prioritize your studying.
If you are studying for a test or exam, you are likely under a time limit.
Look through the concepts you will need to know and prioritize based on what you know and how likely the concept will be on the test.
If it’s something unlikely to show up and you already know it quite well, it is low priority.Focus most of your time on the material that you struggle with.
You can always review the things you know well on the last day before the test. , When it comes time for finals, a study checklist is essential.
Look through the study guide and prioritize what you need to study and put it on the list.
If you struggle with a specific problem or concept while studying, add it to the checklist and take that with you when you visit your teacher or professor to ask questions.As you go through concepts, check them off and move on to the next one.
Include important assignments and reading on your checklist as well., Flashcards are a great way to organize and study.
Make flashcards throughout the year on important concepts that you come across.
Flashcards are really nice because they are easily transportable and you can flip through them at any time.
If you’re waiting in a long line or commuting, take out your flashcards and review. , The best level of background noise is different for everyone, but in general, a quiet place is the best for studying.
An ideal study space is in your home, perhaps at a kitchen table or in an office specific for studying.If you need more background noise, try a coffee shop.
Avoid making your bedroom a study space as this can lead to associating your place of sleep with stressful studying. , You want the space to be comfortable, but not overly comfortable.
Set up a desk and a comfortable chair.
The desk should be about waist-height and the chair height should allow you to place your feet flat on the floor and rest your elbows on the table without scrunching.
If using a computer, position it 18-30 inches away from you.Make sure the temperature isn’t too hot or too cold.
Avoid reading in your bed or on a comfy couch so you won’t fall asleep. , If possible, make your study space near a window to get lots of natural light.
If you are studying at night or don’t have access to a window, make sure you have a good lighting.
Simple overhead lighting is often not enough.
Get a desk lamp or a floor lamp to brighten your study space.Position lights so that there are no distracting shadows.
Avoid placing lights in a way that cause them to shine directly into your eyes. , Once you get in the study zone, you do not want to be distracted by having to grab scissors or a piece of paper.
Make sure you have everything you will need readily available.
Some good things to have close-at-hand include:
Calculator Paper (lined and plain) A glass of water and/or snacks All necessary notes and textbooks Calendar and to-do list , Social media websites, cell phones, and television are some of the most distracting things when trying to study.
Turn off your computer (or just the internet), turn your phone on silent (or leave it in another room), and turn off the T.V.
Limiting the number of distractions around will help you focus and get your studying done.Tell your family you’re going to study so they also know not to distract you.
If you want to listen to music, background music is better for memory and retention than using headphones or earbuds. , Clutter can be very distracting so clean it up to stay focused.
When you are done studying, put everything back where it belongs.
If you had snacks, take your plate back to the kitchen and throw away any garbage.Remove all non-essential items from your study space at the end of every study session. , The best time to prepare a study schedule is at the beginning of the school year when you receive the syllabus for each course.
Start by writing down all major homework assignments, quizzes, tests, and exams on your calendar.Color code your study schedule for each subject.
You can start a study schedule at any point in the year, but it is best to start as early as possible.
You can even make individual study schedules for final exam time. , Once you have the important dates on your calendar, add in other important study deadlines before these hard deadlines to stay on task.
Add in tasks like “review lecture notes,” “skim textbook chapters,” “rework homework problems,” etc.
Give yourself at least a week to study for big tests., Write down everything that you are obligated to do each day (classes, meetings, extracurricular activities, exercise, etc.) on your calendar.
Once you have everything on your calendar, you can figure out how much free time you have each day.
Make a list of all of the time you have for each day and how large the blocks of time are.
Your schedule might look something like this:
Mon: two 2-hr blocks Tues: three 1-hr blocks Wed: 4 hrs Thurs: two 2-hr blocks Sun: 6 hrs , The material that you need to cover each week will change, but take a look at your schedule at the beginning of each week or for the next two weeks and plan what you are going to work on.
You may need to read for one class, do homework for another, or work on a project for a third.One-hour blocks of time between classes are a great time to review notes or flip through flashcards.
Take advantage of these times and you could add 4-8 hours of study time to your schedule. , If you have large blocks of study time on the weekends, make sure you schedule in breaks.
If you have five hours of time to study, take a 30 minute break in the middle to give your brain time to process and decompress.If you find you are easily distracted, try setting a timer and working in 20-30 minutes chunks with a short 5-minute break between chunks.
You also want to make sure you have time for fun and social activities.
Don’t schedule every second of free time for studying because you will be unlikely to stick to that. , A schedule is only good if you actually follow it.The study schedule is not absolute.
If you need to revise it as you go along, definitely do that.
You may find that you work a lot better during the morning and have trouble working in the afternoon.
Use this information to your advantage and try to maximize your morning study time.Schedule the more important and/or difficult material for your best study times.
Work on easier material when you are not at your best.
Make sure your schedule is flexible and can accommodate emergencies or conflicts as they may arise. -
Step 3: Write a study checklist.
-
Step 4: Make flashcards.
-
Step 5: Choose a quiet space to study.
-
Step 6: Make the space comfortable.
-
Step 7: Optimize the lighting.
-
Step 8: Keep everything you need nearby.
-
Step 9: Set aside distractions.
-
Step 10: Keep it clean.
-
Step 11: Start your study schedule early in the year.
-
Step 12: Work backwards from important deadlines.
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Step 13: Identify free time in your schedule.
-
Step 14: Schedule these blocks for study time.
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Step 15: Include breaks every two hours.
-
Step 16: Stick to your schedule.
Detailed Guide
For each class you are studying for, it is best to keep a binder.
All of your course notes, homework assignments, quizzes, and tests should go into the binder.
You can sort them and keep them divided with tabs in the binder.
Keep extra paper in the binder for taking notes during class.Place the syllabus in the front of the binder with important deadlines highlighted.
Color code your subjects to easily keep track of everything.
If you are studying for a test or exam, you are likely under a time limit.
Look through the concepts you will need to know and prioritize based on what you know and how likely the concept will be on the test.
If it’s something unlikely to show up and you already know it quite well, it is low priority.Focus most of your time on the material that you struggle with.
You can always review the things you know well on the last day before the test. , When it comes time for finals, a study checklist is essential.
Look through the study guide and prioritize what you need to study and put it on the list.
If you struggle with a specific problem or concept while studying, add it to the checklist and take that with you when you visit your teacher or professor to ask questions.As you go through concepts, check them off and move on to the next one.
Include important assignments and reading on your checklist as well., Flashcards are a great way to organize and study.
Make flashcards throughout the year on important concepts that you come across.
Flashcards are really nice because they are easily transportable and you can flip through them at any time.
If you’re waiting in a long line or commuting, take out your flashcards and review. , The best level of background noise is different for everyone, but in general, a quiet place is the best for studying.
An ideal study space is in your home, perhaps at a kitchen table or in an office specific for studying.If you need more background noise, try a coffee shop.
Avoid making your bedroom a study space as this can lead to associating your place of sleep with stressful studying. , You want the space to be comfortable, but not overly comfortable.
Set up a desk and a comfortable chair.
The desk should be about waist-height and the chair height should allow you to place your feet flat on the floor and rest your elbows on the table without scrunching.
If using a computer, position it 18-30 inches away from you.Make sure the temperature isn’t too hot or too cold.
Avoid reading in your bed or on a comfy couch so you won’t fall asleep. , If possible, make your study space near a window to get lots of natural light.
If you are studying at night or don’t have access to a window, make sure you have a good lighting.
Simple overhead lighting is often not enough.
Get a desk lamp or a floor lamp to brighten your study space.Position lights so that there are no distracting shadows.
Avoid placing lights in a way that cause them to shine directly into your eyes. , Once you get in the study zone, you do not want to be distracted by having to grab scissors or a piece of paper.
Make sure you have everything you will need readily available.
Some good things to have close-at-hand include:
Calculator Paper (lined and plain) A glass of water and/or snacks All necessary notes and textbooks Calendar and to-do list , Social media websites, cell phones, and television are some of the most distracting things when trying to study.
Turn off your computer (or just the internet), turn your phone on silent (or leave it in another room), and turn off the T.V.
Limiting the number of distractions around will help you focus and get your studying done.Tell your family you’re going to study so they also know not to distract you.
If you want to listen to music, background music is better for memory and retention than using headphones or earbuds. , Clutter can be very distracting so clean it up to stay focused.
When you are done studying, put everything back where it belongs.
If you had snacks, take your plate back to the kitchen and throw away any garbage.Remove all non-essential items from your study space at the end of every study session. , The best time to prepare a study schedule is at the beginning of the school year when you receive the syllabus for each course.
Start by writing down all major homework assignments, quizzes, tests, and exams on your calendar.Color code your study schedule for each subject.
You can start a study schedule at any point in the year, but it is best to start as early as possible.
You can even make individual study schedules for final exam time. , Once you have the important dates on your calendar, add in other important study deadlines before these hard deadlines to stay on task.
Add in tasks like “review lecture notes,” “skim textbook chapters,” “rework homework problems,” etc.
Give yourself at least a week to study for big tests., Write down everything that you are obligated to do each day (classes, meetings, extracurricular activities, exercise, etc.) on your calendar.
Once you have everything on your calendar, you can figure out how much free time you have each day.
Make a list of all of the time you have for each day and how large the blocks of time are.
Your schedule might look something like this:
Mon: two 2-hr blocks Tues: three 1-hr blocks Wed: 4 hrs Thurs: two 2-hr blocks Sun: 6 hrs , The material that you need to cover each week will change, but take a look at your schedule at the beginning of each week or for the next two weeks and plan what you are going to work on.
You may need to read for one class, do homework for another, or work on a project for a third.One-hour blocks of time between classes are a great time to review notes or flip through flashcards.
Take advantage of these times and you could add 4-8 hours of study time to your schedule. , If you have large blocks of study time on the weekends, make sure you schedule in breaks.
If you have five hours of time to study, take a 30 minute break in the middle to give your brain time to process and decompress.If you find you are easily distracted, try setting a timer and working in 20-30 minutes chunks with a short 5-minute break between chunks.
You also want to make sure you have time for fun and social activities.
Don’t schedule every second of free time for studying because you will be unlikely to stick to that. , A schedule is only good if you actually follow it.The study schedule is not absolute.
If you need to revise it as you go along, definitely do that.
You may find that you work a lot better during the morning and have trouble working in the afternoon.
Use this information to your advantage and try to maximize your morning study time.Schedule the more important and/or difficult material for your best study times.
Work on easier material when you are not at your best.
Make sure your schedule is flexible and can accommodate emergencies or conflicts as they may arise.
About the Author
Randy Roberts
Randy Roberts is an experienced writer with over 4 years of expertise in lifestyle and practical guides. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Randy creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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