When it comes to studying and preparing for school, there are no shortage of tips and strategies out there for attempting to improve student outcomes and successes. I realize the following tips and strategies may only be adding to the abundance of circulating advice, but these are my top tips I routinely share with my own students. Please feel welcome to peruse through this list and see if something or another might be worth trying or incorporating into your study sessions.

1. Set a Timer:

Oftentimes, when it comes to building good study habits (or trying to break bad study habits), it’s often a good idea to start with a controllable input, like time. What is more, many students also don’t know how long they should actually be studying for, so using a timer is a perfect way to gather some baseline data (and adjust accordingly). How it works: Determine a set-amount of time you want to use to study—while removing any and all distractions—for, say, 60 minutes—and only focus on studying or work completion. For this to work best, 100% of your attention needs to be on the schoolwork, but, then, when the timer or alarm goes off—voila!—you stop working—even if you are in the middle of whatever it is you might be working on. Or, you may decide that you are in such a rhythm or flow, that even after the timer/alarm goes off, you just keep on working (this may happen more often than you think!). Pragmatically, this works because you are tracking the time you are studying and determining if it is either too little; too much; or just about right. Psychologically, you are also—ultimately—empowering your own self by giving yourself the choice to quit after time is up or to keep going. Even if you decide to fully stop after the alarm/timer goes off, you will have known that you completed a really solid study session (and you should be proud of that!).

2. Get Your Location(s) Set:

Just like the mantra often uttered in real estate: location, location, location–it is similar for studying. I am a big proponent of having a primary study location and then a secondary (or two) study location(s)—as backups or just to mix things up. So, maybe you can go to the library and reserve a study room—or if the weather is good, go outside and study under a tree or on a quiet park bench. Some students do just fine studying in the same location, but, sometimes, it’s good to branch-out and switch-up your study location. By doing this, it may even help you to focus better; gain inspiration; or just to keep things fresh and new. Consider identifying—and establishing—your go-to study location(s) and adjust accordingly.  

3. Form a Study Group:

Have a big project or test coming up? Having a hard time getting started? Then consider forming a short-term study group! Sometimes, we think study groups have to last forever, but, obviously, they don’t. You can even form a study group with friends or classmates that only meets as little as one or two times (either in-person or virtually). We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and forming a study group will allow you to play-off other study group members’ strengths, while also allowing each group member to be accountable to each other. Ideally, everyone works hard to contribute and add something to the study group. If you are having a hard time getting started—with studying—ask a friend or two or three if they would be willing to form a group with you. It might just provide the exact jump-start that you need.

4. Where Do I Even Start?!:

This next strategy is totally open-ended, so when you’re deciding to put your study plan into place, you first will have to determine where to start (often the hardest part, right?!). I like to tell my students to either start with what is easiest; hardest; worth the most points; or whatever a student is most interested in starting with. Starting with any of those things makes a lot of sense because you are setting a tone and targeted direction for studying. If you’re starting with the easiest things or the things you are most interested in, you are more likely to be naturally inclined to persevere through the work (either because of the ease of the work or because it is most interesting to you); on the flipside, if you start with whatever is worth the most points/is the hardest/or what you are least interested in, you will have then gotten those things out of the way and set-up for yourself a great groundwork for future study sessions. Either approach can work equally well, of course, but if you feel like you are most stuck or unmotivated, it probably—often—makes the most sense to start with the work that is easiest or the work you are most interested in completing.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help:

If you find that you are running into difficulties mastering a particular concept or feeling like you are stuck, please know this: Asking for help is a sign of strength—not a sign of weakness. None of us have all the answers or know everything there is to know. Good students get help from their teachers; talk to their counselor; and ask questions when they are uncertain about something. That might mean going in before school; during lunch; or after school for some additional help. Good students are willing to go that extra mile to ensure their success (and are also willing to put in the necessary time to best-ensure that success). Just know, though, that you don’t have to do it alone—you have a team around you that will be more than happy to help you. I tell my students–all the time–that when they win, I feel like I also win—and it’s true. Your success is something that your family members and school staff are very much invested in (because we care about you), so let us help, if we can!

6. Go With the Free Stuff First:

Yes, it’s true that many students work with a tutor outside of school—and, for many reasons, that can be a tremendous resource, if families have the access and funds to hire extra help. But you can still often get the help you might need without having to spend extra money. I just mentioned it a few moments ago, but, again, ask your teachers and counselor for extra help (or where to find additional resources); or, check-out Khan Academy (it’s 24/7 and has great resources for all-things studying). What is more, if your school (or local community center) offers after-school tutoring, take advantage of that. If those things aren’t giving you the jump-start that you need, then maybe hiring a tutor is good thing to consider.

7. Get Organized:

When it comes to re-envisioning your study routines; habits; and plans, one of the best places to start is with getting everything organized the way that you want it. After all, you can never be too organized, right?! (just nod and agree). You may even want to consider starting with cleaning out your backpack; locker; folders; deleting unused files or programs on your computer; and also cleaning-out the physical space of your study area(s). While I don’t believe in just going in and throwing away everything that’s been graded and handed back, I also believe that students often hold onto too many unnecessary pieces of paper that weigh down backpacks and create a mess of many a locker and bedroom. By doing a little organizing in the beginning (same thing for digital organization), it just may provide the inspiration–or jump-start–you need to fast-track your new-and-improved study habits and plans.

8. Don’t Forget About Small, Unexpected Pockets or Windows of Time:

I get it: The school day can be a long day, and, on top of that, many students often have sports or jobs (or other commitments or obligations) to go to after school. So why not look for small pockets of time during the school day–or between pre-scheduled events or obligations occurring before or after school? This can include spending a few minutes completing work or studying during lunch; maybe one class, you have a work-hour or a substitute teacher—that’s a great way to steal away some extra time and get even more work done (or maybe even work ahead). But you have to be disciplined. Five or ten minutes might not seem like much, but it really does add up. A few years ago, I even had one of my top-level students tell me that he never has homework at home. Why? He said that he completes everything at school. Stealing away a couple minutes before or after the bell has rung—or even during in-class transitions—are great ways of being super-efficient with your time—along with maintaining focus and productivity throughout most of the hour for each class, to ensure that there is less take-home work to complete after-school.

9. Give Yourself a Reward:

Being a good student shouldn’t have to be all work and no play, am I right? If you work hard at school–and on anything that you take home with you to complete–you deserve to reward yourself. The truth? It doesn’t have to be much—but it can be anything that you want! Maybe if you set a timer and study for, say, 30-60 minutes each day, then you can allow yourself the privilege of playing video games or talking to your friends on the phone afterwards—something basic like that. Or, treating yourself to a favorite snack or meal—or even some retail therapy! The sky is the limit, so if you put your study plan in-place and start to see some nice results from your focus; discipline; and hard-work, then, by all means, reward yourself for your strong efforts. Psychologically, this gives you a goal—something to aim for—to keep yourself motivated, while also allowing you to enjoy a gift to yourself (once your goal has been achieved). And the best part? You can fully enjoy that gift (whatever it might be) without having to also worry—in the back of your mind– about doing homework or studying, because you have already done those things for yourself.