Key for Success: Setting Up a Study Schedule

Week 1: Set Up a Study Schedule

Starting the school year off with a clear study schedule is one of the best ways to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success. Having a plan can eliminate stress and make your workload feel more manageable.

Steps to Create Your Study Schedule:

1. Map Out Your Week: Look at your class schedule and identify when you’re free each day. This could be after school, in the evening, or during breaks. A balanced schedule is key—don’t overwhelm yourself with too many hours at once.
2. Prioritise Your Subjects: Not all subjects need the same amount of attention. If you know you struggle more with math than English, set aside more time for math, but don’t neglect other subjects. A little bit of balance will help you avoid burnout.
3. Set Specific Study Times: Instead of saying “I’ll study later,” set exact times to work. For example, “I will study history from 4:00 to 4:45 PM” and “I’ll focus on math from 5:00 to 5:30 PM.” This gives you structure and avoids procrastination.
4. Include Breaks: Schedule short breaks in between study sessions (around 5-10 minutes). This helps keep your mind fresh and improves focus. After 45-60 minutes of studying, take a 15-minute break to recharge.
5. Stick to the Schedule: Commit to your study plan for at least a week. Adjust it if necessary but try to stick to the general structure. The goal is consistency, not perfection.

Why It Matters:
A study schedule takes away the guesswork and helps you stay proactive instead of reactive. By planning ahead, you’re less likely to cram the night before and more likely to retain information over time. As Jim Rohn said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment,” and a study schedule is a great way to practice that discipline.

Week 2: Stay Organised by Using a Planner to Track Assignments

Staying organised is critical to managing your time effectively. A planner helps you visualise your tasks and deadlines, reducing stress and making sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Steps to Use a Planner Effectively:

1. Choose Your Planner: You can go digital (like using Google Calendar or apps like Todoist) or use a physical planner if that works better for you. The key is to have a system that you’ll use consistently.
2. List Out All Assignments: At the start of each week, write down all the assignments, projects, and tests you know are coming up. Don’t just focus on homework—include long-term projects and test dates too.
3. Break Down Large Tasks: If a project seems overwhelming, break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, if you have a research paper due in two weeks, your planner might look like this:
   • Day 1: Choose a topic and write a thesis statement
   • Day 2: Gather research materials and create an outline
   • Day 3-5: Write the introduction and body paragraphs

1. Track Progress Daily: Each day, review your planner and make sure you’re on track. Cross off completed tasks to give yourself a sense of accomplishment. This helps you stay motivated and ensures nothing is forgotten.
2. Set Weekly Reviews: At the end of each week, review your planner to see how well you stayed on top of your tasks. Reflect on what worked and what didn’t, and adjust accordingly for the next week.

Why It Matters:
When you stay organised, you can reduce anxiety about deadlines and assignments. Having everything laid out in front of you helps you focus on what’s important. Jim Rohn often emphasised that success is about small, daily disciplines, and using a planner consistently is one of those disciplines that adds up over time.

Week 3: Review Material for 20 - 30 Minutes Every Day

The key to mastering any subject is consistent review. Rather than cramming the night before a test, commit to reviewing material daily—even if it’s just for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps reinforce what you’ve learned and keeps the information fresh in your mind.

Steps for Effective Daily Reviews:

1. Set a Specific Time: Just like your study schedule, designate a 30-minute block each day for review. This could be before bed, in the morning, or during a break between classes—whatever works best for you.
2. Focus on One Subject or Topic: Instead of trying to review everything at once, pick one subject or a specific topic each day. For example, you could dedicate Monday to reviewing history notes, Tuesday to math formulas, and Wednesday to English vocabulary.
3. Active Recall: Try to quiz yourself or summarize the material without looking at your notes. Active recall (retrieving information from memory) strengthens your brain’s ability to retain information. For example, if you're reviewing a history chapter, write down key dates, events, and people from memory first. Then, check your notes to fill in any gaps.
4. Use Flashcards or Apps: Flashcards are a great tool for quick review sessions. You can make physical flashcards or use apps like Quizlet. They help reinforce key concepts, and the process of reviewing them regularly helps cement the material in your long-term memory.
5. Don’t Overload: Keep it simple— 20 - 30 minutes per subject is just long enough to review and reinforce what you’ve learned, but not so long that you feel exhausted. If you consistently review a little each day, the material will stick without the pressure of cramming.

Why It Matters:
Daily review might sound like a small effort, but over time, it adds up. Jim Rohn taught that “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” If you can make 30 minutes of review a daily habit, you’ll find that the material becomes easier to understand and recall. Plus, regular review makes test preparation much less stressful, as you won’t have to cram.

By breaking your goals into manageable steps each week, you can build up a routine that keeps you organised, focused, and motivated all year long. Remember: consistency is key! Each small action you take brings you closer to your bigger goals. You don’t need to do everything perfectly—you just need to do it regularly.

How to Develop Self-Discipline and Accountability :

Works Cited:

2025, Youtu.be, viewed 7 February 2025, <https://youtu.be/UBzUJB8cLkI?si=5BSGvOEemthjIy3F>.

2025, Youtu.be, viewed 7 February 2025, <https://youtu.be/kyzlQtOMWy8?si=ZzPRa7pwsevp5aJU>.

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