Contrary to popular opinion, when looking to advance your learning, textbooks and lectures are usually not the best option for most students. Whether you are taking a regular class or studying for SAT exams, you can greatly increase your productivity by following a study schedule designed to complement your particular learning style.
1. Know yourself.
First, learn about your own routines. You should know how long it will take to rest for a day, how long it takes to learn, how long it takes to play, and how long it takes to sleep.
For example, I sleep about eight hours a day, and set aside six or seven hours of study, then one or two hours to check up on mobile phone updates, eat and so on. The time I set to study for a day is up to five to six hours. If there are a lot of things during that time, I might cut back on my sleep and play time. Knowing your own self, gives the benefits to understand your habits and make it easier to plan your time.
It’s very important at the beginning to know yourself and help you know how to adjust your time.
2. Make full use of the debris time
During the day, we must have a lot of fragmentation time: such as, walking, waiting for a bus, these pieces of time that seem to be nothing to do but it still can be very useful.
Generally, I will use these times to conceive how to write an essay, review what the teacher said in a day on the mobile phone, check the relevant information, or check the mail and so on. In this way, the time for additional ideas or the time for review is saved.
This way of learning can save you time. While I am waiting for the bus or walking, I will finish these things. When I get home, I don’t have to conceive a paper or review what the teacher has said. I can start writing homework and writing a thesis directly.
3. Be prepared.
If you are taking a class online or at a school, study the curriculum in advance so you know what to expect. Engage in necessary prep work such as downloading software, getting a workbook, or setting aside the dates of the course.
If you study the content by yourself first, you will be learning the contents second time in the class, which will help you more on understanding the content
4. Take good notes.
If you are unable to multi-task such as, listening and writing at the same time, just listen and then write notes after the class is over.
If it’s recorded, you can always review the class sessions. You can also ask the teacher for his outline, summary or notes. Review your last class notes before your next class. You can take notes to a whole new level if considering creating diagrams or even mind maps.
5.Ask Questions.
If you are taking a course online or in a school, make sure to jot down questions as they come up and ask them when you have the opportunity.
I always believed there are no dumb or silly questions. If you need clarification, it is hard to continue learning until you have your questions answered. Most instructors see questions as a sign of an alert, and an intelligent mind.
