There are two avenues for successful studying: managing your time and managing your tasks.

1. BE THE MASTER OF YOUR STUDY TIME

Work in Small Blocks

It’s all about efficiency people! Smaller blocks of time will help you avoid the burnout, the slowing down, and the drag of longer block times. Using smaller blocks of study time gives you breathing room to refocus.

The Pomodoro Technique

I used this technique throughout NP school and highly recommend it.

When you only have a few hours to study, you have to divide it up!

Here’s how it works. Get a timer. Set the timer for 25 minutes of nonstop work. When it goes off, take a 5-minute break. Yes, you should set the timer again. After the break, start the cycle over — 25 minutes working and 5 minutes relaxing.

Easy as rinse and repeat, right?

It should go without saying that the 25 minutes of study time, ideally, should be distraction-free. So block out how much time you have to study and set the timer!

Task Division for the Pomodoro Technique

Hopefully, you passed 5th-grade math because we’re dividing things again!

Before you begin, consider what you have to accomplish:

–Are you writing a paper? If so, are you researching? Outlining? Editing?

–Are you studying for a test? If so, are you reviewing lectures? Powerpoints? Notes? Flashcards?

–Are you learning something new? If so, are you reading a textbook? Listening to a lecture?

The task you’ll be doing will determine how you spend those 25-minute blocks of time.

For example, let’s say you have two hours available, and studying for Friday’s test is the #1 priority.

Using the Pomodoro Technique your study time might look something like this:

1:00 pm – 1:25 pm Review lecture notes

1:25 pm – 1:30 pm Break

1:30 pm – 2 pm Review flashcards

2 pm – 2:05 pm Break

2:05 pm – 2:30 pm Review powerpoints

2:30 pm – 2:35 pm Break

2:35 pm – 3 pm Quiz yourself

3 pm Finished

Use this example to help you break up your time into assigned tasks with specific goals.

You decide when and for how long you will work on each goal.

Take the Breaks

The breaks are a vital part of the learning process – this is when you recharge and your mind resets. Your brain needs that time to absorb (so to speak) the information you just reviewed.

Long periods of study time without breaks will leave you feeling tired, defeated, and discouraged.

So, walk away from your desk. Chug some water. Take a deep breath. Go outside. Pet the dog. Eat an apple. Write in your gratitude journal. Do something relaxing. You won’t regret it.

2. BE THE MASTER OF YOUR TASKS

You’re going to LOVE this part! Once your study time is structured, you can define each part with a specific goal.

Too often we tend to get these lofty ideas in our heads about what we should be getting done with our study time, only to fall short and tip into discouragement.

Here’s how to avoid that rut . . .

Write a “Goal” To-do List

I love to-do lists and you should too! They are the perfect tools to get stuff done AND make me feel like I’ve accomplished something. Okay, so I am the person who will add something to a to-do list that I’ve already done just to have the rush of checking it off the list–we all have our dirty little secrets. But seriously, does life get any better than lists?

To create your detailed and encouraging goal to-do list, start by breaking down your study needs for the day, then divide them into tasks if necessary.

For example, here’s a typical study to-do list:

Review pages 102-459 in Epidemiology textbook

Answer study guide questions #3, #4, #5

Write outline for research paper

–spend 25 minutes researching topic

–create PICO question

–collect references

Here’s a list of tips for writing a to-do list (I’m so sneaky!):

Start each goal with an action verb.
Create a new to-do list every day.
Prioritize the list — before you start doing anything else!
Create interactive to-do lists if you’re so inclined. There’s probably an app for that.
Use subcategories with glee! Subcategories can help you better imagine the tasks that need to be completed prior to the actual goal (see above example). These may need to replace your original task for the day. Because let’s face it, researching a topic is NOT the same as outlining the paper for the topic.
Keep your to-do list with you all the time, not only because it feels good to check things off the list, but it also feels great to get that task out of your head and free up some cognitive space prior to study time.

Once the goal to-do list is created, you’re ready to start!

time and task management tips for students

Checklist for Time and Task Management

Make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Run through this checklist to ensure your time and tasks will work for you and not against you.

Prepping

–Plan ahead by scheduling daily study time. Block off your calendar and be specific: 2 hours or 5 hours.

–Use daily calendars or planners.

–Find your perfect place in the world to study–library vs. coffee house vs. home—but make sure your area is organized. Make space and declutter the area to give yourself space and freedom to learn.

–If cleaning and organizing aren’t your favs, then set a timer for 10 minutes and attack! Some are better than none.

–Gather your study materials. Keep everything in one place from the get-go to make this step easier.

–Turn off or reduce all distractions including email, text, and calls but especially the social browsing apps.

Planning

–Skim what you need to study for one study period at a time.

–Ask yourself, “What do I need to accomplish in the study period?”

–Create a new to-do goal list specific to that study period.

–Make your goals reasonable for the amount of time you have available.

–Sort and prioritize the list. Ask yourself, “How important is this?” “What is the due date?”

–Do the most important thing first.

–Keep in mind what you have to do and what it would be nice to do. I love watching pathophysiology videos on YouTube. But skimming the assigned readings was always the minimum I had to complete and those videos were a nice reward.

–Use the SHOULD, COULD, MUST method of prioritization.

Final Tips

–If you have urgent tasks, use the same method to prioritize them.

–Set a time limit to complete each task on the list. Ask yourself, “How long does this usually take me?” and “How long should this typically take?” Don’t spend 20 minutes on a 5-minute task.

–When you set a deadline, respect it. Studying is just like a job and there are no excuses for not getting it done.

–Use the Pomodoro technique. Trust me.

You got this!