A study timetable is a time-management strategy to help you attain your learning objectives. In this strategy, you’ll organize your study hours just like your work or social commitments. Setting aside dedicated study time allows you to divide tasks and assignments into digestible bits. Find out how to create a study plan and why it will help you.

What is a Study Plan?

A study plan is a structured timetable that specifies study periods and learning objectives. College students, like those at work or school, should create a weekly study regimen. This plan should include quiz, test, and exam dates, as well as paper and project deadlines.

Why do I need a study plan?

A study plan is a useful tool for guiding you through your college education and holding you accountable for your learning outcomes.

Time management can be tough. Aside from your academics, you probably have other commitments such as extracurricular activities, work, and social events. Making a study plan allows you to see how you spend your time and ensures that you allocate adequate time outside of class to complete homework assignments, study for examinations, and review and retain the knowledge you are learning.

Study plans are especially crucial for online students, as they require self-discipline and desire to complete their studies without continual reminders from an instructor.

Benefits of Having a Study Plan

The biggest advantage of having a study plan is that you will be more organized. Once everything is scheduled, you will find:

• You’ll be aware of your schedule and can plan.
• It divides the study load into reasonable quantities.
• You’ll have enough time to accomplish assignments without rushing.
• Making a study schedule will also help you balance your academics with other obligations, such as work or hobbies.
• This can help you prevent scheduling conflicts because you’ll have a clear picture of what’s coming, week by week.

Is a study plan necessary for academic success?

The benefit of a study schedule is that it might help you attain your goals. This is because you will be timing your studies around assignment dates, giving yourself enough time to fully prepare for class.

You are also increasing your learning capacity by scheduling clearly defined study blocks in your day.

As you proceed through your course, you can continue to alter your plan. You might discover that you are more sensitive to learning in the morning, so you can schedule study time earlier in the day.

A study plan is especially useful if you are an online student because there will be no classroom or instructor to hold you accountable. Instead, you will be responsible for scheduling your own time around your obligations.

Can I change my timetable in between?

Your study plan does not have to be set in stone; you are free to adjust it as you advance through your degree or course.

The VU Block Model allows you to take one or two block breaks.

This allows you to resume studying when you’re more inspired or when the time is suitable.

Over time, as you adjust your routine, you’ll discover what works best for you.

What will your study plan look like?

Finally, your study strategy will be unique to you. You’ll plan it around your commitments and strengths, with your ultimate goals clearly in sight.

You might find it easier to keep a paper-and-pen schedule or to utilize a day planner. A calendar app can also help you stay on track with your studies, as can setting reminders on your phone for when it’s time to start and finish.

Creating Your Schedule

Set short- and long-term study goals. It will be easier to plan and maintain your schedule if you know what you want to accomplish at the end. This will also help you identify areas where you need to improve.

Short-term goals could include passing a test in a week, completing a paper in two weeks, or memorizing a presentation in ten days. For these projects, divide your tasks each day.

Long-term ambitions could include getting into a particular institution, receiving a scholarship, or securing a specific career or internship. To make these more manageable, divide your goals into weeks and months.

Make sure you understand how much time you have for each of these goals. Write down the end date and calculate the number of days, weeks, and months remaining. For example, what is the deadline for a college application, and when are your exams?

Make a list of all the subjects you need to learn.

Perhaps the first step in developing your study schedule is to make a list of all the disciplines and courses you need to study for. Putting your duties on paper will give you a clearer understanding of what you truly need to do. If you have specific examinations to study for, name these rather than courses.

Determine what you need to accomplish for each

Determine what you need to do for each course or exam. Now that you’ve written down all of the subjects you need to study for, you must determine what you need to do for each one. While your time commitment and other duties for a single class may change from week to week, you will most likely discover that you will require a specific amount of time per subject over time.

If you have a study guide or textbook with review sections, use these to narrow down your list.

• Allow time for reading.
• Set aside time to evaluate your notes.
• Set aside time to produce exam study materials if you need them.
• Prioritize your list.

Make a list of all the subjects or exams you need to study for and figure out what you need to do for each one. Then prioritize the list. Ranking each lesson in importance will help you choose which subjects require the most attention and which should receive your greatest time slots.

Place a number, beginning with one, next to each of your subjects or tests. Give it a one if math takes up the majority of your time. If you only had five things to study, give history a five.

Consider the complexity of the subject or exam, as well as the lessons you will need to cover.
Consider the amount of reading you’ll need to accomplish.

Consider the quantity of reviewing you will need to conduct.

Divide your free time over the course of the week into study periods.

Before you continue, you should split your available time over the week into study blocks. After this, you can allocate your blocks to a subject.

The key to developing a study timetable is to plan to study at the same time every day so that you have a schedule you can remember without continually checking. By establishing a regimen, you will develop a positive study habit.

Check to see if you can always study at certain times or days of the week. For example, you may be available every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 to 4 p.m. If feasible, attempt to schedule your studying then, because a consistent, set pattern can help you get into a studying mindset and stay there more quickly.

Plan your study sessions in 30- to 45-minute increments. Shorter time chunks are easier to discover and schedule than longer ones.

Make blocks for all of your available time.

If you have a limited amount of time before an exam, use a backward calendar rather than a weekly program.

Allocate time for pursuits beyond the classroom.

It’s important to remember to schedule time for friends, family, and relaxation in addition to each subject. This is because until you establish a positive balance between your personal and academic lives, you will not be able to excel in your studies.

Set aside time for things like your grandmother’s birthday, a family get-together, or your dog’s veterinarian appointment that you are unable to postpone.

Set aside any time that you have to attend religious services, family get-togethers, or swim practice.

Make time for relaxation, sleep, and physical activity.

If you have a tight schedule leading up to a big exam, you might want to postpone or cancel your usual extracurricular or social activities.

Complete the study blocks that you have.

Fill in your calendar when you’ve planned it out and you know what needs to get scheduled. The subject you are learning at each session should be noted down. This will enable you to arrange your study materials and textbooks ahead of time, set checkpoints for the content, and help you stay on track.

Invest in a daily planner or a comparable item. Also suitable is a simple notebook.

If you have a smartphone, set up your schedule on it.

Power Planner is an extremely helpful app.

Plan, but only for a week at a time, until you have a firm grasp on your daily routine.

Prioritize studying for upcoming tests.

Divide your studying time into manageable chunks and spread the material out over the time you have before an exam.

Prioritize classes in which you are performing poorly or are driven to succeed.

You can build your study timetable either digitally or on paper—whichever option encourages you the most.

Consider Your Schedule and Personality

Evaluate your present timetable.

The first step in developing a study schedule is to examine your present schedule and how you spend time. Assessing your existing schedule will allow you to take a close look at how you spend your time and identify areas where you can be more efficient and things you can eliminate.

• Determine how many hours each week you are currently studying.
• Determine how many hours each week you now spend on entertainment.
• Determine how many hours you spend each week with friends and family.

Do some fast math to determine what you could cut. People prefer to spend a lot of time on entertainment, so start there.

If you work, plan your study time around it.

Take into consideration your learning style.

While determining how you spend your time is a crucial component of building your timetable, you must also consider how you study. Figuring out how you study can help you decide if there is any overlap in activities. It will also assist you in determining how to make better use of the time you do not regularly spend. Ask yourself some questions.

Are you an auditory learner? Consider listening to recorded lectures or other audio studying material while driving or working out at the gym.

Are you a visual learner? Can you post photographs or watch videos to learn? Try watching a video for both educational and entertaining purposes.

Reflect on your work ethic.

Although you may create an amazing timetable for yourself, it will mean little if you do not commit to studying. As a result, you should spend some time reflecting on your work ethic. After doing so:

Plan your timetable based on how you expect to work. If you tend to lose attention and take many breaks, plan extra time for your agenda.

If you know you procrastinate, schedule additional time before any deadlines. This will provide a cushion so that you do not miss a deadline.

If you know you have a strong work ethic, give yourself the ability to finish work early. You may accomplish this by carving out an extra “bonus” time in your calendar to work on whatever subject you like.

Following Your Schedule

Make the most of your allotted free time. One of the most difficult aspects of sticking to your study plan is resisting the want to do something relaxing, pleasant, or amusing in its place. However, you must fight this temptation and make the most of your planned amusement.

Look forward to your free time as a reward for studying.

Use your free time to recharge. Taking a nap may benefit you. Going for a stroll or practicing yoga may help you relax and focus when you return to your studies.

Make sure you get out of the house. Use your free time to go away from your study space.

Take short, consistent breaks.

Take one break during each study period. However, this may cause complications. One of the most crucial aspects of adhering to your study plan is to stick to it and only take the breaks that are given to you. Taking extra or prolonged breaks can and will disrupt your schedule and jeopardize your ambitions for academic success.

Take a 5- to 10-minute rest between study sets. Do not exceed 5 to 10 minutes.

Set an alarm for when your break ends.

Make good use of your vacation time. Make sure to refuel yourself throughout your break. Stretch, go for a little stroll, take a small snack, or get energized by listening to music.

Avoid temptations that could lengthen your break.

Follow the timetable.

The one hard and fast guideline for making sure your timetable works is that you must stick to it. It’s pointless to make a study schedule if you don’t follow it.

Get into the habit of checking your calendar/planner on a regular, preferably daily, basis. This will help you avoid falling into the “out of sight, out of mind” trap.

Once you’ve established a habit, you may begin to associate particular actions, such as opening a textbook or sitting at a desk, with a study mode.

Set an alarm or timer on your phone to notify you when your study blocks start and stop. This will help you stay on track with your timetable.

Tell others about your schedule.

Important individuals in our lives can often distract us from our goals, making it difficult to stick to our routines. This is not done deliberately, but simply because those who care about you wish to spend time with you. To avoid this, inform people about your schedule. This allows them to plan around what they wish to do.

Post a copy of your study guide on your refrigerator so that your family can see it.

Email a copy to your friends so they know when you are available.

If someone has anything scheduled during a study session, respectfully ask if you can reschedule at another time.

Conclusion

Studying is a vital component of academic achievement. However, it can be tough to find time to study for each course. A well-planned study schedule is one approach to ensuring academic achievement. Creating a study regimen, however, can be more difficult than you realize. Not only must you prioritize the subjects and courses that must be completed within a specific time frame, but you must also balance additional commitments such as family, friends, and enjoyment.