How To Study Consistently

Consistency is all about showing up. Again and again. You’ll do that best when your energy levels are stable.

Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder

Do you ever feel like your study habits simply aren’t cutting it? Do you wonder what you could be doing to perform better in class and on exams? Many students realize that their high school study habits aren’t very effective in college. This is understandable, as college is quite different from high school. The professors are less personally involved, classes are bigger, exams are worth more, reading is more intense, and classes are much more rigorous. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you; it just means you need to learn some more effective study skills. Fortunately, there are many active, effective study strategies that are shown to be effective in college classes.

This handout offers several tips on effective studying. Implementing these tips into your regular study routine will help you to efficiently and effectively learn course material. Experiment with them and find some that work for you.

Reading is not studying

Simply reading and re-reading texts or notes is not actively engaging in the material. It is simply re-reading your notes. Only ‘doing’ the readings for class is not studying. It is simply doing the reading for class. Re-reading leads to quick forgetting.

Think of reading as an important part of pre-studying, but learning information requires actively engaging in the material (Edwards, 2014). Active engagement is the process of constructing meaning from text that involves making connections to lectures, forming examples, and regulating your own learning (Davis, 2007). Active studying does not mean highlighting or underlining text, re-reading, or rote memorization. Though these activities may help to keep you engaged in the task, they are not considered active studying techniques and are weakly related to improved learning (Mackenzie, 1994).

Ideas for active studying include:

• Create a study guide by topic. Formulate questions and problems and write complete answers. Create your own quiz.
• Become a teacher. Say the information aloud in your own words as if you are the instructor and teaching the concepts to a class.
• Derive examples that relate to your own experiences.
• Create concept maps or diagrams that explain the material.
• Develop symbols that represent concepts.
• For non-technical classes (e.g., English, History, Psychology), figure out the big ideas so you can explain, contrast, and re-evaluate them.
• For technical classes, work the problems and explain the steps and why they work.
• Study in terms of question, evidence, and conclusion: What is the question posed by the instructor/author? What is the evidence that they present? What is the conclusion?

Organization and planning will help you to actively study for your courses. When studying for a test, organize your materials first and then begin your active reviewing by topic (Newport, 2007). Often professors provide subtopics on the syllabi. Use them as a guide to help organize your materials. For example, gather all of the materials for one topic (e.g., PowerPoint notes, text book notes, articles, homework, etc.) and put them together in a pile. Label each pile with the topic and study by topics.

For more information on the principle behind active studying, check out our tipsheet on metacognition.

Understand the Study Cycle

The Study Cycle, developed by Frank Christ, breaks down the different parts of studying: previewing, attending class, reviewing, studying, and checking your understanding. Although each step may seem obvious at a glance, all too often students try to take shortcuts and miss opportunities for good learning. For example, you may skip a reading before class because the professor covers the same material in class; doing so misses a key opportunity to learn in different modes (reading and listening) and to benefit from the repetition and distributed practice (see #3 below) that you’ll get from both reading ahead and attending class. Understanding the importance of all stages of this cycle will help make sure you don’t miss opportunities to learn effectively.

Spacing out is good

One of the most impactful learning strategies is “distributed practice”—spacing out your studying over several short periods of time over several days and weeks (Newport, 2007). The most effective practice is to work a short time on each class every day. The total amount of time spent studying will be the same (or less) than one or two marathon library sessions, but you will learn the information more deeply and retain much more for the long term—which will help get you an A on the final. The important thing is how you use your study time, not how long you study. Long study sessions lead to a lack of concentration and thus a lack of learning and retention.

In order to spread out studying over short periods of time across several days and weeks, you need control over your schedule. Keeping a list of tasks to complete on a daily basis will help you to include regular active studying sessions for each class. Try to do something for each class each day. Be specific and realistic regarding how long you plan to spend on each task—you should not have more tasks on your list than you can reasonably complete during the day.

For example, you may do a few problems per day in math rather than all of them the hour before class. In history, you can spend 15-20 minutes each day actively studying your class notes. Thus, your studying time may still be the same length, but rather than only preparing for one class, you will be preparing for all of your classes in short stretches. This will help focus, stay on top of your work, and retain information.

In addition to learning the material more deeply, spacing out your work helps stave off procrastination. Rather than having to face the dreaded project for four hours on Monday, you can face the dreaded project for 30 minutes each day. The shorter, more consistent time to work on a dreaded project is likely to be more acceptable and less likely to be delayed to the last minute. Finally, if you have to memorize material for class (names, dates, formulas), it is best to make flashcards for this material and review periodically throughout the day rather than one long, memorization session (Wissman and Rawson, 2012). See our handout on memorization strategies to learn more.

It’s good to be intense

Not all studying is equal. You will accomplish more if you study intensively. Intensive study sessions are short and will allow you to get work done with minimal wasted effort. Shorter, intensive study times are more effective than drawn out studying.

In fact, one of the most impactful study strategies is distributing studying over multiple sessions (Newport, 2007). Intensive study sessions can last 30 or 45-minute sessions and include active studying strategies. For example, self-testing is an active study strategy that improves the intensity of studying and efficiency of learning. However, planning to spend hours on end self-testing is likely to cause you to become distracted and lose your attention.

On the other hand, if you plan to quiz yourself on the course material for 45 minutes and then take a break, you are much more likely to maintain your attention and retain the information. Furthermore, the shorter, more intense sessions will likely put the pressure on that is needed to prevent procrastination.

Silence isn’t golden

Know where you study best. The silence of a library may not be the best place for you. It’s important to consider what noise environment works best for you. You might find that you concentrate better with some background noise. Some people find that listening to classical music while studying helps them concentrate, while others find this highly distracting. The point is that the silence of the library may be just as distracting (or more) than the noise of a gymnasium. Thus, if silence is distracting, but you prefer to study in the library, try the first or second floors where there is more background ‘buzz.’

Keep in mind that active studying is rarely silent as it often requires saying the material aloud.

Problems are your friend

Working and re-working problems is important for technical courses (e.g., math, economics). Be able to explain the steps of the problems and why they work.

In technical courses, it is usually more important to work problems than read the text (Newport, 2007). In class, write down in detail the practice problems demonstrated by the professor. Annotate each step and ask questions if you are confused. At the very least, record the question and the answer (even if you miss the steps).

When preparing for tests, put together a large list of problems from the course materials and lectures. Work the problems and explain the steps and why they work (Carrier, 2003).

Reconsider multitasking

A significant amount of research indicates that multi-tasking does not improve efficiency and actually negatively affects results (Junco, 2012).

In order to study smarter, not harder, you will need to eliminate distractions during your study sessions. Social media, web browsing, game playing, texting, etc. will severely affect the intensity of your study sessions if you allow them! Research is clear that multi-tasking (e.g., responding to texts, while studying), increases the amount of time needed to learn material and decreases the quality of the learning (Junco, 2012).

Eliminating the distractions will allow you to fully engage during your study sessions. If you don’t need your computer for homework, then don’t use it. Use apps to help you set limits on the amount of time you can spend at certain sites during the day. Turn your phone off. Reward intensive studying with a social-media break (but make sure you time your break!) See our handout on managing technology for more tips and strategies.

Switch up your setting

Find several places to study in and around campus and change up your space if you find that it is no longer a working space for you.

Know when and where you study best. It may be that your focus at 10:00 PM. is not as sharp as at 10:00 AM. Perhaps you are more productive at a coffee shop with background noise, or in the study lounge in your residence hall. Perhaps when you study on your bed, you fall asleep.

Have a variety of places in and around campus that are good study environments for you. That way wherever you are, you can find your perfect study spot. After a while, you might find that your spot is too comfortable and no longer is a good place to study, so it’s time to hop to a new spot!

Become a teacher

Try to explain the material in your own words, as if you are the teacher. You can do this in a study group, with a study partner, or on your own. Saying the material aloud will point out where you are confused and need more information and will help you retain the information. As you are explaining the material, use examples and make connections between concepts (just as a teacher does). It is okay (even encouraged) to do this with your notes in your hands. At first you may need to rely on your notes to explain the material, but eventually you’ll be able to teach it without your notes.

Creating a quiz for yourself will help you to think like your professor. What does your professor want you to know? Quizzing yourself is a highly effective study technique. Make a study guide and carry it with you so you can review the questions and answers periodically throughout the day and across several days. Identify the questions that you don’t know and quiz yourself on only those questions. Say your answers aloud. This will help you to retain the information and make corrections where they are needed. For technical courses, do the sample problems and explain how you got from the question to the answer. Re-do the problems that give you trouble. Learning the material in this way actively engages your brain and will significantly improve your memory (Craik, 1975).

Take control of your calendar

Controlling your schedule and your distractions will help you to accomplish your goals.

If you are in control of your calendar, you will be able to complete your assignments and stay on top of your coursework. The following are steps to getting control of your calendar:

1. On the same day each week, (perhaps Sunday nights or Saturday mornings) plan out your schedule for the week.
2. Go through each class and write down what you’d like to get completed for each class that week.
3. Look at your calendar and determine how many hours you have to complete your work.
4. Determine whether your list can be completed in the amount of time that you have available. (You may want to put the amount of time expected to complete each assignment.) Make adjustments as needed. For example, if you find that it will take more hours to complete your work than you have available, you will likely need to triage your readings. Completing all of the readings is a luxury. You will need to make decisions about your readings based on what is covered in class. You should read and take notes on all of the assignments from the favored class source (the one that is used a lot in the class). This may be the textbook or a reading that directly addresses the topic for the day. You can likely skim supplemental readings.
5. Pencil into your calendar when you plan to get assignments completed.
6. Before going to bed each night, make your plan for the next day. Waking up with a plan will make you more productive.

See our handout on calendars and college for more tips on using calendars as time management.

Use downtime to your advantage

Beware of ‘easy’ weeks. This is the calm before the storm. Lighter work weeks are a great time to get ahead on work or to start long projects. Use the extra hours to get ahead on assignments or start big projects or papers. You should plan to work on every class every week even if you don’t have anything due. In fact, it is preferable to do some work for each of your classes every day. Spending 30 minutes per class each day will add up to three hours per week, but spreading this time out over six days is more effective than cramming it all in during one long three-hour session. If you have completed all of the work for a particular class, then use the 30 minutes to get ahead or start a longer project.

Use all your resources

Remember that you can make an appointment with an academic coach to work on implementing any of the strategies suggested in this handout.

Works consulted

Carrier, L. M. (2003). College students’ choices of study strategies. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 96(1), 54-56.

Craik, F. I., and Tulving, E. (1975). Depth of processing and the retention of words in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104(3), 268.

Davis, S. G., and Gray, E. S. (2007). Going beyond test-taking strategies: Building self-regulated students and teachers. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 1(1), 31-47.

Edwards, A. J., Weinstein, C. E., Goetz, E. T., and Alexander, P. A. (2014). Learning and study strategies: Issues in assessment, instruction, and evaluation. Elsevier.

Junco, R., and Cotten, S. R. (2012). No A 4 U: The relationship between multitasking and academic performance. Computers and Education, 59(2), 505-514.

Mackenzie, A. M. (1994). Examination preparation, anxiety and examination performance in a group of adult students. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 13(5), 373-388.

McGuire, S.Y. and McGuire, S. (2016). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate in Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Newport, C. (2006). How to become a straight-a student: the unconventional strategies real college students use to score high while studying less. Three Rivers Press.

Paul, K. (1996). Study smarter, not harder. Self Counsel Press.

Robinson, A. (1993). What smart students know: maximum grades, optimum learning, minimum time. Crown trade paperbacks.

Wissman, K. T., Rawson, K. A., and Pyc, M. A. (2012). How and when do students use flashcards? Memory, 20, 568-579.

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Blog Posts on Studying Smarter, Not Harder

How To Study Consistently (11 Killer Tips) [2021]

Don’t worry. I know that feeling all too well. Back in the day, before I discovered the following techniques, I was probably the world’s worst for consistently hitting the books. But eventually I got things together, even becoming a med student in the process!

And in this article I’m going to who show you how. Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Simple tips and tricks you can use to show up to study everyday
• The principles of deep work and maximum study efficiency
• Why most study advice is typically wrong

Ready to learn more? Let’s go.

Here’s how best to study consistently…

Goal Set

First things first, you’re going to want to set yourself a very clearly defined goal.

“I want to accomplish X in this study period.”

It could be a certain amount of flashcards, pages read (and notes made), practice questions attempted etc. The important thing is that’s tangible and achievable. And that you stop once it’s done.

I generally always advise people to write this down and keep it visible while studying. That’ll help do two things; 1) keep you focused on the task and 2) remind you of the end point.

Personal Motivation

Something extra to add to your goal setting that can help with consistency is reminding yourself of your why…

• What are these study sessions for?
• What does that big picture look like?

Often visualizing this in your own mind at the start of each session is like rocketfuel for helping you study longer hours.

Break It Up

It’s much more effective to break your study goals into chunks rather than cram sessions. There is also plenty of evidence that suggests spacing your sessions out helps better with long-term recall (source).

Consistency is all about showing up. Again and again. You’ll do that best when your energy levels are stable.

Not when you’ve been up the whole night fueled on energy drinks to get you through.

Schedule

This is why scheduling is one of the most powerful of tools when it comes to putting in the work.

Looking at your day and understanding all your time commitments, then planning your study sessions around that, goes a long way to ensuring you’ll keep it up.

When you know a certain time period is dedicated to study, and that time either side of that is reserved for other things, you’ll be encouraged to follow through.

Hardest/Most Boring Task First

One more thing that can make all this even more powerful is scheduling the hardest (or most boring) task first.

Knocking that off your list early can help renew energy levels as you know it’s (relatively) all down hill from here.

For the top students that means using active recall techniques first. These techniques, although challenging and tough, are where most of your study gains will come from.

Interleave/Switch Up Subjects

It’s really hard to stay consistent with your studies when you’re laser focused on one topic. It won’t be long until you exhaust yourself thinking or answering questions on that one thing and your mind starts moving away.

Novelty can help massively here. Plan your sessions so you dip into several different areas or topics in a single sitting. That way you’ll keep things fresh enough.

Deep Work

Deep work is a principle from Cal Newport’s excellent book of the same name. It’s all about getting maximum efficiency from your work/study sessions.

In a nutshell it’s a philosophy that draws on most of the tips already explained; scheduling, tackling difficult tasks first, engaging in active recall (where the 80/20 rule is) etc.

It ensures your sessions aren’t wasted. Something that’ll keep you motivated to keep coming back day after day.

Cut All Distractions

One of the core aspects of deep work is eliminating all possible distractions.

You can do this by:

• Killing access to all your digital devices
• Completely unplugging from the internet
• Isolating yourself in a study space where nobody can interrupt you

You get the idea.

Doing this, even for short periods of time, is huge for productivity. The more productive you get, the easier it’ll be to keep going. Procastination gives way to consistency.

Reinforcement

Without rewarding yourself how are you ever going to approach studying with anything but resentment?

Just like in a job you’d get rewarded with a salary (with the hope of getting you to come back and do more work), so it’s the same with study.

You need to make sure you finish each session with something you like doing.

Scaling this down into smaller rewards, like in breaks between pomodoro sessions, is another way to work it. The treat will reinforce your hard work and encourage you to step up to the plate again.

Reflection

Finally, the last way to keep consistency up is to let yourself recap exactly what it is you achieved (or failed to do) during each session.

Making a quick note on what it is you got done (and have left to do) is amazingly useful. You’ll know exactly what to get started on during your next session and you’ll jump faster into it as a result.

This is another reason why I love plug-ins like Anki’s heatmap review. They do this reflection for you.

Hopefully the tips above can help show you that staying consistent is well within your grasp!

Should I be obsessed with studying?

Getting obsessed with studying and refining your methods can definitely help when you’re first starting out. Personally speaking however, there is a point of diminishing returns! If you’re obsessed about the process rather than actually doing the work, then it’s just procrastination at that point…

Obsession is a double-edged sword. It can help you learn a lot in the beginning (and develop effective systems) but can quickly turn to distraction if you let it.

How to study for hours with concentration

Forget these YouTube students who’ll tell you they can ‘study 100 hours straight without stopping bla bla’. It’s total rubbish. Clickbait designed to get you watching.

There are limits to how long you can study with focus and concentration. How can there not be when you’re a human being needing energy to live?

A couple of ways to prolong that time though are to address that problem directly. So, do things like the following:

• Ensure you get enough sleep (7-8 hours every night)
• Stay hydrated
• Stay well-fed with healthy food sources
• Be conscious of your caffeine and sugar intake (watch out for those energy-depleting spikes)

And, oh yeah, practice all the tips we talked about above!

How to study 16-18 hours a day?

Don’t. It’s ineffective, inefficient and could have serious impacts on your long-term health. Study consistently, in smaller periods (with greater focus), instead.

How to study without feeling sleepy?

Avoid caffeine, sugar and studying near to the hours you’d typically be winding down to go to sleep. Deep Work suggests the mornings are optimal for the most productive work. They’re also the time when you’re usually most free from distraction too.

How can I force myself to study?

By employing the tips above; being clear with your objectives, reinforcing your sessions with fun/leisure and understanding your why (your reason for studying in the first place).

Forcing yourself with masochistic self-talk, although it might work for some, probably isn’t all that effective long-term.

How to study for long hours at night?

I’d avoid doing so but if you really don’t have any choice then stimulants will obviously help. Coffee and sugar baby.

Final Thoughts: How To Study Consistently

Successful studying, for the most part, isn’t about finding some game-changing hack. It’s about systems and processes. Things designed to keep you coming back that help you make slow but consistent progress over time.

Hopefully this article has given you some nice ideas how!

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