As great as it would be to have hours on end that we can dedicate to learning and studying, we really don’t. Quite often, we only have an hour a day. Sometimes, we only have a few minutes in between tasks to dedicate to learning. When that happens, it’s important to be prepared and aware of how to use that time to the fullest.
Flashcards on your phone.
Flashcards are a great way to study when on the go. Download an app or fill out the information on paper flashcards. Review when on the train, bus, or just when you have a few spare minutes.
Study guides.
Study guides are also a great way to study when there isn’t much time. You can find some great study guides online or you can make your own. Sometimes you get the awesome teacher that gives you a study guide. Take it with when you travel or take a few minutes before bed for a quick review.
Thorough, neat notes.
Along the same line of study guides are your notes. Take notes. Fill them with the necessary information.. Keep them neat and tidy for easy readability. Take them where you go and read as you can.
Ebooks and audiobooks.
If you don’t have a lot of time to sit down and just read your textbooks, utilize other methods. Download the textbook in ebook form on your tablet or haul your heavy book around to read as you go. If you are comfortable listening to stuff in public, download the textbook as an audiobook and listen as you go.
Likewise, have other books available to study besides your textbook. Utilizing more than one text can help give you a deeper understanding of the subject. This is especially true when your instructor or professor makes you use their book. Bias is a thing in university, even when it shouldn’t be.
Mental review.
You can utilize a mental review. This is when you take the time to sit down and just review what you know. Brainstorming is a great way to do this. Set a timer and write down all the information you know. This will help identify the areas you have mastered and the ones that you need more study in.
Teaching someone else is also a fantastic idea. Personally, I enjoy creating a fantasy audience and then lecturing them on the subject. If I can understand the subject well enough to explain to a class of second-graders in my head, then I’m doing pretty well.
Plan.
Absolutely have a game plan for crunching your study. Know what you need to study, how you’ll study it, and when you’ll do so. For example, be aware that you’re studying this subtopic on your flashcard app on the bus to work, and then you’ll spend your break reading over your study guide. Then you’ll give yourself a mental lecture on the bus ride home before doing a brain dump of everything you remember before going to bed for the night. A plan can help you stay on track and maximize what you’re doing and when.
Studying takes a lot of effort, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard. You don’t need hours every day to dedicate to learning if you can utilize the tools available to you in the time you do have.
If you are looking for other ways to improve your preparation for the UPSC exam. K3 IAS gives some tips for 5 alternative study methods for UPSC preparation.
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IAS exam study tips
Time flies so fast that it is hard to believe we're down to first semester - we’re already halfway through the school year. As we start the second semester, it would be great if we make some improvements in our studies. It's never too late to develop good study habits. The sooner you get into a good study groove, the easier everything will be and more chances of getting good marks will follow.
So, here are some tips to improve your study habits!
Plan ahead.
Getting yourself a planner would help you track the activities you would be doing for the day. Give yourself a set time to spend on each task. All you have to do is to stick to it.
Write down notes.
Don’t just rely on what is written on the board; jot down the things you hear on the discussion. If your teachers send you copies of your lessons online, find time to write it down on your notebook.
Be creative.
Fully engage yourself when studying. You can use colored pens to give emphasis on important words. Doodle as much as you can, when ideas and processes are complex, doodling can be a quick and intuitive way of capturing information. Of course, this doesn’t hold true for every student, but it certainly makes sense to allow students who learn this way.
Rest.
Taking a nap before you study can boost your performance and may help you lock in long-term memories. It’s like rebooting your brain, it makes your mind refreshed.
Find your place.
Find a place where you feel comfortable or with little distractions so you can study peacefully.
Refresh your mind every day.
If you study a little bit every day you'll be continually reviewing things in your mind. This helps you understand things. It also helps you avoid the stress of last-minute cramming.
Need help? Reach out.
Don’t struggle by yourself, and don’t give up. You can get some help from your classmates or teachers.
Take breaks.
It's important to take a break when you're studying, especially if you're feeling tired. Working too long on a task can actually decrease your performance.
Since most of us have a preferred way of learning. Get to know your learning style and study in the ways you learn best.
You can come up with your own strategies
Everybody is different, so the best way to establish a routine is to try different things and see what works best for you. You might already have other things that work better for you. Whatever it is, whatever strategy you come up with, when you find something that works for you, put it into practice and go for it!
And most of all, you have to look after yourself. Take care of yourself. Make sure you eat well and get enough sleep.