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7 Best Tips on How to Make a Study Timetable and Stick to It

by productivity writer Claire Adams of highstylife.com. Edited by Jeff Campbell

Wondering how to make a study timetable and stick to it?

Most of us remember our high school and college days with warm nostalgia.

It’s also true that school can also be quite stressful, especially if you’re not very good at organizing your time. Late assignments, missed deadlines and poor test performance can sink even the smartest student’s grades.

Unfortunately, they don’t teach us how to make a study timetable and stick to it in school.

So, if you’re looking for practical ways to keep up with your curriculum, extracurricular activities, social events AND get enough sleep, here are some of the best organizational tricks for you.

1. Keep your books close

The greatest advice you’ll ever get is to keep your work close.

During the day, you’ll get plenty of extra time to hit the books (on the bus, between classes, while waiting for your friends to arrive). Make sure to use this time to your advantage. Instead of scrolling through your Instagram feed, you can use these few minutes to revise or catch up with homework.

A few minutes here and there will add up to some solid learning time!

2. Create a study timetable

Analyze your work routine.

Find out how much time you typically need for activities. Then incorporate these into your daily or weekly timetable.

Make sure it covers everything from your time at school, daily commute, homework, study time to your sleep time and you’ll never miss another assignment again.

My Study Life has a great app for iPhone and Android to help you “Organize your classes, tasks, and exams & never forget a lecture or assignment again”. Great tools are essential for learning how to make a study timetable and stick to it.

Check it out and download it today!

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3. Stick to your schedule

The most important thing about study schedules is actually sticking to them.

One practical method of creating a good study timetable and sticking to it is by creating a large poster in a prominent place in your home. That way it could be there as your constant reminder. Once you start studying, turn off the TV and your phone and focus entirely on the task before you.

If you’ve ever wondered what separates Successful People from Unsuccessful People, it’s not money and it’s not IQ. In reality, it’s just a few simple steps and habits that anyone, including you, can master. Those can not only help you learn how to make a study timetable and stick to it, but can help you for the rest of your life.

4. Make a to-do list

For most students, creating a to-do list of all the tasks is very helpful.

Top your list with the most difficult ones and move on to those you enjoy doing. This will keep you motivated to persevere. Also, having the list at hand in your phone or computer will make it easier to check your duties and stick to your plans.

And don’t forget to reward yourself if you accomplish everything. It’ll do wonders for your motivation.

For those of you who love apps, check out GQueues! It’s a to-do list program and the basic version is totally free! Available for iPhone & Android but also desktop/laptop. Integrates with Google calendar, Gmail and even has a Chrome extension.

5. Know your boundaries

It’s very important you know yourself well and where your boundaries are. That way you don’t overextend yourself. Especially if you’re very ambitious.

You need to be realistic about your goals. That way you can move from one goal to the next, rather than stress yourself over the amount of work ahead of you. When you create your study schedule, set your priorities.

The occasional cancellation with your friends when an important test is coming up is totally OK.

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6. Avoid distractions

Social media, TV, friends, the news media and other things all conspire to use up our precious time.

If you often catch yourself wasting time on unimportant things instead of actually learning, it may mean you’re stuck.

In that case, consult your teacher on how to readjust your study timetable so you can adhere to your assignments better and move forward.

For instance, many Aussie students go for useful VCE notes available online. These notes were written by former students who understand the pressure and a hectic schedule. The notes are very clear and systematic, so all you have to do is learn!

Think you might be addicted to your phone? Check out these Cell Phone Addition Symptoms and see if they fit!

7. Stop procrastinating

Procrastination is the biggest adversary of success, so never put off work that you can finish right now.

If you procrastinate, the work will accumulate and the pressure will increase.

Do your best to allocate your time and responsibilities and stick to your schedule. Procrastinators also tend to get less sleep, especially when the deadlines get closer. However, sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body and brain! To focus, study and perform, you need at least seven hours of sleep.

It’s better to put some things off for tomorrow, hit the sack early and feel refreshed the next day.

Did we cover everything you wanted to know about how to make a study timetable and stick to it?

In this post, we took a look into the world of high school and college studies.

We talked about the importance of a study timetable; how to make one, why they are important and how to avoid distractions and procrastination.

Specifically, we looked at how to make a study timetable and stick to it.

High school and university days can become quite frantic at times.

It’s often very hard to successfully manage your time between classes, homework, exam preparation and friends. However, if you adopt these time-management tips, you’ll be more efficient.

You’ll be creating your study timetable and keeping at your duties in no time! So you’ll only reap rewards and develop great working habits for the future.


About the author of this post.

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Claire Adams is a personal and professional development expert who believes that a positive attitude is one of the keys to success. You can find her online writing and giving tips about lifestyle and development as a regular contributor at highstylife.com

You can also connect with her on social channels: Facebook or Twitter


Want to write for Middle Class Dad too? Check out everything you need to know on my Guest Blog Page

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Jeff Campbell