Stick to a schedule, it actually helps

An effective study timetable streamlines the study hours and allows you to be more productive. Interestingly, a timetable that actually works can be easily planned and executed. Here are a few pointers that you can consider while planning and putting together an effective study timetable.

Everyday activities

How many spare hours do you have at your disposal to include in your study timetable? Before you chalk out your schedule, you will need to make a bucket list of items on your plate on a typical day. This list essentially is a list of items you do every day. This list can include sleep, school, daily rituals, sports or playtime, watering the plants, morning exercise, etc.

The next thing you will do is assign the number of hours for each item in the above list. Totalling the time will tell you how many hours of your day are already occupied. This exercise will make two things clear:

How many free hours do you have that can be allocated for studies?

If you need more time for studies, what existing items can I curtail?

Determine the best time to study.

Studying is a very personal matter. Some find morning study extremely effective. Others are at the best of their study abilities during the evenings.

Some can stretch our study times for three hours and more in a single sitting. Others might wish to take breaks. Be aware of your body and mind. Creating an effective study timetable will need you to identify the best times that suit you. What works well for your best buddy might not work for you at all. Thus, a timetable should be designed to meet four requirements:

It must take into account the spare hours you have.

It must fit into your ideal study time.

Study slots and breaks must conform to your abilities.

Last, but most importantly, it must motivate you to study.

For starters, a simple timetable that distributes your time across the different
subjects fairly and uniformly is
recommended.

Adjust and readjust till the study timetable fits you like a glove.

Continue with this timetable for a week or two. Reallocate the time assigned to various subjects. Stretch study hours by slowly increasing or decreasing the individual slots. Give short breaks to refresh yourself. Don’t force fit yourself to the timetable. The timetable needs to be amended to suit you.

Move heavy subjects up in your timetable. That will help get over with the most difficult stuff early on when you are fresh. Keep easy or light subjects towards the end.

Inform your family and friends about your study timetable.

Preparing a study timetable isn’t sufficient. You need to put it to practice. Putting your timetable to practice also means roping in your family and friends to support you.

Let your family know about the timetable. Request them to not disturb you during the study hours. Let them know when you have breaks planned. This will go a long way in strengthening your resolution to follow the study timetable.

Let your friends know of your timetable. That way interactions with friends can be pushed into other times. Share your successes and failures with the study timetable. This helps both sides.

Any study timetable can get monotonous after the initial excitement starts wearing off. To keep going, you will need some kind of motivation and refreshment. That is where a reward system helps. Rewards should prompt you to stick to your slot for the allotted time. Rewards can be a piece of your favourite dish, a walk you are entitled to take in the garden, a fun time of 10 minutes with your pet, etc. Putting together an effective timetable can be a one-time task for newbies. However, as you mature, you may want to create a daily study timetable.

Creating a study timetable is not sufficient. Getting others to support you in executing it is equally important. Initial attempts may fail; do not quit though as, with any new habit, it does take time to create an effective study timetable and follow it up without fail.