Studying remotely brings with it certain responsibilities. Despite the advantages such as the flexibility to dedicate yourself whenever you can and using any available device, it's necessary to manage your motivation so that subjects don't pile up. With a routine that's often hectic and full of activities, this isn't a far-fetched reality, would you agree?
It is in this context that a study schedule emerges as the ideal solution for getting organized. With it, you can further enhance the advantages of distance learning, separating study time from your degree, work, and other tasks that are part of your routine.
Understand studying as a habit.
Before starting the practical part of the study schedule, keep in mind that some thoughts and concepts about what you understand by dedication should change. Although it is not the preferred activity of many students, it is essential to learn the basics of the chosen career and, with that, to achieve good job opportunities.
The best response, then, is to turn studying into a habit. When you dedicate yourself to an activity every day at the same time, you will soon do it automatically. This helps to remove that feeling of obligation, embracing the practice without resistance.
Find out what your hours are.
Do you know the schedule for each activity in your day? If the answer is no, it's possible that the feeling of not having enough time is a constant companion in your routine. This happens because, without setting aside a specific time for them, distractions from studying on the computer can easily fill your schedule. This is the case with those 5 minutes on social media that stretch into hours.
So, the first practical step in creating a good study schedule is knowing exactly what happens in your daily life. When do you work? How many hours do you dedicate to sleep and personal hygiene? What periods do you dedicate to everything related to your degree? Keep this list handy if you want to continue with this exercise!
Separate the subjects you find most difficult.
Now, it's time to understand the subjects that need to be studied throughout the semester. List especially those that present the greatest difficulty or that you don't have as much affinity for—they require more intense dedication, with time to understand the theory and test your knowledge.
Cross-reference the times you have available to study these subjects, considering the periods when you feel most motivated or productive. A good tip is to start with the more complicated topics, so you can maintain your motivation for the rest of the day.
Expect the unexpected.
The routine may be tight, but it's always necessary to work with achievable goals. For this reason, being prepared for unforeseen events becomes essential. What you can do is set aside extra time for revisions. If an urgent commitment arises, you'll be able to make up for the time lost during those hours.
Practice different ways of studying.
Think about your current study routine: do you usually watch video lessons and then read the supplementary material? Do you rely solely on these strategies to ensure knowledge acquisition? Perhaps it would be productive to consider other ways to study, such as summaries and solving exercises.
It's also viable to invest in study methodologies that best suit your learning style. Some examples include:
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Mind maps: this involves defining keywords from the content and linking them to their explanations using arrows, colored balloons, and other graphic resources;
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Self-explanation: Here, you become your own teacher. After reading the material, explain what you understood in your own words.
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Flashcards: As you notice an important point in a lesson, write a related question on one side of a piece of paper and the answer on the other. With these cards, you can test your knowledge during review periods, for example.
Plan to take breaks from studying.
If you were planning to set aside time until the early hours of the morning to maximize your study time, know that's not exactly how productivity works. Remember that quality is worth much more than quantity and that your brain has a limit—just like your body.
Studying for hours on end isn't always the most effective learning strategy. Therefore, take breaks during your studies. If you're unsure how to begin, use productivity apps or even the Pomodoro Technique. It works like this:
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Dedicate 25 consecutive minutes to an activity;
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After this period, rest for 5 minutes;
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Repeat this cycle 5 times;
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At the end of the fifth "Pomodoro," take a longer break of 30 minutes.
Invest in your emotional health.
Even though preparing for studies is a priority, your health shouldn't be overlooked. Taking breaks is already a great help in resting your brain, as we saw in the previous topic. But it's pointless to include these periods in your schedule if you don't actually clear your mind of worries. Especially during exam periods, it's common to even dream about difficult material.
If your emotional health is important when enduring the marathon of studying, just imagine how important it is during exams or when facing challenges in the job market? When you take care of this aspect, you avoid stress, anxiety, and various other disorders that can harm your mind.
To help, how about taking advantage of the benefits of physical exercise and meditation? An afternoon or early morning walk might be just what you need to improve circulation and oxygenation of the brain. Put on some music you enjoy and don't think about your problems or worries, okay?
As we've seen, a study schedule is a resource that's highly personalized to your routine—meaning yours won't always be the same as your college classmates'. So, make the most of your effort: set priorities, adopt an organized mindset, and don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. You'll see results quickly!
