Crafting an Effective Study Plan: A Comprehensive Guide in Seven Steps

Creating a Studying Plan: How to Stick to It

**Step One: Review Your Materials**

Before creating a studying plan, it’s important to review the materials you’ll be using for your learning journey. Take a look at your class syllabus, books, tutorials, or any other curriculum that will guide you. Consider the following:

1. Lessons: Identify the lessons you’ll need to watch, read, or review.
2. Practice Activities: Determine the practice activities you need to engage in.
3. Required Deliverables: Take note of the essays, homework, or projects you need to complete.
4. Application of Skills: Consider how you will need to use the skills and knowledge you’ve gained, such as in a final exam or real-life scenarios.

**Step Two: Calculate Your Minimum Time Investment**

Once you’ve reviewed your materials, it’s crucial to estimate the minimum time investment required to complete the class as specified. This includes:

1. Required Readings: Estimate the time it will take to complete the readings. If possible, determine your reading rate by timing yourself while reading a few pages.
2. Videos/Lectures: Calculate the total run time of all videos or recorded lectures. If you can watch at an accelerated pace, consider dividing the total time by the estimated playback rate.
3. Deliverables: Find out how long it will take to finish the required deliverables, such as homework, essays, or projects.

**Step Three: Estimate Additional Studying Time Needs**

In addition to the minimum time investment, you may need to allocate extra time for studying. Consider the following areas where you might need to invest time:

1. Extra Practice: Allocate time for additional practice questions or homework to reinforce your understanding.
2. Real-Life Application: Plan time to apply your learning to real-life problems and contexts.
3. Flashcards and Self-Explanations: Set aside time for creating or reviewing flashcards and using self-explanation techniques like the Feynman Technique.
4. Additional Research: Consider allocating time for extra research not included in the curriculum.

To estimate additional studying time needs, refer to your personal historical data. Reflect on how much extra time you have typically needed to invest in past classes to achieve desired results.

**Step Four: Schedule Studying in Your Calendar**

Once you have a clear idea of your time investment requirements, it’s crucial to schedule your studying sessions in your calendar. Consider the following methods:

1. Appointment-Based: If your schedule is already tight, schedule studying sessions as appointments. This approach ensures that studying time doesn’t get pushed aside for other commitments.
2. Routine-Based: Create a weekly or daily routine for studying. While the exact activities may vary depending on your goals, the time commitments should remain relatively routine. For example, you might study every morning before work or in the evenings.

**Step Five: Sanity Check**

Before diving into your studying plan, it’s essential to do a basic sanity check. Compare your calculated time investment from Steps Two and Three with the time you’ve scheduled. Consider the following scenarios:

1. Insufficient Time: If your available time is less than the estimated minimum, you need to either clear more time in your schedule, rethink your learning project goals, or extend the timeline.
2. Limited Room for Error: If your available time is slightly over your budgeted time, you have little margin for unexpected challenges. Plan accordingly and prepare for potential disruptions.
3. Excessive Slack: Having substantially more time available than your budgeted time may lead to procrastination. To avoid wasting time, set soft deadlines to maintain a sense of urgency.

**Step Six: Getting Feedback**

Creating a studying plan is one thing, but sticking to it is another challenge. To ensure success, it’s essential to pay attention to the feedback you receive during your studying sessions. Consider the following sources of feedback:

1. Sticking to Schedule: Keep track of your ability to implement the plan. Record your intentions and actual study time each day. Take note of any deviations from your plan and identify the obstacles causing them.
2. Interruptions: Communicate boundaries for your studying time to minimize interruptions from others. If interruptions are unavoidable, find alternative studying slots to make up for lost time.

By following these steps and adapting your studying plan based on feedback, you can maximize your learning potential and achieve your desired results. Remember, a well-designed studying plan is not just a guide but a key to unlocking your learning potential.