Study schedules and limits? Give examples and advice. (1 Viewer)

[Simorgh]

I worried I am going to start procrastinating too much this year and the year after till HSC. The subjects I am doing this year are SOR1, Chem, Phys, Eco, 3 Unit Maths, Adv Eng and Mod History.

The thing with me is I spend just too long on Youtube, Facebook, Messenger, Playstation, Unilad, Goal.com and other related stuff. I find it really hard to start off studying, but soon as I start studying I am quite focused and alright.

Another problem is when I am studying I don't realise there are like limits too how long you should study and when to finally take a break. Like I end doing some subject like Maths or Science I end up not realising I spent 2 hours or more on just one chapter and then soon I decide to take a break, I end up taking a 3-5 hour break .... Is that normal or is there something wrong with me?

Which subjects should I spend longer on studying during the week? How long should I usually study for and does that differ for each subject? How many breaks should I have and how long should they be? Can someone give me example of what they did during the week when they were doing the Prelim and HSC?

If someone can show me or make me a week timetable for me it would be great, so I can understand and I might also stick to it from now on.

 

[Nailgun]

Best advice I can give you is work out when you study best and in what kind of environment. This varies from person to person, like someone who prefers studying in like silence after dinner to someone who enjoys studying in the morning before school. Personally I'm a bit weird, I'm incredibly productive after 10pm when I'm alone but there's still ambient noise like a television on lol. Just try different things and you'll find where and when you hit your groove. (That being said make sure you still get like sleep and stuff lol)

 

[bangali]

Key thing to remember is that it's what works for you. For you, different break frequencies/lengths and subject focuses will work compared with other people.

But tips about procrastination/eternally-extending breaks: if at any time you notice that you're wasting time on the Internet, try setting a timer for 5-10 minutes. You can keep wasting time until the timer rings, but make an inflexible rule that you will INSTANTLY stop that and start studying when it rings. As soon as it rings, use a website blocker (at the browser level, Leechblock for Firefox or StayFocusd for Chrome, and at the computer/device level Cold Turkey for Windows or SelfControl for Macs) to block your distracting sites, and immediately pull out your work and start. (The other cool thing about these is that you can set schedules, so it'll automatically block these sites, say, from 3pm till 7pm if that's what you want, and you can set that at any time).

Why did I suggest 5-10 minutes more time-wasting? Because at any given point you always say 'I just want to finish...' and you can't make yourself stop; but if you say 'I just want to finish...' and give yourself time to finish it, but still put a limit on that, it's much easier.

If your breaks are stretching too long, then how about when you start on a break, you set a timer to call you back after X minutes/hours? Or get someone else to make you sit back down?

Often people recommend the Pomodoro technique, where you study with 100% focus for 25 minutes in four blocks with 5-minute breaks in between (focus booster makes an easy timer) and after your 2-hr block you take a longer break, e.g. for a meal or social event. Other people prefer 50-minute sessions with 10-minute breaks.

tl;dr: use a timer.

 

[Simorgh]

Key thing to remember is that it's what works for you. For you, different break frequencies/lengths and subject focuses will work compared with other people.

But tips about procrastination/eternally-extending breaks: if at any time you notice that you're wasting time on the Internet, try setting a timer for 5-10 minutes. You can keep wasting time until the timer rings, but make an inflexible rule that you will INSTANTLY stop that and start studying when it rings. As soon as it rings, use a website blocker (at the browser level, Leechblock for Firefox or StayFocusd for Chrome, and at the computer/device level Cold Turkey for Windows or SelfControl for Macs) to block your distracting sites, and immediately pull out your work and start. (The other cool thing about these is that you can set schedules, so it'll automatically block these sites, say, from 3pm till 7pm if that's what you want, and you can set that at any time).

Why did I suggest 5-10 minutes more time-wasting? Because at any given point you always say 'I just want to finish...' and you can't make yourself stop; but if you say 'I just want to finish...' and give yourself time to finish it, but still put a limit on that, it's much easier.

If your breaks are stretching too long, then how about when you start on a break, you set a timer to call you back after X minutes/hours? Or get someone else to make you sit back down?

Often people recommend the Pomodoro technique, where you study with 100% focus for 25 minutes in four blocks with 5-minute breaks in between (focus booster makes an easy timer) and after your 2-hr block you take a longer break, e.g. for a meal or social event. Other people prefer 50-minute sessions with 10-minute breaks.

tl;dr: use a timer.

Oh god you have come up brilliant yet quite innovative ideas! I will definite apply these methods and measures to myself for the next 2 years.

Thanks so much Bangali!

 

[dan964]

I worried I am going to start procrastinating too much this year and the year after till HSC. The subjects I am doing this year are SOR1, Chem, Phys, Eco, 3 Unit Maths, Adv Eng and Mod History.

The thing with me is I spend just too long on Youtube, Facebook, Messenger, Playstation, Unilad, Goal.com and other related stuff. I find it really hard to start off studying, but soon as I start studying I am quite focused and alright.

Another problem is when I am studying I don't realise there are like limits too how long you should study and when to finally take a break. Like I end doing some subject like Maths or Science I end up not realising I spent 2 hours or more on just one chapter and then soon I decide to take a break, I end up taking a 3-5 hour break .... Is that normal or is there something wrong with me?

Which subjects should I spend longer on studying during the week? How long should I usually study for and does that differ for each subject? How many breaks should I have and how long should they be? Can someone give me example of what they did during the week when they were doing the Prelim and HSC?

If someone can show me or make me a week timetable for me it would be great, so I can understand and I might also stick to it from now on.

My advice is to turn your internet off unless it is actually needed.

My timetable which I can attach if you want on the holidays/Saturday:
8:45-10:15: Early Session (High Intensity)
10:15-10:30 Morning Tea Break
10:30-12:30 Morning Session (Past Paper/HW) **may be extended out to 13:30
12:30-14:00 Lunch Break (adjust to 13:30-14:30 if Morning Session is 3 hours)
14:00-17:00 Afternoon Session (Past Paper/HW; adjust to 14:30-17:30 if Morning Session is 3 hours)
17:00-18:00 Free Time (adjust to 17:30-18:00 if Morning Session is 3 hours; omit if using below)
[
Or 14:00-15:30 Afternoon Session (Low Intensity) then (adjust to 14:30-15:30 if Morning session is 3 hours)
15:30-16:00 Afternoon Tea Break
16:00-18:00 Evening Session (High Intensity)
***use this variation for school afternoons from 16:00**
]
18:00-19:00 Dinner Break
19:00-21:00/22:00 Night Session (Past Paper/Flexible) (optional during some nights in the holidays and Friday nights)

 

[dan964]

Attached at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByEFYhkkDQBKZDlBdlp4SVFsc3M/view?usp=sharing
The multiple weeks one was the one I used in the holidays leading up to HSC.
I tend to number my sessions so i can allocate and remember what I am supposed to be doing in each session and planned a couple of weeks, allowing time for other commitments (religious practices, sport, family gatherings etc.)

Referring to the multiple weeks sheet:
The purple sessions are high intensity - no music, no internet where possible.
The green sessions are low intensity - music allowed, internet moderated.
The blue sessions are past paper practice (sometimes exam simulation)

You can also see my week-to-week one.
And before you ask don't know why there is a study session after my last exam, that appears to be a mistake.

 

[dan964]

SOR1, Chem, Phys, Eco, 3 Unit Maths, Adv Eng and Mod History.
of these English should be priority, then 3 unit maths; then Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Modern History, SOR1.

Also you might want to drop down to 12 units or less, because you appear to being doing 14.

 

[Simorgh]

SOR1, Chem, Phys, Eco, 3 Unit Maths, Adv Eng and Mod History.
of these English should be priority, then 3 unit maths; then Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Modern History, SOR1.

Also you might want to drop down to 12 units or less, because you appear to being doing 14.

For Year 11, I am just planning to do 14 Units and then choose subjects that I am good at and then drop down to 11 Units for Year 12. Btw I will get the HSC for SOR1 done this year.

Cheers Dan. Thanks so much, your posts have been so helpful. I have got bit of idea how I need to approach my studies for these 2 years until the HSC.

I even have started making my weekly timetable, I say studying at least about 5 hours after school is pretty good way to go about it for preliminary? I say split the 3 blocks around 90 minutes each with free time, afternoon tea and dinner. Is this too much for a Yr 11 student?

 

[dan964]

For Year 11, I am just planning to do 14 Units and then choose subjects that I am good at and then drop down to 11 Units for Year 12. Btw I will get the HSC for SOR1 done this year.

Cheers Dan. Thanks so much, your posts have been so helpful. I have got bit of idea how I need to approach my studies for these 2 years until the HSC.

I even have started making my weekly timetable, I say studying at least about 5 hours after school is pretty good way to go about it for preliminary? I say split the 3 blocks around 90 minutes each with free time, afternoon tea and dinner. Is this too much for a Yr 11 student?

5 hours is reasonable for a week-night, I tend to leave one night off in the week.
I tended to do 5 hours on the days I finished early, and 4 to 4.5 hours on the days I finished at normal time/late, but that was just me.
My weekly timetable is under the "old" sheet, even put in my school subjects in.

 

[strawberrye]

Simply put, you need to practise some self discipline, only you can control when to stop studying and when to start again, I guess motivation wise, you got to think-what are you willing to sacrifice to get to where you want.