How to Get the Most Out of Your Study Time

As an adult considering returning to college, you're probably worried about how to manage work, family responsibilities, and classes as well. Without a doubt you're wondering how in the world you could possibly find time to study when you already juggle the demands of work, housekeeping chores, and the needs of your spouse and children. I'm sure you feel that just finding time to yourself is nearly impossible as things are, so how could you manage study time as well? Fortunately, there are answers!

Stake A Claim To "Your" Time

First, lay claim to a certain part of each day as your time, and devote some of this time to studying! Maybe it's in the afternoon when your little one is down for his nap. Maybe it's at night, when the kids are all in bed. Maybe it's in the morning before your husband is even awake, or perhaps it's during a slow night shift at work. Most of us tend to opt for studying late at night, but if you can get up earlier, your brain will be fresher and you'll get more accomplished.

But what if you're always on the go? What if you can't set aside a time for studying? It's important that you realize that going back to school (or perhaps going to school for the first time!) was a decision that was important to you. Therefore, setting aside time for studying is also important to you. It's easy, especially if you're a mother, to put everyone else's needs above your own. But you need to realize that it's not unreasonable to say, okay, this little patch of time is mine, and I'm going to use it to study.

And that's the thing; it is a little patch of time. We're not talking about a six-hour straight study marathon! Your study time should be at least an hour a day, but it doesn't have to be more than two hours.

Does two hours sound like a lot of time? The good news is, you can break it down. Do an hour in the morning before the kids wake up and an hour in the evening before you go to bed. If you absolutely cannot do more than an hour a day, break that hour into half-hours of study time. Just be careful when you're dealing with such a small amount of time, it's easy to whittle it away getting a cup of coffee or answering the phone or going to the bathroom. You need that study time to be uninterrupted. If that means taking the phone off the hook, going into the bedroom and locking the door, do it. Go to the bathroom and get your cup of coffee before the half hour starts ticking away. Your grades will thank you for it.

You don't have to have a huge patch of study time. You do, however, have to be consistent. You will never have to "cram" if you set aside a little bit of time each day to study.

Get Organized

Plan ahead and have all your study materials " books, papers, pens, pencils, etc. " together in the same place. This will not only cut down on the time it takes to get everything together, it will also help you get into your "now it's time to study" mindset. Your place can be a desk, a set of drawers, a backpack, even a designated corner where you pile your things! The important thing is to have a spot where you keep your study materials and nothing else.

With your time set and all your study materials in place, you're ready to get started. But with such a small amount of time, how do you make the most of it?

Making The Most Of Your Study Time

Begin by dividing your study time into "slots" for the different subjects you are studying. This could be twenty-minute segments within an hour of study, or it could be a different day for each subject. Some classes will require more work than others, and you need to be able to allow more time for those classes. But you should always spend at least 20 or 30 minutes on each subject. This allows your mind to get into the "mindset" of the subject and lets you be more productive.

At the same time, you probably don't want to spend a whole hour on one subject. Changing subjects allows your mind to "refresh" itself and gives you a new perspective on your material that's almost as good as taking a break.

While you're studying, try to minimize distractions. If you like to listen to music while you're studying, listen to music without words. Avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages if caffeine tends to make you jittery or hyper. Turn off your cell phone and take the house phone off the hook. If it's really that important, they'll call you back.

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