It’s Christmas time; the sun is out and the beach is calling your name. There’s just one issue to consider before you slip into your sandals and slap on your sun block – you have study to do!
But don’t despair; we have devised some great tips to get you through the summer break and squeeze plenty of fun, and study, out of your summer days.
Make a plan
As Napoleon Hill once said: “All you need is the plan, the road map and the courage to press on to your destination.”
Start by printing off a blank monthly calendar and fill in all the course deadlines you have over the summer. Visually plotting tasks on paper is not only cathartic; it’s also an excellent way to begin organising and maximising your time.
Now make a second list on a new piece of paper that summarises all the readings and/or tasks you need to do to complete your deadlines. Try to attach an estimated time allowance for each.
With your deadlines on your calendar and the approximate time you think it’s going to take for each task, begin allocating mornings and afternoons that you are dedicating as study time.
Make sure you block out some days to have completely off with family and friends. Include social commitments you already have on your calendar so you can see the time you have left.
It’s a good idea to share your calendar with your family and close friends so that they can see when you are free and when you plan to be studying.
Before Christmas
Try to get your notes organised and go over old content before Christmas, family commitments always increase over the Christmas week. Not only will this put you in a better state of mind to enjoy the celebrations, it might also help you to study more efficiently.
Work little and often
Summer is too tempting to ignore! You’ll find that you’ll have much more study stamina if you work in short bursts with some outside time in between.
This is where you essentially spend a few hours each day, every day on a study session, whilst the rest of the day is spent how you please.
Depending on your own time clock, good study times are usually in the morning whilst the rest of your family are still asleep, or at night, after they’ve gone to bed.
Remember, the human brain cannot cope with a huge chunk of information at once so it’s important to break information down into manageable pieces. Ideally, 2-3 hours each day of your holiday should be allocated to study. Short bursts enable you to focus well during the allocated time, but won’t burn you out.
Have a reward system
We all love the dopamine boost in our brains when we receive a reward for our hard work and effort. Why not try to incorporate rewards that you love in to your study schedule. Make a list and allocate your rewards on certain days. They could include food, TV programmes, and outdoor pursuits or pamper rewards. Perhaps ask your family to shout you some rewards!
Make time for exercise
Getting out into the fresh air or simply moving your body will really boost your concentration. People tend to do too much sitting over Christmas and studying doesn’t really help with that. Making time to get 30 minutes of movement each day will go a long way to keeping the brain ticking and preventing lethargy from setting in.
From all the team at eCampus NZ, we wish you all the best with your summer study. Merry Christmas and may the year ahead be full of success.