How to Study

Using These Tools Effectively
There are thinkers, and there are doers.
And there are those who think a lot about doing.
Once you have discovered habits and patterns of study that work 
for you, continue to use and hone them. Be flexible enough to add
techniques you learn from others and alter schedules that circum-
stances have made obsolete.
Plan according to your schedule, your goals, and your aptitudes, not
some ephemeral “standard.” Allocate the time you expect a project
to take you, not the time it might take someone else or how long 
your teacher says it should take. Try to be realistic and honest with
yourself when determining those things that require more effort or
those that come easier to you.
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Whenever possible, schedule pleasurable activities after study time,
not before. They will then act as incentives, not distractions.
Monitor your progress at reasonable periods and make changes where
necessary. This is your study regimen— you conceived it, you can
change it. If you find that you are consistently allotting more time
than necessary to a specific chore, change your future schedule
accordingly.
As assignments are entered on your calendar, make sure you also
enter items needed—texts; other books you have to buy, borrow, 
or get from the library; and materials such as drawing pads, magic
markers, and graph paper.
You may decide that color-coding your calendar—say, red for 
assignments that must be accomplished that week, blue for steps in
longer-term assignments, yellow for personal time and appointments,
green for classes—makes it easier for you to tell at a glance what 
you need to do and when you need to do it.
Adapt these tools for your own use. Try anything you think may
work—use it if it does, discard it if it doesn’t.
Do your least favorite chores (study assignments, projects, whatever)
first—you’ll feel better having gotten them out of the way! And plan
how to accomplish them as meticulously as possible. That will get 
rid of them even faster.
Accomplish one task before going on to the next one—don’t skip
around.
If you see that you are moving along faster than you anticipated on
one task or project sequence, there is absolutely nothing wrong with
continuing onto the next part of that assignment or the next project
step.
If you’re behind, don’t panic. Just reorganize your schedule and find
the time you need to make up.
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Write things down. Not having to remember all these items will 
free up space in your brain for the things you need to concentrate 
on or do have to remember.
Learn to manage distractions. As a time management axiom puts it,
“Don’t respond to the urgent and forget the important.” Some things
you do can be picked up or dropped at any time. Beware of these
time-consuming and complicated tasks that, once begun, demand to
be completed. Interrupting at any point might mean starting all over
again. What a waste of time that would be!
If you’re writing and you have a brainstorm just as the phone rings
(and you know it’s from that person you’ve been waiting to hear from
all week), take a minute to at least jot down your ideas before you
stop.
Nothing can be as counterproductive as losing your concentration,
especially at critical times. Learn to ward off those enemies that
would alter your course, and you will find your journey much
smoother.
One way to guard against these mental intrusions is to know your
own study clock and plan accordingly. Each of us is predisposed to
function most efficiently at specific times of day (or night). Find out
what sort of study clock you are on and schedule your work during
this period.
Beware of uninvited guests and all phone calls: Unless you are ready
for a break, they’ll only throw you off schedule. More subtle enemies
include the sudden desire to sharpen every pencil in the house, an
unheard-of urge to clean your room, an offer to do your sister’s 
homework— anything to avoid your own work. If you find yourself
doing anything but your work, either take a break then and there, or
pull yourself together and get down to work. Self-discipline, too, is a
learned habit that gets easier with practice.
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The simple act of saying no (to others or to yourself) will help insu-
late you from these unnecessary (and postponable) interruptions.
Remember, what you are seeking to achieve is not just time—but
quality time. Put your “Do not disturb” sign up and stick to your guns,
no matter what the temptation.
And if your schedule involves working with others, you need to take
their sense of time into account—you may find you have to schedule
“waiting time” for a chronically late friend…and always bring a 
book along.