Set study goals - First things first; start with the basics and set your study goals. Ask yourself why you are here, at university, possibly (like me) having travelled across the world for this opportunity. Having fun is certainly one answer, but not the primary one. Knowing your objectives completes half the job.
Make a study timetable - Once you know what you want, the next step is to prepare a weekly study timetable. Set a routine for everything. Your timetable could include the time you should go to bed, the time you should have your meals, and – most importantly – the time you should spend on studies.
Learn to say no - Now, I am not asking you to give up all your social activities, but you have to take some bold steps. If you dine out daily, it is better to limit this to one day per week, which will help you save some money as well. If you go to the cinema every week, try to cut down to once a fortnight.
Stay focused on your priorities - Self-help is the key here. No one else is going to stop you from doing what you want, but you’re the one who will face the consequences if you fail to meet your targets. Remember you are at university for a reason, and if that reason is lost nothing else will fit well in the equation.
Plan your priorities for the year ahead - Your time as a postgrad student will present you with a variety of challenges and opportunities. Whether it be projects, exams, internships or job applications, your focus and attention will be required throughout the academic year. While planning your entire year in advance isn’t realistic, many aspects of an academic year are predictable, and you can still outline your main priorities ahead of time.
Treat work-life balance as a learnable skill - The concept of “work-life balance” can sometimes be difficult for ambitious individuals to grasp. Balance is important in many aspects of our lives, but when it comes to work, many professionals struggle to ditch the “more is better” mindset. Some people may even feel guilty about deciding to limit how much they work.
Break your study sessions into defined intervals - The human attention span is limited. We can only spend so much time focusing before the mind wanders and productivity wanes, which means regular study breaks are essential.
Embrace evidence-based study strategies and tools - There are many study techniques whose effectiveness has been validated by scientific research. One of the most widely studied and validated learning techniques is called “spaced-repetition learning” (SRL), which organizes information so that new or challenging concepts are studied frequently, while more familiar information is studied less.
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