Students of all ages are seeking ways to improve their performance and reduce stress. One of the most effective strategies for achieving academic success is building good study habits.
But what are good study habits exactly? And how do you develop good study habits that truly stick?
What Are Good Study Habits?
Good study habits are consistent routines and techniques that help students learn more effectively, retain information longer, and stay organized.
These habits include setting a study schedule, using active learning techniques, managing time efficiently, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle that supports mental clarity.
Good study habits for high school students often differ slightly from those for college or elementary students. High schoolers juggle multiple classes, extracurriculars, and often part-time jobs, making time management and prioritization a bit more crucial.
However, regardless of grades and ages, developing beneficial habits is a similar process for everyone.
The Benefits of Good Study Habits
Here are just a few benefits:
- Improved Academic Performance: The most evident benefit is improved academic performance. For example, developed study routines prevent procrastination and turn studying into a habit;
- Reduced Anxiety: When students are prepared, they feel more confident and less anxious about exams and deadlines;
- Better Time Management: Good habits help avoid last-minute cramming. Efficient time management allows students to finish their school obligations and leave themselves more free time;
- Greater Motivation and Discipline: Consistent habits train the brain to stay focused and goal-oriented. It also helps students stay focused on goals not related to school.
How Do You Develop Good Study Habits?
It takes intention and practice. Here are practical steps to help you get started.
Take notes during class and reorganize them later if needed
Some people think that learning materials, whether digital or textbooks, usually make taking notes obsolete. However, notes serve a much more important purpose than a substitute for what you are already given.
The first purpose of taking notes is to repeat and revise the topic so that you remember as much as you can from it. The second purpose is to understand the topic by aligning your own notes with its structure.
You don’t only take notes so that you don’t forget. You create your own system of information that will help you understand the relations between concepts. Remembering information and understanding the hierarchical structure of the topic and its subtopic is the core of all effective note taking.
Create a study schedule
Establishing a routine helps your brain get into “study mode” at certain times. Determine when you’re most focused – for some it’s the morning, for others it’s the evening – and block off that time for uninterrupted study. Use calendars or reminders to stay on track.
You can go without it and study whenever you want. Some people feel productive spikes at different day periods which makes scheduling less practical.
However, even in this case, it is still better to create a schedule to avoid procrastination.
Also, schedules will help you prevent falling into disorganized chaos if your obligations become more demanding.
Create a Productive Study Environment
A clutter-free and comfortable study area limits distractions and increases concentration. Use noise-canceling headphones if you’re in a shared space.
Keep supplies within reach, eliminate digital distractions, and personalize your space to make it welcoming.
You should make a designated place for studying in areas where you spend most of the time. Preferably, it should be a properly organized study environment at home.
Use the Pomodoro Technique
Pomodoro technique trains your focus by dividing work into intervals (typically 25 minutes of studying followed by a 5-minute break). It makes long study sessions feel more manageable and helps maintain consistent energy levels.
After every four intervals, take a longer break (15–30 minutes) to recharge.
You can also use studying techniques that will compliment the Pomodoro one.
This technique is efficient because it breaks the studying period into smaller pieces making it easier to deal with.
It is the best way of practicing the philosophy of dividing problems into smaller elements making them easier to deal with.
That is where the next tip comes in.
Break Down Large Tasks
What pomodoro technique does with time, this tip does with the material itself. Big projects or exams can be intimidating.
Break them into smaller, actionable tasks, like revising one chapter or making flashcards for one topic. This creates a sense of progress and keeps procrastination at bay.
Use Visual Aids and Mnemonics
Visual tools like mind maps, infographics, and color-coded notes cater to visual learners and help synthesize complex ideas. Mnemonics (like acronyms or rhymes) make memorization easier and more fun.
Our brain is more prone to remembering pictures than it does with text or raw information. Especially if those pictures are colorful. If you are artistic, then drawing pictures instead of writing walls of text will help you remember a lecture and make revisions more fun.
Practice Active Recall and Self-Testing
Instead of passively re-reading notes, quiz yourself without looking at the material. Use practice tests, flashcards, or explain concepts out loud.
This strengthens memory retention and reveals areas that need more focus.
Stay Healthy
Good study habits are tied to physical and mental well-being. Eat brain-boosting foods (like nuts, fruits, and fish), stay hydrated, and exercise regularly.
Sleep is crucial too – 7 to 9 hours a night helps your brain consolidate new information.
Recent studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to a lack of concentration and ability to memorize. If prolonged for a certain period, it can affect the whole body.
So be certain to get enough sleep!
Having a healthy body will prevent you from being tired, moody and falling ill. More energy will also provide you with better focus and clearer mind.
Track Your Progress
Seeing your progress can be incredibly motivating. Use planners, bullet journals, or digital apps like Trello or Notion to track completed tasks and set study goals.
Review your achievements often. Being aware of your successes, however small, will help you leverage dopamine levels and increase motivation for studying.
Reward yourself
Reward systems can be useful for training yourself to follow the routine. Smaller rewards for finishing smaller tasks, and larger rewards for completing bigger tasks.
But be careful so you don’t end up studying just for the rewards! It’s important to learn to respect knowledge and success for the sake of it and be proud of yourself! This is particularly important when focusing on how to develop good study habits for elementary pupils.
Don’t let bad grades bring you down
It happens to everyone, even the best of students! So, instead of falling into despair – bounce back!
Devote more time to understanding the lessons that gave you trouble, chat with a tutor, or take extra classes. Don’t let a bad grade stand in your way to success!
Bonus tips from our tutors
Apart from using most of these tips to help students, our tutors have a little bonus for you:
- Math assignments should be done immediately after the lesson so you can immediately apply everything you learned to the task, as it will help you remember it better.
- Breaks should be enjoyed without guilt.
- Use checkmarks. The feeling of completion will increase your motivation.
In conclusion
Creating good habits takes time and effort. It is a long term game. Do not get discouraged if you do not see results right away.
Habits are one of the strongest aspects of human behavior. They can be damaging but if you manage to leverage them to your advantage, sky is the only limit.
Start today. Your future self will thank you.
