Just one minute to plan

Close-up of a peacock feather

Consider these two scenarios:

Blurred picture of a peacock

Scenario 1

You sit down to study, with a vague idea of what you might do in the hour ahead. You open your laptop. Before you know it, an hour's up and all you've done is plan the session. You haven't turned a page of the book on your desk, or made a start on that essay plan.

Peacock with fanned out feathers

Scenario 2

You sit down to study, with a clear idea of what you need to accomplish in the next hour or two. You jot down a quick to-do list, and allocate a rough time to each item. You number the tasks in the most logical order for completing them, and you crack on. You might not have finished them all by the time your study session ends, but you've made some headway and now have something to build upon.

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Can you see the difference?

Being clear about what you want to achieve in the time available to you will help focus your mind, and ensure you complete tasks in an orderly manner and on time.

Click the arrows below to see how Hermione, a second-year Psychology student, uses a one-minute plan to give her study sessions a sharper focus.

More from Bloomsbury

50 Ways to Manage Time Effectively book jacket

This blog was inspired by an idea in 50 Ways to Manage Time Effectively, by Stella Cottrell. 

Cog

Searching for more study hacks? Take a look at Elle's blog post Study smarter, not harder.

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