On a typical afternoon, I’d return home from school, take a quick 30-minute break, and then head straight to my desk to start studying. I was committed to putting in the effort and the time, but I noticed I had to review the same material several times before it stuck.
The issue wasn’t the lack of effort; it was that I needed to refine my approach. I realized that success is not about how many hours or even effort you put in, it’s about how you study. Hence, I put together a guide for studying smarter, not harder.
Eliminate distractions
The first change I made was eliminating distractions. In today’s world, there always seems to be something pulling us away from our work from the moment we begin it. From scrolling on social media to hearing a constant buzz of notifications, it doesn’t take long to get distracted.
As for me, eliminating distractions wasn’t difficult. I would put my phone on do not disturb and place it in another room, then I would go to a quiet space. By doing so, my brain was able to focus better and become more productive in shorter bursts of time. Of course, this alone isn’t enough to save our time. But it’s the small changes that add up over time.
Active recall: The real game-changer
Active recall is a technique that can completely transform our ability to retain information. While it is a simple concept, it can make a significant impact. Active recall is the process of using engaging study techniques to retain information.
This can include flashcards, practice tests, and even “blurting” — writing down everything you can remember after reviewing your notes, then checking to see what you missed. The more I used active recall, the more I began to remember.
The effort I was putting into recalling information was helping me learn the material, not just memorize it. This helps my study sessions feel more efficient — and, at times, even enjoyable.
The Pomodoro technique: Keeping burnout at bay
With so many subjects to study for in a single day, it can feel like a burnout. The secret to staying energized and productive? The Pomodoro technique. The idea is simple-study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a longer 15-minute break.
At first, I was skeptical about it working — 25 minutes didn’t feel like enough time to grasp a good understanding of the material. But it quickly proved me wrong. Breaking my study time into smaller, more manageable chunks helped me stay sharp and energized. It also helped me to focus longer, making studying feel less overwhelming.
Build momentum: Starting small
Some days, I’d sit down to study, only to feel overwhelmed by the mountain of material I needed to get through. The tasks felt too big, and I just didn’t know where to start. That’s when I learned the secret to overcoming procrastination: start small.
I began with simple, quick tasks — like making flashcards for a vocabulary list or reviewing a single page of notes. According to James Clear, “Patience only works if you do. / Doing the work + patience = results. / Planning to work + patience = you’re just waiting.”
Once I completed one small task, I was motivated to tackle the next. Building that momentum made studying feel much more manageable. Before I knew it, I was on a roll, and the overwhelming feeling of “too much work” had disappeared.
Becoming the teacher: Teaching to learn
One of the most effective study strategies I used is the Feynman technique. According to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, “The Feynman Technique is one of the more effective study techniques of learning a concept quickly by explaining it in plain and simple terms.”
This approach led to remarkable changes in my understanding of the material. The idea was to teach the material as if you were explaining it to someone else — in my case, that meant talking through concepts aloud to myself, and recording myself explaining helped me reinforce my understanding of the concept in a way that passive learning never could. If I couldn’t teach it, that meant I needed to go back and review the material until I could. Teaching myself helped me not only learn but also solidify my understanding.
As I progressed, I started feeling more confident in my abilities. The Feynman Technique wasn’t just a study trick — it became a way for me to truly grasp what I was learning.
The Takeaway
Thanks to these techniques, I don’t spend hours at my desk with my eyes glued to the computer screen. I’ve learned that smarter studying isn’t about putting in more time—it’s about finding the techniques that work for me. Whether it’s eliminating distractions, recalling information actively, or breaking my sessions into manageable chunks, I’ve discovered that the most effective study habits are the ones that play to my strengths.
If you’re tired of the grind, these strategies might just be the game-changer you need. Smarter studying isn’t about how long you study, but how well you study.
