A persistent belief is that forming new habits requires at least 21 days of repetition. For example, if you want to start jogging, try to do so continuously for at least three weeks to make it stick (:D)
I believe it is the same with studying. You would need to study consistently for at least three weeks to develop the habit of studying. With that said, the hardest part is starting and coming up with a workflow. Most students I have taught say they are unsure how or where to start.
My suggestion for those who want to improve their study habits is to create a routine. If you're looking for a good routine to follow, you can read our blog post on "How To Study Smarter 101 (Part 1)." I recommend setting aside two to three hours every other day to study. Here's a routine that I find helpful:
I call the diagram above "The Triangle of Studying Life."
Using an IGCSE student as an example, what he/ she should do is
1) Read the subject material (tuition or class teacher notes would be helpful as textbooks can be long-winded)
2) Next, he/ she would make personal notes based on what was read (you can follow the sample from the first article).
3) Finally, he/ she would work on solving problems from worksheets or even do past year paper questions (homework would also be useful since you are killing two birds with one stone and all that...)
4) He/ she would repeat the loop but focus more on weaker topics.
Again starting is always the hardest. But if you consistently do this for at least three weeks, you will find that it gets much easier.
If, at some point, you do break your routine, you will find you have lost the habit of studying and will have to start all over. This usually happens right after exams... Ideally, it would be best if you stuck to this routine long before and long after exams.
All the best in your exams!
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