Whether you’re a freshman or a senior student, it’s not too late to find a study technique that works better for you. The most well-known study method is the Pomodoro technique, created over 20 years ago and widely used to help students stay focused and avoid distractions. The basic premise of Pomodoro involves working intensely for 25-minutes before taking a short 5-minute break. After 3-4 “Pomodoro’s”, a longer break of 15-30 minutes is taken.
In my personal experience, the Pomodoro technique doesn’t work very well. With only a 25-minute work session and a 5-minute break, I never feel like I have enough time to get into the flow of studying before the 25 minutes have already passed. If the Pomodoro technique isn’t ideal for you either, here are a few other study methods that I’ve found helpful to stay focused and motivated.
90-Minute Focus Block
Instead of 25-minute sessions in the Pomodoro technique, this method recommends students study for 90-minute intervals instead. This method originates from the short-term sleep cycle called the ultradian rhythm. Not to confuse this cycle with the circadian rhythm (the sleep/wake cycle over 24 hours), the ultradian rhythm involves alternating periods of high-frequency brain activity (around 90 minutes) followed by lower-frequency brain activity (about 20 minutes). The focus block method is based on science and involves your biological responses to stress and loss of productivity. Following the ultradian rhythm for focusing, schedule your 90-minute study sessions throughout the day to be productive and make the best use of your time.
Tocks
The Pomodoro Technique can be great, but many aren’t fans of it because the timer can disrupt your focus when you find yourself working hard. Most students can focus for longer than 25 minutes, so Pomodoro can sometimes be restrictive and counterproductive. Tocks is a similar technique using time blocks. A tock is a 45-minute work block that encourages students to write down their distractions while working or studying. That way, your working memory doesn’t have to be distracted trying to remember these external tasks, and it provides you with a list of other things to deal with during a 15-minute study break.
1-3-5 Rule
To ensure productivity every day, the 1-3-5 rule helps to separate various tasks into one big task, three medium tasks and five small tasks. This technique is helpful when you have many things to do throughout the day and don’t know where to start. At the beginning of each week, list down all the tasks you want to complete. After, you can begin categorizing them into big, medium or small tasks. As a general rule, consider a big task to take around 3-4 hours, medium tasks take about 1-2 hours and small tasks that take less than 30 minutes. As students, we frequently have deadlines for homework and assignments. These tasks can be scheduled for completion before a specific date during the week and study sessions for future exams can be spread out throughout the week.
Seinfeld Method (Don’t Break the Chain)
The Seinfeld method is simple and straightforward. Instead of many other techniques which focus on time management, this one only requires consistency. Each day, week or month, you set a task for yourself and write it down on a planner, calendar or even the notes app on your phone. Whenever you complete the task, check it off your to-do list right away. Eventually, the list of completed tasks will psychologically encourage you to finish more tasks without breaking the chain. This technique works very well for students struggling with a lack of motivation or those who feel overwhelmed with schoolwork because it’s simple and doesn’t require a lot to start. To see other people using the Seinfeld method, check out r/theXeffect, a subreddit community of people sharing their progress towards their goals and other productivity ideas.
Although the Pomodoro technique can be very effective for many students, it’s not effective for everyone! Alternative study methods work differently for each person and success can also depend on the time and environment for when and where they are used. Next time you’re struggling to focus or feeling unmotivated, try different study techniques until you find one suitable for you!