I want to share a strategy I created that has worked really well for me. This method helped me go from feeling overwhelmed to having total control over my study material. Let me explain how to apply it.
To overcome procrastination the method begins with the Two-Minute Rule. Before going to bed, leave all your study material ready on your desk (books, notebooks, pens, water bottle) and make sure your phone is outside the room. The next morning, or at your moment of highest energy (whether you are a morning or night person), the only goal is to sit down and open the material for just two minutes, focusing on the most visual, colorful, or interesting part of the topic. This tricks your brain into starting the task, and once the inertia begins, you are more likely to keep going. If laziness shows up one day, simply regain consistency with the minimum commitment of two minutes the next day.
You should start the day with the task you dread the most, known as "Eating the Frog," since your mental energy is at its peak and once you complete it, the rest of the day will feel much lighter. To prioritize, you can use the Eisenhower Matrix, which helps you sort tasks by urgency and importance, making sure you spend most of your time on what is important but not urgent (deep study and key projects). It is essential to externalize your working memory, using digital planners, checklists, or a visual and colorful Kanban system (an organization technique with physical cards moved between "To Do," "Doing," and "Done" columns) so that your brain only has to execute the steps of the plan, not remember them.
Research the topic that will be covered in the next class and write a base note. Then, record that class. While you listen, check what information the teacher mentions that is not in the base note. Only take notes on the new points and on possible exam questions.
Use a color system for your notes. For example: blue for keywords, green for examples, and yellow for concepts. Make a summary of the new note (the one you made in class). You can upload the audio file you recorded to an app like Google's NotebookLM and generate a summary. Apply your color system again to the summary you just generated.
To study the note, use the concept of defined time blocks. Set a timer and read the content out loud. Stop immediately when you feel fatigue. The key here is to avoid burnout:
If you studied for 60 minutes, rest for 15 minutes.
If you studied for 50 minutes, rest for 10 minutes.
If you studied for 40 minutes, rest for 8 minutes.
If you studied for 30 minutes, rest for 7 minutes.
If you studied for 20 minutes, rest for 5 minutes.
During the break, the most effective thing is an activity that takes you completely away from the study subject and from screens. The best thing would be some light exercise, stretching, walking, or drinking water.
Important: Go to sleep at the same time every day (before 12:00 am) and wake up at the same time every day. You should not sleep less than 7 hours. Stay away from screens 2 hours before going to bed. Exercise and stay hydrated.
I hope this method works for you as well as it did for me.
