ULTIMATE STUDY WORKBOOK ULTIMATE STUDY WORKBOOK FOR SENIOR
THIS JOURNAL BELONGS TO: Sample
INTRODUCTION
(though you won’t need it).
With this guide, you’ll create your own!
Did you know that organisation is one of the biggest predictors of exam success?
But study skills aren’t just for school – they’ll help you in college, work and even life!
But let's not get ahead of ourselves!
For now, we'll focus on the next few months. This guide will set you on the path to success.
Want to dive deeper?
Check out our online course or book an in-school workshop – yes, we’ll come to you!
SECTION 1 Sample
MOTIVATION
• STUDY CHALLENGES
• MANAGING MOTIVATION
• THE COGNITIVE MODEL OF MOTIVATION
• STAYING MOTIVATED
STUDY CHALLENGES
IDENTIFY YOUR CHALLENGES
Before we can improve, we need to understand what’s making study difficult. Take 30 seconds and write down as many challenges as you can think of when it comes to studying.
Here are some common struggles. Do any of these sound familiar?
• Too many subjects to study (How many? 6, 7, 8, 9, 10…?)
• Pressure from parents to do your best
• Finding study boring or unmotivating
• Struggling to understand or retain information
As you progress through this book, you’ll discover different techniques and strategies to overcome these challenges. By the end, you should be able to write down at least one possible solution or piece of advice to help with each struggle.
Learning POINT
The goal is to turn struggles into solutions, so that by the end of this book, you feel more confident, less stressed, and ready to study smarter, not harder!
My Study Challenges Advice
MANAGING MOTIVATION
Before we dive into study plans, let’s make sure you’ll actually stick to them. It’s tough to stay motivated when you’re not clear on why you’re doing this, so take a moment and write it down.
Keep your answers somewhere safe – better yet, stick them above your desk. Let them be your daily reminder to stay focused and keep your eye on the prize!
Sample
GETTING ORGANISED
• HEALTHY HABITS
• WHAT SHOULD I STUDY FIRST?
SECTION 2 Sample
• HOW MUCH STUDY DO I NEED TO DO?
• MAKING A STUDY PLAN
HEALTHY HABITS
There’s no point in studying if you’re too tired, hungry, or low on energy. You have to start viewing each study session like your weekly GAA training, or dance or horse riding lessons. Show up and bring your A Game. Remember to eat well, sleep enough, recharge socially, and make time for homework. Set yourself up for success!
Do you have the basics down? If not, what can you adjust? Getting this right is key before moving on to the next steps.
Learning POINT
8 hours’ sleep
Meet and chat with friends without using social media
Exercise 1 hour a day
Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink enough water
Do you need to make some changes to improve your wellbeing? If yes, what will you do?
Think back to your last school exams - were you still hitting these marks? As stress increases, we tend to slack. It's important you don't let this happen!
HOW MUCH STUDY DO I NEED TO DO?
If we had a euro for every time a student asked us this question, we’d be rich!
Unfortunately, there’s no magic number. We need to figure out how much time you have to study and then optimise it!
This doesn't mean that you need to give up friends, hobbies, or fun, honestly! With the right plan, you can balance study with football, birthdays, and the things that keep you happy and motivated.
Next Step: Find Your Free Time!
On the next page, write down your schedule for the week – don’t worry about study just yet.
List things such as:
☑ Your school hours
☑ Travel
☑ Extracurricular activities
☑ Any fun events like birthdays or outings
You may have noticed by now that the weekends are included. It’s our advice you study every day, even if it’s a little bit, just to keep a routine. If you’re super busy on the weekdays, don’t worry, you can catch up on study on the weekends (1 hour per day Monday to Friday, 5 hours per day Saturday and Sunday, building up to 15 hours of study by the end of the week).
Once that’s done, highlight all the free time you have. This will help you see where study can fit in without missing out on the things you enjoy or risking burnout!