Study Tips and Tricks
So you have decided to study, this is a massive step in your life and may lead to stronger employment outcomes, promotion, higher pay and what I believe is the most important thing is, a deep understanding of why you do what you do.
It may have been some time since you have studied, or you may be feeling burned out from finished one qualification (certificate III or high school) and thinking about study might seem daunting.
I have good news for you! If you plan your time, prepare your studies and set yourself realistic goals, you can achieve your qualification in your set time frame. It takes discipline, dedication, and planning, but you can do it.
Follow the simple steps below, and you will be surprised at how easy it is to succeed.
1. Plan your time
What does that mean? It's about setting a time each day/week/month that you are going to dedicate to study and NOTHING ELSE. It needs to be pre-planned and set, so you stick to it. It is better to do smaller chunks of time more frequently than trying to find a full day and get bogged down. Choosing how much time will be a personal choice as you and only you know your schedule. Schedule between 30 minutes to 1.5 hours is long enough. The adult brain can only concentrate for on average 90 minutes. If you plan on studying for longer than 90 minutes, be sure to take a break and refresh. If 30 minutes is all you have, then you need to be ready and prepared to make the most of your time.
However long you have it is essential to set the time, write it on your calendar, diary or schedule. Writing it down commits it to paper - making you accountable.
2. Know your limits
Don't make studying a struggle. If you have barriers, indentify them and make a plan to knock them down. Some common barriers are:
- Limited time
- No or limited access to technology
- Struggle to understand the readings
- No support at work
- Needing to study not wanting to study
- Once you have identified your barrier, you can start to knock it down or work with it
- You are the only thing stopping you from achieving your goals
3. Divide and conquer
No this is not an "Art of War" reference but a method of working through your assessment. When you start a unit, start by looking at the assessments. How many sections are there? How many practical tasks are there? Is there anything you need a supervisor to observe?
If you have set yourself a goal of completing your assessment in 4 weeks, then divide the sections and tasks into 4. Setting yourself mini goals will help with progression as it provides positive reinforcement when you achieve a smaller goal.
4. Be flexible
Things will go wrong! This is a truth that no one can explain or expect. Just when you think things are great, something will stand in your way. Be flexible; don't let little setbacks become big setbacks. We all get sick, and things happen at work and in our personal life. We have to be adaptive and roll with the punches.
5. Celebrate your successes
DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! No matter how small the success, it is important to celebrate it.
Finished a section of your assessment - CELEBRATE.
Completed a workplace task - CELEBRATE.
Finished a full-unit...you guessed it - CELEBRATE!!!!
Celebrating might be a treat, taking the day off from studying or simply telling the world you finished or achieved a goal.






