Cramming doesn’t work if you’re after exam success. Studies prove this, as does human experience, yet 99% of students still admit to cramming! You simply can’t beat science… and science shows that the more recall a memory, the stronger the connections that make up your memory become. If you have frequent exams, then you may already be relying on tools like mnemonics, mind mapping, active recall, and relating study topics to yourself. However, none of these techniques will mean too much if you fail to manage your time. And one of the most effective ways to master time itself is by setting SMART goals.

This is a guest post by the wonderful Lucy Rose. Thank you, Lucy, for writing this for me.

What are SMART Goals?

SMART goals are the buzzword in study manuals, self-help books, and literature on personal growth. This is because they manage to challenge people without being too difficult to achieve. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Your goals must be specific enough for you to know whether you are on track or not. You must be able to measure whether you achieved them or not within a specific timeframe. They must also be relevant to your life and within reason. That is, setting a goal like “I will finish a 10K thesis in one week” may not be realistic if you need to conduct significant research and present your work in a well-organised, properly formatted and styled way. A much more realistic goal might be, “I will start studying one month before my exam, spending exactly 4 hours a day on this pursuit.”

Making SMART Goals Achievable

Say you set the SMART goal of studying four units for an exam in a week. In order to meet this goal, it helps to break it down into smaller chunks. For instance, you might do one unit a day, then leave the fifth weekday and the weekend to review everything, test yourself, and ask friends or family members to test you. By breaking up a larger goal into smaller ones, you can also stay motivated and keep your eye on the prize.

Embracing Smart Habits

Habits take an average of 66 days to reset… and yes, even the longest-standing habits (like watching a YouTube video when you sit at your desk instead of studying immediately or going to the kitchen for a snack every time you learn a new section on your study sheet) can be broken. The most effective way to make good use of your time is to set and practice good study habits. Make a concerted effort to identify your triggers then replace unwanted behaviours with more productive ones. For instance, if you usually turn to your favourite social media app every few minutes, block it on your desktop, tablet, or phone, and do something else that is more productive — such as practising a brief controlled breathing exercise or performing a few stretches. You may find it hard to resist the urge to surf the Net at first but remember, it may take a few days before the new habit sinks in. Once it’s set, though, it will be easy to sustain the momentum.

Exercise Self-Compassion

Setting SMART time management goals is not a process that is set in stone. That is, if you find that you need a break one day because you’re feeling burned out, by all means, feel free to introduce flexibility into your process and readjust the goal. For instance, if you had set aside 4 hours every day for study, but you need some “me time,” you might decide to study one more hour during the week so you can enjoy a day off. Avoid having a hit-or-miss philosophy and embrace the growth mindset instead. That is, don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss your targets occasionally. Simply learn from your mistakes and think about how you can refine your process or do better the next day.

When it comes to setting SMART goals for time management, the main goal is to keep moving forward. This can be achieved by choosing realistic goals that are to be met within a specific deadline. Break down large goals into smaller ones, turn study time into a habit, and exercise enough flexibility to stay motivated.

Thank you for reading my stories! 😊

If you would like to receive the best productivity and time management tips and tricks each week in one convenient email, you can subscribe to my weekly newsletter here.

You can also learn more about what I do here on my websiteor get a copy of my latest book, Your Time Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived.