studying in incriments

Nursing Students General Students

Published

What works for you? I've heard that you should study in 20 minute incriments... 20 minutes, take a 5 minute break, etc... but this seems really short and just when I'm getting into it, it's break time! I also don't retain much sitting down and studying for 3 or 4 hours straight, so I'm just wondering what you all have found that works for you.

Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×

20 minutes and then a break is way too short for me. If I am studying solo, I will go about 1 1/2 - 2 hours and then take a 15

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in RN- Med/surg.

We were told 50 minutes. That's why most college courses offer a break at the hour. I NEVER would have made it through nursing school if I took breaks every 20 minutes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

it depends what kind of mood i'm in and what i am studying. there are times when i can sit and study for a couple of hours without let up. then there are other times when i cannot focus, find myself drifting off into daydreams and just cannot stay focused on what i am doing. in fact, i think the study experts recommend that you have a couple of different weapons in your study orificenal to overcome these kinds of obstacles. the thing is that studying is a personal habit that you learn more about as you do it more. by the time you graduate you are better at it than you were when you started school. here's some links on what the experts have to say about studying. don't pooh-pooh any particular idea, but try a new one if one way just doesn't seem to be working for you at any particular time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks Daytonite! Guess what I am going to be doing over my 4 week break? Reading thru those websites and tightening up my study skills for OB and M/S II.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

DAMomma. . .don't discount lecturing yourself about something you've just read when you're alone or driving in the car. You should find in those links that research has shown that we retain more when it is spoken. This is another reason why instructors like to assign group work and why study groups are recommended. When we help explain, out loud, a concept to another person, we are reinforcing it in our own minds as well as helping someone else. In other words, pretend being the teacher every once in a while. It cements that information in better than reading or writing it down.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't sit down & study for hours at a time. My time does vary with my focus at the time. Sometimes I can study for long periods, but I mostly probably do 20-30 min, do house work, play with kids, or whatever, and then sit back down to study again. I study on and off all day/night.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Dialysis (All Modalities) , Ex-CVICU RN.

I was in the same boat at you were. I tried to study for hours at a time and found out i wasn't retaining much. I then followed how my body felt. If i would feel like i couldn't focus. Which was usually at around the 30 minute mark, i'd do something else and come back to it.

Then i thought hmm i'm wasting a lot of time hanging around. I figured i can study while listening to some headphones (music without lyrics (classical,etc))

You'll find out your way to study. check out those links from daytonite. They'll help

Up Vote Up Vote ×

HA! I am a studyin fool! I feel like a sponge. Not only do I take notes, etc, I also tape the lectures and listen back to them to add to my notes. I think with kids and all, I can do straight studying for 1 hr (of course with the occasional "I have to potty or mommy, I can't undo my button", take a break, make snacks, play for 15 minutes, then move studying outside so the kids can play while I sit and study and yell the occasional "STOP FIGHTING!"

With this being my 1st, going into my 2nd semester, here is my process:

  • Skim material and objectives before class
  • While in class, take notes and tape lecture
  • The same night, read the chapters to re-inforce info
  • Thru the week, listen to lecture again, while going thru my notes with a fine tooth comb.
  • Also thru the week, reviewing for exams since we have them everyother class.
  • Oh, since I transfer my lectures to MP3.....I no longer listen to Justin Timberlake while driving....I am listening to "Nitrates decrease preload and afterload....watch for hypotension, tachycardia, and headaches......" Yeah, I am eating, sleeping, AND driving nursing school....and I love it!

It is hard to put a # on the hours I study per week. Some weeks it is more than others. I just know I have to do it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NP / USAFR Flight Nurse.

Ive heard that 30 min incriments was best. The rational is that you always remember the beginning and ending of the material. Like, if I were to list words to you and ask you to repeat them back to me, you would remember the first and last words above all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thank you for all the responses! i guess i just need to figure out what works best for me in retaining stuff. daytonite, i've bookmarked all those sites, so i will go back and look at them in more depth for sure!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I read somewhere that it is best to study for an hour and then take a little 5 our brake and then the cycle begins again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment