This post is in collaboration with Lauren, the owner of wooloftheking.com. Please see the end of this post for more details on Lauren and our collaboration.  Thank you to Lauren for collabing with me on this post!

How To Be A Productive University Student 

There are many questions you may have before starting at university. Going to university is a new experience and a new challenge. One of the questions I googled before going was, ‘how to be a productive university student’ and if you’re reading this blog post, you probably want to know the same thing!

University is very different from school. May students are living away from home for the first time and now have more to juggle than just homework.

Its is important to stay organised and productive at university otherwise the workload will pile up (and nobody wants that).

You may have been able to leave things until the last minute and still do well at school but that’s not how university works.

Don’t get me wrong, there is so much more to university life than just working. There’s sports, nights out, days out etc to be had, and it can all be done if you stay on top of things.

I have just graduated from university so hopefully all the stuff I learnt along the way will be able to help you be a productive student too!

Whether you’re just starting university or a final year student who wants to improve your productivity, here are my tips for how to be a productive university student.

Use The Syllabus

At the start of each module or class, you should be given access to the syllabus. This is one of the most important pieces of information you will be given. 

Make sure you are familiar with the syllabus and add any key dates to your planner. 

You can use the syllabus to stay on top of the course content and plan your study schedule for exams. 

Schedule/ Time Block Your Days

If you haven’t heard of time blocking, it’s basically a time management tool that involves breaking the day into blocks of time within which you’ll do a specific task.

This method is really useful for university students as you will have a lot to do within the day but less structure than you’re used to. Some days you will have one lecture, some days you may have 5. 

It’s important to use your free time wisely to eat, chill, socialise and work. With time blocking you can organise all your tasks into your day according to your timetable and make time for everything! 

I recommend using Google Calendar (or any other digital calendar) as you can easily input, edit and move tasks around if your plans change. 

One of my favourite videos explaining time blocking is by Amy Landino, I highly recommend giving it a watch. You can watch it here.

Take Breaks

Taking breaks is essential for looking after yourself and looking after yourself is essential for productivity. The quote “You can’t pour from an empty cup” is very true!

Students can be prone to burnout especially during the assessment season. Burnout can cause headaches, tiredness, lack of motivation and more!

It is always better to prevent burnout rather than dealing with it when it occurs.  Taking breaks to eat, hydrate, relax and recharge is very important for preventing burnout and ultimately staying sane!

Try to get some fresh air outside if you can and try to make exercise a habit too!

Ask For Help

Most lecturers have office hours where you can go and ask for help if you are struggling. 

University is tough and there is no shame in asking for help if things are getting a bit too much. 

You may be thinking, how can asking for help make you more productive? Well, asking for help when you need it will stop tasks piling up and you will get more done in the long run!

Also, don’t forget to ask your friends for help too! They will be tackling the same assignments as you so you can work on them together and encourage each other. 

Turn Off Distractions

I think we have all heard this study tip before but seriously GET OFF YOUR PHONE!

Our mobile phones are one of the biggest distractions we have as students with endless social media feeds, emails and messages.

Studies have shown that it takes an average of 15 minutes to refocus on a task once you have been distracted – imagine how much time you’re wasting every time you pick up your phone!

There are so many apps that stop you opening certain apps nowadays (see the productivity apps tip) but if you don’t want to use them just turn your notifications or phone off whilst you’re studying. 

Work Out Where You Study Best

Everyone studies best in different locations. Whether it’s the library, a cafe or your room, you need to find a space where you are most productive.

When I was at uni, I found I couldn’t study in my bedroom as my bed was too tempting! I was much more productive in the library. Whereas some of my friends never went to the library and instead studied in their room.

Another thing to consider is whether you like to study with background noise or complete silence. If you like silence, make sure you study in the silent part of the library. It sounds simple but you’ll be surprised how many students don’t know what works for them!

It doesn’t matter where you study, as long as it’s the most productive place for you!

It is also important to have a change of scenery sometimes so make sure you switch up your study space occasionally if possible.

Work Out When You Study Best

Students are notorious for working late and pulling all nighters but you dont have to be! If you work best in the morning, then utilise that. If you work best in the evening, then use that time wisely. 

This might take some trial and error at first but you will soon begin to see a pattern of when you’re most productive. 

Use The Best Productivity Apps For Students 

Notion for Students 

There are some amazing productivity apps for students nowadays; there is something for everyone!

One of my favourite productivity apps is Notion. Notion is an all in one workplace where you can organise your entire life. Notion has loads of templates to help keep you productive and organised including a budget template, grade calculator and project manager.

Screenshot Of My Current Notion Set-up

Forest Forest is another great productivity app for students. Forest involves setting a timer for the amount of time you want to work.

During this time a tree is growing and if you go on your phone your tree will dies. 

This is a great app for stopping yourself having a ‘quick’ phone break when you’re trying to get a task done. 

Learn How To Be A Productive University Student With ‘Perfect Productivity‘

If you want more tips on how to be productive, beat procrastination and avoid burnout, you should read my new ebook – Perfect Productivity!

Perfect Productivity will be available on Monday 24th August but if you sign up to my newsletter you can get early access and 50% off your purchase!