{"id":6669,"date":"2025-08-29T14:23:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T04:53:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/?p=6669"},"modified":"2025-08-29T14:35:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T05:05:33","slug":"crafting-a-good-enough-study-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/2025\/08\/29\/crafting-a-good-enough-study-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Crafting a ‘good enough’ study day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A \u201cgood enough\u201d study routine is more sustainable than a perfect one, so focus on key principles, not flawless execution, to build days that help you get shit done.<\/p>\n

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I currently have a work\/productivity routine that is working reasonably well (cue applause). It has taken lots of trial and error and I’m sure at some point it will fail and I will need to adjust.<\/p>\n

But for now it is working.<\/p>\n

So you should just follow my routine then right?<\/p>\n

Nope. That probably won’t work because your life is different from mine. This was brought home to me recently when a student described their typical day and I realised it was nothing like mine. My finely crafted ‘Gareth routine’ wasn’t going to work for them, because our lives are too different.<\/p>\n

In such situations it can be better to talk about principles rather than specifics. So instead of saying ‘do deep focused work between 9 and 10.30<\/em>‘, I’d say ‘look to include a deep focused work period in the da<\/em>y’.<\/p>\n

So what are these principles?<\/p>\n

A ‘good enough’ study day (I’ll come back to the ‘good enough’ phrasing later) is one where you get stuff done AND you find the necessary time to recharge, so you can repeat the process, sustainably over time.<\/p>\n

Your good enough day won’t look exactly like mine (because our lives are different), but it is likely they will have things in common.<\/p>\n

In this post, I highlight some of what I think are the most important principles in building a ‘good enough’ study day. The goal isn’t perfection, but a reasonably sustainable and intentional approach to your work, that can be adapted as your life changes.<\/p>\n

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An Ignition Sequence: The Starting Routine \u25b6\ufe0f\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Whenever your “day” begins – be it at dawn or dusk – this first phase sets the trajectory for everything that follows. The goal is to prime body and mind to get working.<\/p>\n

Many things fit well in this sequence. Hydration, natural light exposure, mild exercise\/ physical activity, caffeine, a high protein meal, meditation.<\/p>\n

Essentially, you want to start the mental engine but not over-rev it. You are getting yourself alert enough to set intentions, but with energy still to burn.<\/p>\n

I generally like to include things in this stage that are analogue\/organic in nature, before being absorbed into the digital day of screens and computers.<\/p>\n

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Charting the Course: Planning & Environment<\/b> \ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f<\/h3>\n

Before diving into the work itself, take a few moments to create clarity of what you’ll be working on. This phase involves both zooming out and zooming in.<\/p>\n

Zooming out, briefly consider your long-term path,<\/strong> namely your goals for the week, month or semester. This context ensures what you choose for today is meaningful in the bigger scheme of things.<\/p>\n

Then, zoom in to set clear, achievable intentions for today. What are the one or two critical tasks that will move you forward?<\/p>\n

You can experiment to find the right number of tasks\/goals\/to-do’s in any given day. Some days I am lucky if I can get one main task done. Other days I can move systematically through many.<\/p>\n

This is also good time for environment design, that is, adjusting your environment to support what it is you want to get done.<\/p>\n

Tidy your workspace, open your books, and close unnecessary tabs. Make your study task the path of least resistance.<\/p>\n

Crucially, take a few steps to manage your biggest foe: distractions<\/b>. Put your phone in another room or turn it completely off. Set up blocks on your browsers if necessary.<\/p>\n

A clean environment minimises external chaos, allowing for internal focus.<\/p>\n

[Note: environmental mods might also include the people you surround yourself with. If I have lots to do, I retreat from people altogether. If I want the feeling of being part of a team, I work in the city. If I want to be frequently interrupted and have social time, I work at Bedford]<\/em><\/p>\n

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The Main Event: Deep Work Blocks<\/b> \ud83e\udde0<\/h3>\n

Modern life is characterised by multiple demands for our attention and as a result, the sense that we are always distracted.<\/p>\n

But getting good quality work done requires the opposite, namely focused periods of deep work where we block out the rest of the world and really immerse ourselves in the task. When it goes really well, it can be a flow experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Deep work blocks are when you tackle your most challenging tasks, when you are at your most creative and thoughtful.<\/p>\n

Structure these sessions using time-managed focus periods. The Pomodoro Technique (25<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> minutes on, 5<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> minutes off) is one that many find excellent for putting achievable boundaries around their concentration. Alternatively, you can work in longer blocks that align with your brain’s natural Ultradian Rhythms (e.g. 90<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> minutes of focus followed by a 20<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>-minute break).<\/p>\n

If during a given deep work block you need learn something, use mixed learning strategies.<\/a> Don’t just passively read. Engage in active recall by quizzing yourself, work through examples, use interleaving by switching between different but related topics, and vary your tasks between reading, note-taking, and self-testing. This keeps your brain engaged and improves long-term retention.<\/p>\n

If during a given deep work block you are writing something (e.g. an essay), focus on methods that keep the words flowing, even if they aren’t your best words. Nowadays, I use AI as a chat companion if I am writing something and having trouble with it. It can help me sort my thoughts, create an outline, fix a wonky sentence and make new connections. There is also plenty of writing advice available for the different parts of the academic writing process – SLSS have an excellent set of academic writing tip documents<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I firmly believe that if you can cultivate the ability to do deep focused work<\/strong>, it will be a superpower in a world of distracted people. If you need some inspiration or convincing in that regard, read Cal Newport<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How many of these blocks you can do in a day will depend on many factors. If I get at least two very focused blocks in a given day, I am happy. String together a few in a week and you’ll be quite pleased with how much you can get done.<\/p>\n

[Note: you can still get work done, even when in a distracted state. Don’t stop working just because you aren’t at full focus. Deep work states are something you get better at over time, with the discipline of staying on task for increasing periods of time.]<\/em><\/p>\n

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The Pit Stops: Strategic Breaks & Energy Monitoring<\/b> \u26fd<\/h3>\n

If you’ve ever trained with weights, you’ll know that a big chunk of the time between lifting (sets) is rest time. And then there is the additional rest time between weights sessions. In short, you come to realise that rest is a part of training, not a delay or failure of training.<\/p>\n

In the academic world, rest comes in the form of breaks (during the study day) and the recharge phases (see below).<\/p>\n

Regular breaks aren’t a sign that your study process is failing (unless you are taking a break every 5 minutes). They are a part of the overall process. And to be honest, most of us can learn to take better and more effective breaks.<\/p>\n

Probably a key component of a good break (in this modern world) is to step away from screens, computers and mobile devices. Get up from your chair. Move. Get outside if possible. Look at the sky, at some plants. Take a brief walk, have some water, chat with an interesting person (not interesting people are the worst).<\/p>\n

If you’ve been glued to your computer screen for an extended period in the seated position, it might feel effortful to pull yourself away, but your nervous system will thank you. And when you do, if you feel guilty, remind yourself that breaks aren’t a sign of weakness; they are a requirement for high performance.<\/p>\n

I’d like to say that I am really disciplined with my breaks, but I tend to take them on the basis of my energy levels. If I notice my focus waning, losing concentration, getting bored or frustrated, that is a signal for me to step away from my workstation. This method of paying attention to my energy levels means that if I am having a really productive couple of hours, I don’t interrupt it. I wait for my body and mind to let me know that I need to step away.<\/p>\n

I also (and am not really sure what to call them) use micro-breaks where I don’t move away from my workstation, but I switch task to something a little less difficult to give my brain some time to rest from a difficult challenge. For example, if I am trying to write a lecture and it isn’t going well, I might spend 20 minutes answering emails before returning to the lecture. I often find that doing something more administrative, provides the necessary mental break required to get back to the difficult task.<\/p>\n

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The Shutdown Ritual: Landing the Plane<\/b> \ud83c\udfc1<\/h3>\n

In the same way that you created an intentional start to the session (charting the course) you need to land it as well.<\/p>\n

Having a clear end to your work session is a great way to draw a line in the sand between your work\/study life and your personal life. It gives permission and allows your brain to switch off and genuinely recover.<\/p>\n

What should you add to your shutdown ritual?<\/p>\n

A while back I learned the term ‘signposting’. It is used in a number of contexts to mean the act of providing clear cues for self or others on what happens next. For example, today is Friday and as the end of the day approaches, I’ll skip forward in my calendar to Monday and put a few tasks in there that will help me start that week well. So I am putting up a few ‘signposts’ for Monday Gareth to help him know where to start.<\/p>\n

I think it is also good to do a 5-minute daily review<\/b>. Quickly scan what you covered that day. Maybe even write it down or tick it off a to-do list so you have a visual record of progress (which can be quite motivating). Even just a short period of time consolidating the day’s activities and achievements can boost memory. For me it is checking out my Outlook Calendar (where all events and tasks are organised) and changing the colour of the completed ones and strategising the uncompleted ones (e.g. allocating to a future timeslot).<\/p>\n

Then, pack shit up. Tidy your desk, put things away, remove rubbish, food stuff, cups etc. Close your books and laptop. Make your study space tidy, so it is a bit more inviting the next day or week when you start again. I’m not particularly good at this if I am honest, so the tidying of my workspace usually ends up being my ritual at the beginning of the day. But my recommendation is do what I say, not what I do.<\/p>\n

Whatever you put in this transition, it creates a psychological boundary between work and rest. Once you’re done, you are truly done.<\/p>\n

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The Recharge Phase: Rest & Connection<\/b> \ud83e\uddd1\u200d\ud83e\udd1d\u200d\ud83e\uddd1<\/h3>\n

During times of deep learning and progress, your brain needs time to relax and process. I spoke about this earlier in relation to ‘pit stops’ but now we are talking the big blocks of time between study days, typically divided by sleep.<\/p>\n

This phase is for rest and recuperation<\/b>. Engage in hobbies, watch a movie, or read for pleasure. This is also the time for deliberate social connection<\/b>. Call a friend, have dinner with family, or spend quality time with people who energise you. Meaningful social interaction is a powerful buffer against stress and burnout. I won’t pretend that I am a particularly social person, but I do use my evenings to send friends messages and organise the few social events on my calendar.<\/p>\n

This recharge phase, for many, includes exercise and sports, which might not seem like ‘rest’ on the surface but they do operate to activate our rest circuits. If you finish your work day and go for a run, when you return from that run, your body and mind will more easily shift into a rest state. It also provides a really clear distinction between the work and personal parts of the day.<\/p>\n

And then sleep! It is hard to overemphasise how important sleep is in terms of regulating a number of physical and psychological processes. And I am sure you’ve been told in other contexts how important it is. If you aren’t taking simple steps<\/a> to try and get good quality sleep, then I reckon you are probably missing out on one of the best interventions for your learning and mental health.<\/p>\n

Oh and just to say that that weekends and holidays are part of this recharge phase as well. I’m not particularly good at taking holidays (even though I do like a road-trip), but I know colleagues of mine who are, and you can see that those regular extended breaks from work really do reset them in a positive way. As a student, you have the mid-semester and mid-year breaks as potential extended periods of time away from study. The demands of your life will dictate what they generally need to be used for, but if you can use those breaks for rejuvenation, please do.<\/p>\n

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The Guiding Philosophy: Your Mindset<\/b> \u2764\ufe0f<\/h3>\n

Having just finished recording a short lecture on perfectionism, I\u2019m mindful that articles like this can unintentionally imply there\u2019s such a thing as a perfect<\/em> routine. That can leave people berating themselves when their own doesn\u2019t measure up.<\/p>\n

For clarity: while my own work routines include some of the ideas described above, they\u2019re far from perfect. They\u2019re messy, but they\u2019re good enough. I\u2019m more like the guy on the right.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cGood enough\u201d is a phrase I first came across early in my psychology training, and it\u2019s stuck with me. It\u2019s a reminder that chasing perfect routines is not only unnecessary but often counterproductive. If we obsess over getting every detail right, we can spend more energy managing routines than actually doing the meaningful work (personal or professional) that matters. Worse, we set ourselves up to feel like failures against a standard nobody is really achieving.<\/p>\n

Good enough, on the other hand, gives us permission to get 70% of the way there and not fuss about the rest. That\u2019s still progress. That\u2019s still growth.<\/p>\n

So if you take even one or two ideas from this article and manage to upgrade your daily routine a little, that\u2019s a genuine win.<\/p>\n

And if something doesn\u2019t stick, no problem. Let it go, give it time, and try again later. Building good routines is a skill that develops over time. Some days will be messy and unproductive, and that\u2019s perfectly normal. The aim isn\u2019t perfection. It\u2019s steady improvement. Each day is another chance to practice, learn, and gradually refine your own personal framework. Hope some of the ideas in this article help with that.<\/p>\n

Take care<\/p>\n

G<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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