Hey you! You’ve probably landed on this page because you’re juggling studying with full-time work, parenting, and possibly even a social life (or at least the illusion of one at this age). Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or questioning why you ever signed up for this mad idea of studying alongside work in the first place.
Here’s the truth: You don’t need motivation. You need a plan.
Motivation is flaky. It’s like that friend who hypes you up for a 6AM gym session and then ghosts you when the alarm actually goes off. Discipline and structure are what will get you through, my friend – I promise!
How do I know this?
Because…I used to be that person—up ALL night, the night before an assignment, wired on Pro Plus and Red Bull, frantically cramming an entire project in one go, just to submit it at the very last second. It’s like I needed the threat of a looming deadline to kick my butt into action.
But let me tell you—that shiz is hella stressful, and for a Master’s degree, that method will only get you a VIP ticket to Stressland in Stresstopia. Population: You. 😭 So here I am, actually pacing myself and NOT cramming. Okay, not all the time, but enough to survive two years of studying alongside full-time work like a mad-woman. And now? I’d love to share my best tips to help you do the same!
Put your hands in the air if you’re done with stress and just don’t care!
So instead of chasing motivation, let’s talk about systems, habits, and hacks to help you study smarter, not harder—without burning out.
Plan Your Study Time Like You Plan Meetings at Work
The first mistake most people make is winging it—convincing themselves they’ll “just squeeze in some study time when they have free time.” But be honest—how many things are already sitting on your “I’ll do it when I have time” list? That book you meant to read, that skill you were going to learn, that project you started but never finished… So, when exactly is this magical free time supposed to appear?
Spoiler: It won’t. You have to make time, not wait for it.
If you don’t schedule it, it won’t happen. So here’s the move:
Create a Study Schedule That Works With Your Energy Levels
- Mornings (if you have mental clarity in the AM): Do the hardest, brain-intensive tasks—learning new concepts, writing reports, and deep work.
- After Work (when you’re mentally drained): Stick to low-energy tasks like revising notes, watching lecture videos, planning next week’s study schedules, organising materials.
- Weekends (if you have long study sessions): Use these for big projects, coding time, essays, or deep reading sessions.
📌 Personal tip: I actually hated being on my computer 24/7. It was 9-5 for work then 6-12 for uni. So I ended up printing out all my reading material and research papers and would read them waiting in queue for the Post office, on the train to the gym, out in the park sunbathing. Just anywhere away from the computer to protect my drying eyes.
🔹 Example of schedule:
- Before Work: 6AM-7AM – Read 10 pages from your course textbook & make summary notes.
- After Work: 7PM-8PM – Revise concepts or watch recorded lectures.
- Weekend: 3-4 hours of project work, essay writing, or practice questions.
👉 Key tip: Use calendar blocks & timers like you would for work meetings. If it’s on your calendar, it’s real.
Study in Pre-Planned Chunks (So You Don’t Waste Time Thinking About What to Do Next)
You know when you sit down to study and spend 30 minutes deciding what to actually work on? That’s precious time wasted.
Before each study session, plan exactly what you’ll do so that when you sit down, you just execute without thinking. You can plan these during your low energy study times.
🔹 The Structure That Works:
- First 5 minutes → Look at what needs to be done (quick review).
- Next 50 minutes → Focus on a single task (e.g., reading, exercises, report writing).
- Last 5 minutes → Summarise key takeaways + plan for the next session.
👀 The Science Behind It:
- Shorter, pre-planned study blocks = Less procrastination because your brain knows what’s coming.
- Ending with a plan for next time = You won’t waste time figuring out where to start.
👉 Key tip: Use the Pomodoro technique (20 mins work, 5 mins break) to stay focused.
Automate Studying Into a Habit (So You Don’t Rely on Willpower)
Willpower is finite—especially after a long workday. The more you think about whether you “feel like studying,” the more likely you are to skip it.
Solution? Remove decision-making and turn it into a routine.
🔹 How?
- Study at the same time every day. Your brain will start expecting it (like brushing your teeth).
- Use environmental cues. Have a “study spot” so your brain associates that space with focus.
- Pair studying with a trigger. Example: Always start with a cup of tea, a specific playlist, or a 2-minute breathing exercise. Your brain will start linking that cue to study time.
👀 Why it works:
It’s the same with going to the gym. When studying becomes a reflex, not a decision, there’s no internal debate about “should I study today?” You just do it. No thinking. Just doing 🤣💪
Find Your Intrinsic Motivation (So You Stay Consistent Long-Term)
External motivation (“I need to pass”) isn’t as strong as internal motivation (“I genuinely enjoy learning this”).
So, how do you make studying feel less like a chore and more like a passion project?
🔹 Shift Your Mindset:
Instead of: “I have to study” → “I get to study.”
- You’re investing in yourself.
- You’re learning new skills that will change your career and life.
- You’re proving to yourself that you can do hard things.
🔹 Find What Genuinely Interests You in the Subject
- If you hate the current module, find a real-world connection to make it engaging.
- Ask ChatGPT in how you can make what you’re learning exciting? Ask it to build analogies over confusing concepts too!
- Studying algorithms? Look into how Netflix recommends shows or how AI works in self-driving cars.
- If you enjoy coding? Try to code your own bubble sort , sorting or greedy algorithms in your favourite programming language.
🔹 Celebrate Small Wins
- Even finishing one page of notes is progress—track your efforts, not just results. What I did to reward myself after completing a paragraph was during my Pomodoro 5-minute breaks I’d put all the things I wanted into a wish list 😅 so it browsing felt like shopping. But then when I finished a paragraph in my essay or a set number of written words I’d go and buy that item during the longer Pomodoro break! My shopping addiction honestly kept me alive. I’ve got 2 mechanical keyboards and an entire wooden standing desk setup, mouse, speakers, monitor light, monitor etc to prove it 🤣
Just Show Up & The Rest Will Follow
Motivation is overrated. What really matters is building the habit, trusting the process, and showing up consistently.
Some days, you’ll feel like a productivity god. Other days, you’ll just stare at a wall for 10 minutes before opening your laptop. That’s fine.
The key? Keep showing up. Even if it’s a small step. Just sit at the desk. Pick a low effort task where you know what you need to do even if you don’t feel like it. Because every little effort stacks up over time.
You’ve got this. 🚀💪 Now go study.
Let me know in the comments what study habits work best for you! 🖤✨