How to Study When You’re Having Trouble Getting Yourself to Start

“I need to study” sounds simple, but it can be one of the hardest school tasks to start.

Unlike an assignment with a clear submission button, studying can feel open-ended. How much is enough? Where should you begin? Do you reread, take notes, quiz yourself, make flashcards, or start with the part you understand least?

When the task has no clear edge, postponing it can feel easier than choosing a starting point.

Make studying more concrete.

1. Define what “study” means for this session

Do not begin with “study for midterm.” Choose an activity.

For example (pick one):

• Answer 15 practice questions without notes.
• Review lecture 4 and make a one-page summary.
• Quiz myself on 30 terms.
• Work through the problems I missed on the last homework.
• Explain three major concepts out loud without looking at my notes.

You can change the plan later. You just need one clear entry point now.

2. Start with retrieval, not endless rereading

One reason studying can feel unproductive is that familiar material can create the impression that you know it.

Try asking yourself to produce the information instead of only looking at it. This makes your studying active rather than passive.

Close the notes and write what you remember. Answer practice questions. Explain the idea in your own words. Make yourself retrieve the material, then check what you missed.

This also gives you useful information about what actually deserves more study time.

3. Build a short first round

You don’t need to schedule a three-hour study marathon.

Start with one defined round, such as 25 or 40 minutes. Choose the exact material you’ll cover during that period.

At the end, take stock:

• What did I get through?
• What do I understand better?
• What still needs work?
• What should the next study round focus on?

A short completed round creates more information and momentum than an hour spent negotiating with yourself about whether to begin.

4. Use a “minimum version” on low-energy days

Some days you have less energy than you planned for.

Instead of choosing between an ideal study session and doing nothing, decide what the minimum useful version could be.

Maybe it’s ten practice problems. Maybe it’s reviewing the professor’s study guide. Maybe it’s 20 minutes of flashcards.

The minimum version is not your new academic standard. It’s a way to keep contact with the material when the alternative is complete avoidance.

5. Study near other people if that helps you begin

If you tend to avoid studying alone, try working somewhere other students are already working.

You don’t have to study the same subject or talk to anyone. Sometimes a shared work environment makes the beginning of a study period feel more natural.

If you know you’re expected somewhere at a certain time, that can also reduce the number of decisions involved in getting started.

6. End by setting up the next session

Before you stop, leave yourself a clear re-entry point.

Write a note such as:

• Next: practice problems 16 through 25.
• Next: review the two concepts I missed.
• Next: make flashcards from lecture 6.

This makes tomorrow’s starting point easier because you do not have to reconstruct the whole plan.

7. If you are behind, prioritize instead of trying to cover everything equally

When an exam is close, there may not be time to study every topic in the way you would prefer.

Use the information you have. What has the professor emphasized? What appears on the study guide? What types of problems show up repeatedly? What material do you clearly not understand yet?

Prioritizing is not the same as giving up on the rest. It’s choosing where your limited attention is most useful.

A study plan you can actually begin

Try this simple structure:

• Choose one subject.
• Choose one study activity.
• Choose one small set of material.
• Set a defined work period.
• Test yourself rather than only rereading.
• Write down the next starting point before you stop.

The best study plan is not the most elaborate one. It’s the one you can enter, use, and return to.

Dr. Jackie Parke

Dr. Parke is a licensed psychologist who has been serving students since 2005. She completed her internship and fellowship training at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She has spent thousands of hours directly serving students as their therapist, including in her private practice. She also has ten years of teaching experience as a university psychology professor.