How Many Hours Should You Study Per Day for Optimal Results?
“You are not studying enough!”
“Why do you study all the time?”
These are some of the most common remarks that students get to hear all the time. However, seldom have we tried to figure out the optimal hours of study per day.
Students have a hard time figuring out how many hours they should be studying on a daily basis. In fact, this is one of the most asked questions from the students. In this blog, we are trying to find answers to this question.
To tell the truth, the specific study hours will vary from one student to another. This is a subjective matter that is driven by multiple factors. For example, the memory power of the students, their level of concentration, the time taken to grab a concept and more. However, having a study time benchmark can help students gauge the effort they are putting in. Having an approximate study time in mind can motivate students to understand if their study time is accurate or not.
If you are a student who is trying to answer the question – “how many hours should I spend studying?” then this blog is perfect for you. Here we will explore various interesting concepts along with optimal study duration guidelines to help you get an idea.
So keep reading!
How Many Hours of Study Is Physically Possible
Before determining the approximate hours you should spend studying, it is important to identify the number of hours one can possibly study for. It is impossible to study 24 hours a day and each student has a different capacity for studying. So, in this segment, we try to give you an idea about the number of hours that are physically viable for studying.
As we know there are 24 hours in a day. We deduct 12 hours for sleeping and other essential activities from here. So, we are left with a maximum of 12 hours that could be allotted to studying. However, it is impossible to study for 12 hours at a stretch. Students need to allot some time to take breaks during their study span. So we can say that approximately 9 to 10 hours can be dedicated to studying. This is a good estimate as it gives you time to pursue other activities and also take care of your health. Depending upon your level of education you can decide how many hours you will dedicate to studying out of the 9-10 hours you have at hand. For example, a college student might need to put in 8-9 hours for studying whereas a school student might just need 4-5 hours.
What is the best time of the day to study?
Now that we have reached an answer to the maximum number of hours for studying per day, we must understand when is the best time for studying.
It is important to understand that studying is not equivalent to reading. Studying requires you to be attentive. You need to comprehend the lesson that you are learning and retain the concept in your memory. So it is wiser to choose the time of the day when you feel the most productive and energetic. While the time can vary from one student to another, there are two common slots of time that most students choose from- the day shift and the night shift.
Day Shift
Many students prefer studying between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. This is the time when the brain is pressure-free. Filled with fresh energy from the night’s sleep they will be able to grasp complicated topics easily.
Nighttime Time
Studying during the night has its benefits. First of all, the quiet surroundings can help you to concentrate and study peacefully without any distractions. Also, sleeping after learning helps you store the information in your memory. That said, it is essential to get a good night’s sleep to remain healthy and perform the daily tasks.
Research Findings
According to scientific studies, the time from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm is the most effective for studying. Also, some researchers found that the worst learning period is between 4:00 am to 7:00 am. Another important thing that researchers noticed was that students who study during the night time, with a bedtime of 2:30 am and a waketime of 6:30 am, usually have poorer attention power during the day. On the other hand, students who study during the day with a wake-up time of 6:30 a.m. and a bedtime of 11:00 p.m. usually feel tired during the evening time.
Approximate Daily Study Span
“How many hours should I spend studying?”
Let us answer the question now.
In this segment, we try to figure out how many hours you can technically study depending on your level of education. Although this is not a globally set standard, you can monitor your preparation time depending on these numbers.
Elementary School Students
Students who are studying in elementary schools are at the very initial stage of education. At this level, they develop their foundation skills along with their keenness towards studying. The aim here is to focus on the quality and engaging power of the sessions rather than their length. So, a daily study span between 1 to 2 hours should be enough for elementary school students.
Students at their middle school level can consider studying for 3 to 5 years per day. During this time the students handle complex subjects and are required to do their homework. So, the study time is comparatively more than that in elementary school.
Once you reach high school education becomes a little bit more complicated. You need to study multiple subjects coupled with advanced coursework. Most importantly, you also need to dedicate a good chunk of time towards college entrance exams. Keeping all these aspects in mind, the ideal study span for high school students is between 5 to 6 hours on a daily basis.
College students might devote somewhere between 7-9 hours per day to studying. Depending on the coursework and academic goals college students might need to dedicate more time to studying, especially during the exam period.
Understanding the Factors that Impact Study Time
As we mentioned before, the time taken by students to study varies. So while determining the daily period for studying we also need to understand the following:
Individual learning styles
Understanding your learning styles can help you tailor your study sessions and help you study more productively. Every student has a unique study style which influences the effectiveness of their study. For example, some students are visual learners, they benefit by learning from diagrams and charts while others are good at retaining information through listening. Implementing the right technique will help you to study faster and reduce your study time.
The complexity of the subject also plays a crucial role in determining the study time. For example, the subjects which are more critical can require a higher study time and effort to understand as compared to comparatively simpler and easier topics. It’s important to allocate sufficient time to understand difficult topics thoroughly.
Your academic goals will also influence the number of hours you need to study. For example, if you are preparing for competitive exams or aiming for top grades then you require more time to study. On the other hand, students who prefer to give equal weightage to studies and extracurricular activities usually devote comparatively less time to studies.
The health of the student impacts the pace of their preparation. For example, a healthy student is expected to focus better on their studies and therefore take less time to grasp critical concepts. However, a student suffering from health disorders is likely to have a weaker focus and limited ability to pay attention. Also, certain personal habits like sleeping late can impact your energy levels and impair your memory.
How to Tailor Your Study Schedule to Fit the Time
To stick to the standard study hours on a daily basis it is wise to tailor your study schedule. Here are some ways in which you can do so.
Assembling Your Current Study Habits
You can begin by evaluating your current study habits. First, track how many hours you spend studying each day and your productivity levels during those times. This will help you identify the patterns and distractions that can negatively impact your effectiveness. Once you are aware of these factors you can rectify them and optimize your study time.
Setting Realistic Goals
You can set achievable daily and weekly study goals and try to fulfil them within the study span. Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable parts can make studying less overwhelming and more structured.
Creating a Study Plan
Develop a study plan that includes specific times for each subject, taking into account your personal peak productivity periods. For example, some students are more alert and focused in the morning while others find late-night study sessions are more productive. You can experiment with different time slots and find out what works best for you.
Effective Study Techniques
Knowing the answer to “how many hours should I spend studying?” is useless without understanding how you can fit your study schedule within that time. Improper study practices can stretch your study period longer than you think. So, to ensure proper utilization of your time here are some techniques that you can follow
It might feel surprising, but studying without breaks can impact your productivity. So, taking breaks at regular intervals is a must to freshen your mind. You can follow the Pomodoro technique, where taking a 5-minute break after studying every 25 minutes is recommended. During these breaks, you can indulge in relaxing activities that rejuvenate the mind.
We seldom realize that the benefits of physical activities are not just limited to physical fitness. Exercise improves brain functions, improves concentration, and reduces stress. You can allot a slot of 30 minutes for exercises like walking, jogging, and yoga.
Often studying can get monotonous. To maintain an immersive study environment you can consider exploring group studying opportunities. To add to this, participating in class discussions and group activities give you the chance to share your learning and ideas and motivate you to study effectively.
Avoiding common Pitfalls
If you have read the blog till now then you must have a rough answer to the question- “How many hours should I spend studying?” Effective study techniques are important to stick to this study span. We have already suggested some effective study techniques for students that will help them to study in an optimized manner. That said, often students waste a lot of time by getting hooked on unproductive practices. Here we are mentioning some such practices that you should refrain from as a student.
Procrastination is a major obstacle to effective studying. You can combat it by setting clear and achievable goals and using techniques like Pomodoro to maintain focus. You can break the tasks into smaller steps and reward yourself by completing them.
Often the pressure to score more makes students overstudy. But, did you know that over-studying can be counteractive?
It can reduce productivity and lead to burnout. So, as a student, you should ensure that your study time is well-balanced with leisure and relaxation. Avoiding breaks especially when your body needs it might result in mental fatigue.
Distractions deplete your productivity immensely and prolong your study span. Students should actively identify and minimize distractions. This might involve creating a quiet study environment, turning off notifications on your phone, or using apps that block distracting websites. A key to effective studying is staying focused on the task at hand.
Creating a Suitable Study Environment
Before we conclude the blog we would like to give some suggestions about crafting the proper environment for studying. Many students often neglect the environment in which they are studying. However, this is an important aspect to consider as it impacts the pace of your study.
It is easier for students to concentrate on their studies if the space around the study is noise-free. So, it is better if you choose a corner of your house that is relatively quieter and allows you to study in peace.
Decluttered and Organized
Keep your study space organized. You can arrange your books and study materials in a manner so that you access them easily without having to waste much time. Also, maintaining a decluttered study room will motivate you to study.
Your study room should be well-lit so that you can see and read the contents of the books easily and remember what you have learnt. If your study is dimly lit you will take longer to read from your study materials, especially the ones that have a smaller font size.
A study should have some basic elements like a study table, a sitting space, bookshelves to keep your books, and a charging point to charge important electronics like laptops. So choose a room that is spacious enough to fit all these elements.
Conclusion
“How many hours should I spend studying?”
This question might have crossed students’ minds hundreds of times. And answering it might not be as simple as it seems. You might think that studying all the time is the right option. However, just as studying too little is not enough, studying all the time is not the solution either. The time taken for students to prepare a certain chapter varies. However, having a rough estimate of the standard study hours will help you evaluate the time you are taking. In this blog, we help students like you to determine the span they should allot for studying. We also assist them in managing their time by suggesting effective study techniques and the most productive study timings. Through the blog, you can also identify activities that you should refrain from to prevent time wastage. So, not only will you get an idea of how much time you should spend studying but you will also learn how to study by properly optimizing the time.
