Hard work or smart work? How to balance both?

As a student, you must have had come across students who work really hard but their results do not justify the amount of hard work they put into their studies. Most probably it is so because they do not work smart enough. For example, what is the point of spending three hours on a multiple choice questions’ exercise when you do not even understand the topic well enough in the first place? It’s completely useless. The smart way to do so is, first learn the topic in the best way possible and invest a fair amount of time on it, and then solve the MCQues in very little time.

But honestly speaking, as important as it is to work smart, you CAN NOT do without hard work too. You need to work hard and smart at the same time in order to ace MDCAT and you can not choose to ignore either. Given below are some of the ways you can balance both hard work and smart work and maximize your efficiency.

1. Create and stick to a routine:

Having a habitual brain, this is the first step we need to take in order to sort our lives out. You need to have a consistent routine. Creating a habit can be hard but once you do so, our brain automatically gets used to it and the task no longer remains a huge deal for us. Make your studies a part of your routine and habit so they no longer remain a burden for you.

2. Set your schedule according to your sleeping habits: We all have different sleeping habits, some are night owls and have maximum efficiency when they study at night. Others are early risers and can study maximum in the morning. Set your routine according to what suits you better.

​

3. Make an outline: The first thing you need to do when you wake up is, make an outline of everything you need to do today. Start your day with energy and determination, make a quick outline in like 10 minutes and kick-start your day. Tell yourself you can do it all.

If you are confused about how to make a suitable schedule in the desired amount of time, you can take help from Nearpeer MDCAT Schedule. Click here to visit the schedule. 

4. Turn Off The Internet:

You might be enrolled in Nearpeer's online MDCAT course, so this point might sound weird to you. After all, you do need the internet to watch the lectures and solve quizzes. But still, you need to limit the use of the internet. After making an outline, place it in front of you and TURN OFF the internet on the devices not being used for Nearpeer (like the cell phone) until and unless you get done with the desired amount of work according to your schedule. Close down Facebook and other distractions in other tabs. This allows you to give 100% to your studies and also makes you get done with them a lot faster.

​

If you're not studying on Nearpeer, turn off each and every internet device around you, be it by phone or laptop. It might be hard, but it's necessary. Do the right thing. Using phones whiles studying is not worth failing MDCAT and taking a gap year.

5. Do not waste a whole day just because of minor issues: You’re lagging behind your schedule? Can you not keep up with your studies the way you want to do? Did you oversleep? Did you waste three hours staring at the wall? Tell yourself, it happens every now and then. What you can do is, not let these minor inconveniences make you waste your whole day in despair.

            ‘It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop.’ 

6. Do not postpone little tasks: We have a forgetful mind, so it’s better not to postpone or delay little tasks. For example, you do not understand a question and you think you get help from your teacher or friend. But you tell yourself you’re gonna do it afterward. It's highly probable that you’ll forget the task and you’re confusion will remain unanswered. So get done with little tasks as soon as they cross your mind. 

Here’s how you can manage your time effectively during MDCAT preparation and study like a topper https://www.nearpeer.org/blog/63
 
7. Take Frequent Mini-Breaks: Set your schedule in a way that it allows you to take a five to 10-minute break from your studies periodically. Take a brisk walk outside if you can. Do some exercises or walk up and down the stairs a few times. Drink water. Eat a healthy snack. But remember, it is a mini break, not a three-hour break to be spent doing nothing on the internet.

​

8. Take advantage of your little attention span: If you get bored easily and you find it difficult to spend three hours studying the same book, then take advantage of that. When you get bored of the book, put it aside and watch a study related video on youtube or learn a diagram (for example outline of Calvin cycle) or switch to vocabulary and learn a few vocabulary words

9. Ditch Academies; Enroll Online MDCAT on Nearpeer.org: The Nearpeer team came up with an online course of MDCAT in order to encourage smart learning. You might be enrolled in an academy that you go to on daily basis. Imagine you can save time that you spend on going to and coming back from the academy. Imagine saving time from uselessly hanging out with friends after the academy. Or maybe save some time that you spend waiting for your teacher to get free so that he gives you time. Also, imagine by not going academy you're saving yourself from getting tired and drained energy. Now that you skip academy, you have a good amount of time and energy to focus on what matters: Revision and Practice. You can now study through our online MDCAT course and take control of your learning.