The Art of Efficient Studying
In this post, I outline a series of strategies I use to study more efficiently—strategies that allow me to maintain balance between academic work, personal development, entrepreneurship, and other commitments.
Complete Assigned Readings Before Class
Perhaps the most crucial practice is to read the assigned material prior to attending lectures. This habit transforms the lecture into a reinforcement and clarification session, rather than your first point of contact with the content.
Arriving prepared enables you to ask thoughtful, targeted questions—questions that deepen your understanding and signal intellectual engagement to your instructor. This not only enhances your learning but can positively influence how you’re perceived and evaluated.
Take High-Level Notes While Reading — Avoid Highlighting, Outlining, or Detailed Note-Taking (Initially)
Highlighting has been shown to be an inefficient study technique and often gives a false sense of mastery. Instead, keep a notebook and summarize key ideas in your own words as you read. Leave space to fill in gaps later during lectures or review.
Use the margins of your book or notebook to jot down questions or uncertainties. This approach helps you develop a flexible framework—a mental scaffold—for the material that aligns with your own way of thinking.
The goal is not to replicate the textbook in your notes, but to create an intuitive structure that facilitates deeper understanding and easier recall.
Engage Actively During Lectures
By the time you arrive in class, you’ll have:
- Read the material,
- Created high-level notes with intentional gaps, and
- Written down specific questions.
During the lecture, use a different color pen to distinguish lecture notes from your original reading notes. Fill in the gaps as new information is presented. If your questions are addressed, note the answers; if not, ask them.
Simultaneously, follow along in your textbook and refer back to key passages. This practice not only consolidates your understanding but also reinforces the material through repetition.
By the end of class, two major benefits emerge:
- You’ve created a set of notes that are cross-referenced with both the text and the lecture.
- You’ve already begun reviewing and integrating the material—a process that supports long-term retention.
Review Before Starting the Next Reading Assignment
Before beginning a new reading, quickly review your notes from the previous session to reorient yourself within the material. If any concepts are still unclear, revisit the relevant sections in the text for clarification.
True understanding rarely comes from a single reading. It is cultivated through periodic review, reflection, and synthesis.
Maintain this cycle:
- Take high-level notes during reading,
- Engage actively during class to fill in details,
- Review prior to the next reading.
The Day Before an Exam: Light Review, Then Disconnect
By the time an exam approaches, you will have encountered and reviewed the material multiple times in various contexts. The day before, spend some time flipping through your notes and marginal annotations to refresh the big ideas.
Then, walk away.
Allowing yourself mental distance before an exam gives your subconscious time to consolidate the material. You’ll feel more relaxed and confident, and your recall will be stronger.
Key Insight
Don’t aim to grasp everything in a single pass. Instead, structure your reading and note-taking habits around iterative review and reflection. This distributed approach enables your brain to absorb information more naturally, effectively, and with greater long-term retention.