Your guide to getting more done without the burnout

If you've ever spent a whole day at your desk and still felt like you got nothing done, you're not alone. The good news? Studying harder isn't the answer. Studying smarter is.

Here are 6 gentle, practical tips to help you get more out of your study sessions without burning out.

Before anything else: rest is not laziness. Sleep is when your brain consolidates memories, processes information, and recharges for the next day. Pulling all-nighters might feel productive, but they often leave you feeling foggy, anxious, and less able to retain what you studied.

Uncertainty is stressful. When you sit down without a plan, your brain spends energy just figuring out what to do before you've even started.

Take five minutes at the start of each week to map out what you'll study and when. Keep it realistic and kind to yourself. Block in breaks, meals, and downtime too. Knowing what's ahead makes it easier to switch off when you're not studying, which is just as important as the studying itself.

Every morning make a checklist of tasks you want to achieve each day. As you work through your day, tick things off. It sounds simple, but that small moment of completion gives your brain a little hit of satisfaction and that feeling builds momentum. One task done makes the next one feel more achievable!

There are so many free educational videos and documentaries available online that can help you with your course. Nowadays, there are videos on almost every subject. 

UAL students can get free access to Kanopy. Kanopy’s collection includes thousands of award-winning documentaries, training films and theatrical releases.

Can't find what you are looking for? Get in touch with UAL Library Services.

Combining traditional books with audiobooks and podcasts can be refreshing and enriching. 

The best part? You can listen to what’s being said while you're going around your daily life, like when commuting to college or doing the food shop. 

This doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, there are plenty of resources online that are free to listen too. You can even listen to podcasts on YouTube and Spotify to help inspire your work! 

We all take notes digitally in 2026, but sometimes it’s difficult to process the notes that you are typing. Why not go old school and start taking notes by hand again? 

There's also something about pen and paper that's just a little kinder to your mind. No notifications popping up, no temptation to flick between tabs, no blue light. Handwriting can make it easier to stay present in lectures rather than anxiously trying to capture everything word for word.

Useful links

👉 Visit UAL Library Services to find out how you can get the most out of the resources available to you. If you are struggling or need further advice they can also offer you academic support. 

👉 The Disability Service can also offer support if you have or think you have Dyslexia or another learning difference.

👉 To find out about further support services available to you, check out this article.