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How Co-Study Sessions Help Teens Develop Time Management Skills
In today’s busy world, everyday life means juggling different responsibilities that require good time management. This is no different for teens who have assignments, exams, social life, hobbies and sometimes part-time jobs on their plate. Time management in this case becomes an important skill to prioritise and plan an academic and personal life. A simple way to build these skills is through co-study sessions.
Co-study sessions allow scholars to come together, in person or online, to learn side-by-side. Learners study in the same space, receiving support, structure and motivation. These sessions help teens stay focused, avoid procrastination and build better habits. In this blog, we’ll explore how co-study sessions improve time management and how you can support this valuable practice.
Provides A Structured Study Schedule
One of the hurdles that teens face is deciding when they should study. Having a fixed time to focus on studying can be challenging for some scholars. However, without structure, it will be easy to participate in time-wasting distractions. Co-study sessions solve this problem by creating a time to begin and end studying.
This scheduled routine teaches teens how to plan their day and structure their activities. As they set aside time blocks for their learning, they begin to develop time management skills. The fact that this is a group session also makes teens feel compelled to keep time because the schedule accommodates other scholars as well. This article states that the presence of other scholars in a formal group study session creates a more structured environment. This, in turn, promotes productivity for a learner during the session.
Reduces Procrastination
It’s easy for learners to put off studying something they find difficult or boring. Health experts mention that procrastination is one of the common barriers for teens in managing their time well. However, studying among other scholars can reduce a teen’s procrastination. When they feel inspired to study, a teen will avoid procrastination and easily jump into their learning. Just being in a study environment, even virtually, creates a push to stay and work on the task.
By showing up to a study session and starting on time, teens learn that progress often starts with simply beginning. Adopting this mindset of “starting now” plays a big part in successful time management. Young people get to build routines that pour into other areas of life more when they show up on time and work with others.
Encourages Goal-Setting and Planning
Most co-study sessions begin with a check-in where scholars share their goals. A simple question like, “What are you working on today?” encourages a teen to set a goal for the session. Whether setting a plan to read a chapter, solve Maths problems or write an essay, this grows goal-setting and planning skills. Clear and achievable goals help teens have direction during the session.
This habit helps teens focus on what they can accomplish. The temptation to dwell on the challenging part of their study time decreases because they have their eyes on achieving their goal. In this blog, we see that as a scholar begins to set goals more regularly, they are more likely to achieve them. Planning their time helps teens grow more aware of the time they have and how to best use it as they study. They learn how to estimate the duration of tasks and how to adjust their plans. This helps to strengthen their time management skills.
Improves Focus and Task Completion
Being in a space like a co-study session that is dedicated to learning gives scholars clear direction and helps avoid studying aimlessly. A co-study environment has an understanding that communicates that participants are there to learn. Because of this, learners are less likely to waste time when they’re around others who are focused on studying. This shared accountability helps them complete tasks quickly and with better quality. This blog on managing time effectively states that when a teen has something to focus on, they are less affected by distractions. This increases their chances of completing their tasks.
Finishing tasks on time increasingly cultivates the importance of deadlines, and it encourages efficient study habits. A learner starts noticing their patterns that increase or decrease their productivity. They also learn to set realistic goals as they understand their study flow.
Builds Consistency Through Routine
Good time management is more than just doing things faster. It’s about doing them regularly. Co-study sessions encourage this consistency because of the set time and repeated sessions. These regular sessions create a rhythm that helps teens get used to the routine. Scholars begin to anticipate this occurrence and can build a study culture from this habit of studying. Whether they take place weekly or a few times a week, co-study sessions build a healthy consistency for teens.
Building study time into a teen’s weekly routine makes it a habit and not a chore. This consistency helps reduce last-minute anxiety and exam or test stress. It also makes room for fun, relaxation and other responsibilities because time is being used more wisely. If you’d like to help your child build a healthy study routine through the GT Scholars Co-study Club, contact us here to learn more about the programme.
Teaches Prioritisation Skills
To manage time effectively, a learner has to know what to do first. This seems simple enough, but some scholars will not know how to prioritise their tasks correctly. During co-study sessions, a learner has to decide which tasks are most important to work on. Under supervision, they can learn whether to study for next week’s test or finish an assignment due tomorrow. Study mentors can guide a scholar in this valuable skill. This article states that group study sessions help teens prioritise assignments, study sessions, projects and their schedules. The skill of prioritisation requires intentional practice, and a co-study environment allows scholars to build this skill.
Creates a Supportive Learning Environment
One thing co-study sessions remove is the feeling of loneliness and a teen thinking they lack support. Sometimes, a scholar might not see their study challenges disappear immediately. However, knowing that other learners are also working on their study goals can keep them going. They might also struggle with time management because they feel overwhelmed. A co-study session, though, guarantees the scholar is surrounded by fellow learners who are determined and working on their goals.
When a young person feels encouraged and supported, they’re more likely to stay committed to their academic goals. The scholar becomes more confident, less stressed and more focused on making consistent progress.
Promotes Reflection and Self-Awareness
Having reflection times in a co-study session helps develop time management skills because a teen starts to notice their habits. Being part of study sessions like the GT Scholars Co-Study Club gives learners opportunities to reflect on their study progress. A study mentor asking for updates at the end of the session will help a learner realise their academic progress. They can reflect on how they used their time and what they accomplished.
A scholar exploring questions like “what got in the way of my studying today?” helps them note down their challenging behaviours. This self-awareness helps them consider ways to avoid those hindering habits. The more they reflect, the better they become at adjusting their routines. They can begin making smart choices about how they use their study time. Learn more about the Co-Study Club here and help your child build healthy study habits.
Below, we are going to give some practical tips that you can use to help your teen make the most of co-study sessions.
Use Practical Techniques to Avoid Distractions
We are in a digital age, so distractions are one of the most common challenges teens face while studying. This can even happen during co-study sessions. A practical way to address this is to ask your child to use the ‘thought-parking’ technique. This is where they write down their thoughts or ideas so they can attend to them later. They can keep a notepad close so they can write off-topic thoughts and reminders that come to mind during study time. This helps them not to disrupt their study flow.
They can also turn off notifications, put their phones or devices away and use productivity apps that block distracting websites. Encourage your child to treat their co-study like an appointment with a start and end time.
Join a Study Session With a Clear Goal
Having a clear goal is the easiest way to help your child zone in during study time. They should have a clear intention before the co-study session begins so they can focus. It will eliminate confusion, and the scholar will waste less time when they know what their aim is as they study. This blog shows that setting clear goals can help a teen prioritise their tasks and stay organised.
When they have a clear direction and purpose, your teen can easily measure their progress. Encourage your child to have specific and realistic goals, instead of generic goals. They can change their goals from “study science” to “go over biology flashcards”. When it’s specific, they’re able to see if they achieved their goal.
Help Them Cultivate a Reward System
For teens who usually procrastinate or feel overwhelmed by tasks, rewards can be a good motivator. Your teen could reward themselves after a co-study session with a small treat or some screen time. These small rewards can bring balance and enjoyment to studying.
Co-study sessions also give a chance to bring healthy recognition in a group setting. Study groups like the GT Scholars Co-Study Club celebrate wins publicly to highlight positive achievements and increase motivation among scholars. It can build confidence and give scholars something to look forward to. Over time, this approach can help scholars associate study time with progress and achievement. It will slowly remove the negative association of stress and anxiety when thinking of studying.
Developing strong time management skills doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, reflection and the right environment. Because we understand the challenges teens face, we created the GT Scholars Co-Study Club. This guided virtual study space allows teens to set goals and study alongside others in a supportive, focused environment.
Our sessions are created to help students stay accountable, manage distractions and build long-term study habits. If you’d like to find out more about the Co-Study Club, contact us here.
GT Scholars is an award-winning education company and social enterprise. We run high-impact tutoring, mentoring & enrichment programmes for young people aged 11-18. If you’d like to give your child the support, skills and strategies needed to achieve their academic and career aspirations, you're in the right place!
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