09/15/2026
Happy Labor Day!
Who else is ready for Autumn? Cozy sweaters, warm drinks, gorgeous weather… Transitioning to a new season can ALSO be a fantastic time to transition your habits! Let's talk about building and sticking to a Study Schedule.
It’s easy to tell yourself “I’ll just study when I get some free time”, but when preparing for something advanced and challenging (such as the BCBA exam) this may not be enough. Especially as life gets busy! Setting aside designated, structured study hours can make a huge difference in your work/life/school balance, your general productivity, and your ability to effectively retain the information being studied!
Similar to a behavior plan, when it comes to study schedules, there is no one-size-fits-all. Your schedule should be individualized for your life, your habits, and your priorities!
Step One: Identify your non-negotiables.
🍂 What are the non-study activities that you KNOW you have to allow time for to function well? These should include your commitments, like work and school, but should account for life necessities like sleep, mealtimes, and showers too. You can also include your specific self-care habits like gym time, yoga, meditation, etc. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup!
Step Two: Find the time.
🕰️ Look for the blocks of free time, and begin structuring them. These can be longer stretches, but it’s also helpful to look for “hidden time.” Maybe you have an hour or two between work and class. This can be a good time to review some flashcards, or go over the notes you took last class. Maybe you have a long commute. This can be a great time to listen to a recorded lecture, a textbook audiobook, or even a BCBA podcast.
Step Three: Plan for breaks
☕Your brain needs a rest! Our ability to concentrate decreases rapidly after about 90 minutes. Schedule time to get up, stretch, take a walk, grab a snack. The Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focus, 5 minutes of rest) can be a great way to do this, but you can and should also personalize these timeframes for your own attention span! Try a few different things, and see what works for you!
Step Four: Get into the material, and develop a plan.
🎧 You’ve identified WHEN you’re going to study, and for how long. Now, make a plan for WHAT you’re going to study, and HOW you’re going to study in it. This is where the schedule becomes very individual. Identify the concepts you want to hit the hardest, the order you want to hit them in, and how long you want to spend on each. Which topics are you struggling with? What kind of review works best for you? Make sure to incorporate your break times, and be prepared to adjust as you figure out the system that works best for you!
Above all, remember that consistency is better than perfection! Creating something flexible that you know you can stick to on a regular basis is WAY more helpful than building something strict, rigid, and unforgiving. Be realistic about what you can do, and don’t set yourself up for discouragement.
We know you’ve got this! For more BCBA exam prep, give us a follow and check out our website CoachABA.com 💙
