Back to school season has arrived! It’s time to get organised, continue learning and push yourself to your highest potential. At Collins Debden, we pride ourselves on having all the tools you need to achieve your organisational and academic goals, from diaries and planners to notebooks and calendars. 

Picking the right diary for you 

When setting up a study plan or just generally getting organised, having a diary that works for your individual needs is essential. How does your day to day schedule look? If you are booked and busy down to the minute, try using one of our day-to-page diaries. These allow for ample room to write down all your daily tasks and plans. Additionally, if you need a more precise option, try our diaries with appointment times. These have space to write down meetings in a time slot: you’ll never forget an appointment again! Our week to view diaries offer an overview of your week, with space to write in your important appointments and deadlines. This layout is perfect for those who want to have their week at a glance, and leave the details and to do lists for a separate notebook. 

 

Paper note taking is here to stay

With the rise of digital note taking and iPads in the classrooms, we know that there is a community of paper note takers that persists. Digital note taking certainly has its place and uses, some studies show that pen and paper note taking can increase information comprehension and concentration. We believe that having a great notebook makes this even better, our collection includes A4 and A5 notebooks with different paper types, so you can find something perfect for your note taking needs. 

 

The importance of study breaks 

Nobody wants to burn-out this academic year, so it’s essential to give your mind and body a break when studying. Goals can be achieved without sacrificing your health! Even a quick 15 minute break away from the textbooks and screens every few hours is enough to give yourself some time to recharge. Here are some more of our top study break tips:

1. Take a proper lunch break (no eating at your desk!)
2. Make sure to get some fresh air. Either a short walk or just sitting outside. 
3. Take 30 minutes to do something unrelated to studying: read a book, make a snack, go on a coffee run. Give yourself some time to switch off.  

Productivity techniques

It’s not always easy to stay productive and on track, so we have a few techniques that might help you get your tasks done. 

1. Set timers - it’s much easier for the brain to focus for shorter periods of time, so to try and keep your mind from wandering, set a 20 minute timer and see how much you can get done. Setting aside a chuck of time to complete a task is a great way to focus your mind. 
2. Pomodoro method. Similar to the previous technique, the pomodoro method relies on setting timers but it factors in a break after each timer is up. Choose your task, then start a 25 minute timer. Once the timer is done, give yourself a 5 minute break, then start the timer again. After every 25 minutes of focus, allow yourself an extra 5 minutes onto your break. 
3. Find your ideal environment. Half the battle for staying focused can be your surroundings. We are all different; some people prefer a quiet space, whereas others prefer some background noise. Figure out which environments your most productive self enjoys, and make this a consistent part of your study routine.