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Kick Starting Your A Levels...

Congratulations! You are probably four weeks into your 28 week AS level course - (Scary! AS levels fly by!). We know from experience that successful students make time to consider how they have adapted to A level study. Have they developed the good habits that will result in fantastic results? Are they picking up any bad habits that may lead to problems in the future?

This page will give you a tool to quickly assess your current A level habits, and then provide you with some things to think and do; all focused on developing habits/routines that will result in A level success.

Are you adapting to A level study? – 3 minute Assessment

We know from experience that students who get A*/As have the following 5 core study habits. Ask yourself: how accurately do the following statements describe you?

I have full (or almost full) attendance.

I use at least 60% of my ‘free’ time in school for effective independent study.

I spend at least 5 hours studying outside of the school day (without distraction from TV and Facebook) per week.

I go beyond simply doing the work set by my teachers.

I am organising my notes as I go along.

Think back over the last 4 weeks. Are you developing these essential good habits?

It is very rare that a student begins studying their AS levels with the 5 core habits already established. Successful students have to work hard at developing these good habits. Psychology and business theory can give us some excellent advice to help out.

Charles Duhigg is a New York Times Journalist. In February 2012 he published a book called ‘The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business’ which went on to become an influential best seller.

In a nutshell: - His book suggests all habits have 3 key elements. When these 3 elements come together, a habit is established. Studies show you can take control of these three elements to help you when constructing a new habit.

Element 1: Motivation

All habits need a motivation/ reason to establish them.

What causes you to routinely do this behaviour?

Example:

"I want to feel relaxed about my progress and chance of A level success."

"I want to do well!"

Element 2: Cues

Something that ‘cues’ or triggers the habit. Examples of triggers are – a particular time of day, a particular place, a particular activity.

Example:

"As soon as I arrive home each day I do my 1 hours study, before tea" (Cue = time of day).

‘I make sure I visit the school library for quiet study at least once a day" (Cue = particular place) .

Element 3: Routine

All habits involve developing a routine.

Example:

"I spend every Monday afternoon in my school library as I have 2 ‘free periods’. I always go alone. I always sit at a quite desk at the back of the library, I don’t know why, I just feel comfortable back there. I start by switching my phone on silent and putting it in my bag; I promise myself I will not look at it for the next 2 hours. Then I quickly write a list of jobs that I want to get done. Then I get started. As I go I tick my jobs off. In a weird way it feels good! I know this sounds silly! It's just my little ritual. It makes makes good use of the time".

So forming new habits is easy then? Afraid not. All research suggests forming new habits takes time, motivation and effort.

RSA research into habit formation suggests, "No matter how much knowledge, reflection and deliberation you bring to bare, you need behaviour to change behaviour. Thought alone will rarely change a habit".

In other words, simply thinking about developing new habits will have no impact. You have to work at it. You have to do something.

The RSA finish their article with this final piece of advice, "....it is not easy to form a good habit. You need repeated practice, and need to find a way to keep motivation high".

30 Days to success

A really interesting blog by Steve Pavlina passionately argues that you can go a long way to establishing a new habit in just 30 days. He calls this The 30 Day Trial - 30 Days to Success.

In a nutshell:- Pavlina says the best way to form a new challenge is to think about it as a temporary change. He says this makes it less frightening. Set yourself a 30 day challenge and see how it goes. He discusses that the first few weeks are the hardest, but during this time, it is comforting to know there is an end in sight, this doesn’t have to be forever. He says from experience at the end of 30 days you usually find you feel so good from developing the new habit you decide to stick at it. If it's has too hard you can adapt the habit; make it more manageable. You might even choose to extend the trial period. Worst case, you decide this habit is not one that is going to stick. Well at least you did it for 30 days. It’s a powerful argument.

One last thing... Pavlina suggests people embarking on 30 Day Trails blog about their experiences. Now you haven’t got time for that as a busy A level student but... there is evidence that suggests logging your progress, keeping a record is useful. For example – keep a tally of how many times to you have that intense study session in the library. The progress of logging your behaviour makes you think about what you are doing and can motivate you to stick to a new routine. Try using the lift app to record your progress.

The A level Mindset 30 Day Trial

Task 1 – Think of one good study habit that you will aim to develop over the next 30 days. Try to be as clear and specific as possible. For example, this month I will aim to do at least 3 hours a week focused independent study during my free periods.

This month I will................

Task 2 – To create a 'habit loop' you need to establish and note down your reflections. Write out the statement below.

My motivation for establishing this new habit is.........

The thing/s that will cue/trigger my new behaviour are........(consider time / location/activity)

The routine I am going to establish is ..........

Good Luck.

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