You’re NOT stupid, Your Schedules Are. | The Anti-Study Plan Method

Summary

In this video, medical student Fay discusses her disdain for traditional study plans due to their rigidity and tendency to prioritize quantity over quality. She argues that studying should be flexible and adapt to individual needs and topics' varying complexities. Fay shares her alternative approach, which includes setting daily goals, focusing on quality over quantity, and using 'batch tasking' to improve efficiency. She emphasizes the importance of self-encouragement and the flexibility to adjust plans based on daily performance and well-being.

Takeaways

• 📚 Fay, a final-year medical student, shares her personal journey and insights on study planning.
• 🚫 Fay initially struggled with rigid study plans, which she later found to be counterproductive.
• 🐌 The 'snail vs. worm' analogy is used to illustrate the inflexibility of study plans compared to a more adaptable approach.
• 🕰 Study plans can lead to neglecting high-yield topics and not accounting for varying difficulty levels of subjects.
• 🌀 Fay emphasizes the importance of personal well-being and how study plans can overlook the impact of daily feelings and energy levels.
• 🎨 Fay discusses the time-consuming and often fruitless endeavor of creating color-coded study plans that are rarely followed.
• 🍫 The 'Brussels sprouts vs. Lindor' analogy highlights the preference for quality over quantity in studying.
• 🎯 Fay suggests setting goals and identifying weaknesses at the start of an exam season instead of detailed study plans.
• ✅ A daily ritual of planning in half-hour slots, with flexibility to adapt based on the day's progress and feelings, is recommended.
• 🔄 Batching tasks and checking off completed tasks provides a sense of accomplishment and motivation.
• 🌟 Fay encourages finding small joys in studying, like crossing off tasks, to maintain motivation without constant self-pressure.

Q & A

Why did the speaker initially start making study plans?

The speaker started making study plans after failing their A levels and not getting the grades needed for medical school, as a way to structure their study and eventually get into medical school.

What is the speaker's opinion on study plans after six years in medical school?

The speaker believes that making a study plan could be harmful to one's grades and suggests an alternative approach to studying.

What is the 'worm versus the snail' analogy referring to in the context of study plans?

The 'worm versus the snail' analogy refers to the rigidity of study plans compared to the flexibility needed in studying. The snail represents a rigid study plan, while the worm symbolizes a more flexible and adaptable approach.

Why does the speaker dislike the rigidity of study plans?

The speaker dislikes the rigidity of study plans because they do not account for varying times needed for different topics, the importance of high-yield topics, and the individual's feelings or condition on a particular day.

What is the 'colorcoded plan that never gets cross-out' issue mentioned by the speaker?

This issue refers to the time spent creating elaborate study plans that are never followed through, leading to a sense of guilt and failure instead of actual study progress.

How does the speaker feel about the balance between quantity and quality of study?

The speaker believes that quality of study is more important than quantity. They argue that several hours of focused, quality study are more beneficial than forcing a large number of hours without focus.

What does the 'Brussels sprouts or the Lindor' analogy represent in the script?

This analogy represents the preference for quality over quantity. The speaker would rather have a few Lindor chocolates (a treat they enjoy) than many Brussels sprouts (which they dislike), emphasizing that doing a few enjoyable and effective study tasks is better than many tedious ones.

What alternative does the speaker suggest instead of a rigid study plan?

The speaker suggests setting goals, identifying weaknesses, and creating a flexible daily schedule based on how the day is going, rather than a rigid study plan.

How does the speaker plan their day during exam season?

The speaker writes a daily schedule in half-hour slots, planning out their day based on previous performance, weaknesses, and how they feel that day.

What is the speaker's view on batching tasks during study?

The speaker is a strong advocate for batching tasks, which involves grouping similar tasks together to improve efficiency and reduce the energy spent on task switching.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Downfall of Rigid Study Plans

The speaker, Fay, a final year medical student, shares her journey of academic struggle and success. Initially failing her A-levels, she later secured a place in medical school and consistently passed her exams. Fay argues against the traditional study plan, likening it to a snail with a rigid shell, and instead praises the flexibility of a worm. She believes that study plans can be detrimental due to their inflexibility, failure to account for varying topic difficulties, and neglect of high-yield topics. Fay also criticizes study plans for ignoring individual feelings and states of well-being, which can significantly impact study effectiveness. She concludes by sharing her dislike for the guilt associated with uncompleted study plans and the time wasted on creating them rather than studying.

05:02

🍫 Quality Over Quantity in Studying

Fay discusses her disdain for study plans that emphasize quantity over quality, using the analogy of choosing between 50 Brussels sprouts and five Lindor chocolates to illustrate her preference for quality. She recounts her experience of setting a high quota of practice questions, which led to exhaustion and diminished learning effectiveness. Fay advocates for a balance between the amount of study and its quality, suggesting that focused, quality study sessions are more beneficial than prolonged, low-efficiency ones. She shares her alternative approach to study planning, which involves setting goals and weaknesses at the start of an exam season, followed by daily planning that adapts to her performance and feelings on that day. Fay also emphasizes the importance of batching tasks to improve efficiency and reduce the mental cost of task-switching.

10:04

📆 Daily Rituals Over Long-Term Plans

In the final paragraph, Fay explains her daily study ritual, which involves creating a flexible schedule in half-hour slots, taking into account her performance and feelings on the previous day. She emphasizes the importance of adapting to her weaknesses and the day's demands, rather than sticking to a rigid long-term plan. Fay also highlights the psychological benefits of checking off completed tasks and the use of small rewards to maintain motivation. She concludes by encouraging viewers to find joy and satisfaction in their study routines, suggesting that these positive reinforcements can be more effective than constant pressure and guilt.

Keywords

💡Study Plan

A study plan is a structured schedule outlining the allocation of time and resources for studying. In the video, the speaker initially relied on a study plan when they first entered medical school but later found it to be rigid and not adaptable to the fluid nature of studying. The speaker's experience with study plans is central to the video's theme of exploring effective study strategies.

💡Rigidity

Rigidity in this context refers to the inflexibility of a study plan, which does not account for varying study times needed for different topics or the individual's changing daily circumstances. The video criticizes the rigidity of study plans for not being adaptable to the natural ebb and flow of learning and personal well-being.

💡High-Yield Topics

High-yield topics are subjects or areas of study that are likely to yield significant returns in terms of exam performance. The video discusses how study plans can overlook the importance of focusing on these topics, which are more likely to appear in exams, in favor of a rigid, equal-time allocation to all topics.

💡Burnout

Burnout is a state of physical or mental exhaustion, often caused by prolonged stress. The video mentions burnout as a consequence of adhering to a rigid study plan that does not take into account the need for rest and recovery, which is essential for maintaining long-term study effectiveness.

💡Quantity vs. Quality

This concept refers to the balance between the amount of study done (quantity) and the effectiveness of that study (quality). The video argues against the common misconception that more is always better, suggesting that focused, high-quality study sessions are more beneficial than prolonged, low-quality ones.

💡Daily Schedule

A daily schedule in the context of the video is a more flexible approach to planning one's study time, as opposed to a long-term study plan. The speaker advocates for creating a daily schedule based on immediate needs and feelings, allowing for adaptability and a better reflection of one's actual study capacity on any given day.

💡Batch Tasking

Batch tasking is the practice of grouping similar tasks together to improve efficiency and reduce the cognitive load of task-switching. The video suggests using batch tasking to streamline study sessions, focusing on one type of task (like reviewing flashcards or practicing questions) at a time to maximize productivity.

💡Dopamine Kick

A dopamine kick refers to the pleasurable reward sensation one gets from accomplishing a task or goal. In the video, the speaker mentions using small rewards, like checking off completed tasks, to provide motivation and a sense of achievement during study sessions.

💡Mock Papers

Mock papers are practice exams that simulate the conditions and content of actual exams. The video uses mock papers as an example of a targeted study goal, where the speaker schedules time to complete these as part of their daily study routine to gauge progress and identify areas for improvement.

💡Flashcards

Flashcards are a study tool consisting of cards with information on them, used for memorization and review. In the video, the speaker includes reviewing flashcards as a daily study activity, highlighting their utility in reinforcing memory and understanding of key concepts.

💡Adaptability

Adaptability in the context of the video refers to the ability to adjust one's study plan or schedule in response to changing circumstances or needs. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being adaptable in studying, as opposed to sticking to a rigid plan, to accommodate individual learning styles and daily variations in energy and focus.

Highlights

The speaker emphasizes the importance of not having a study plan after failing to get into medical school initially.

A daily study plan was implemented during the struggle to get into medical school and was successful in passing all exams.

The speaker argues that making a study plan could potentially be harmful to one's grades.

An analogy is made between the rigidity of a snail's shell and the flexibility of a worm to illustrate the downsides of study plans.

Study plans often neglect the fact that some topics take longer to learn than others.

The rigidity of study plans can lead to overlooking high-yield topics that frequently appear on exams.

Study plans may not account for how one feels on a particular day, which can affect study effectiveness.

The guilt associated with not sticking to a study plan can be a significant drawback.

The time spent creating a detailed study plan can detract from actual studying.

The speaker shares personal experiences of not adhering to study plans and the negative impact it had.

A preference for quality over quantity in studying is advocated, suggesting that focused study is more beneficial.

The speaker outlines an alternative approach to studying that involves setting goals and weaknesses at the start of an exam season.

Daily rituals of planning are used instead of a rigid study plan, allowing for flexibility and adaptation.

Batching tasks together is recommended to improve efficiency and reduce the mental cost of task switching.

The importance of giving oneself small rewards and moments of joy during the study process is highlighted.

The video concludes with encouragement to find a study method that suits the individual's needs and avoids burnout.

Transcripts

I have not made a study plan ever since

I got into medical school when I flopped

my a levels and didn't get the grades I

needed to get into medical school I made

a study plan every single day fast

forward 6 years after resetting my exams

and eventually getting my place at

Medical School I passed every single one

of my exams and not only that I got into

my Top Choice area for my first job as a

doctor coincidence I think not I am

about to drop a little bit of bombshell

on you and explain why making a study

plan could be harmful to your grades and

not only that but also what I do instead

if you're new here then my name is Fay I

am a final year medical student in the

UK and the aim of this channel is to

unashamedly explain all the silly silly

mistakes that I've made over the past

few years in the hopes that you guys

could learn from mine and avoid making

those mistakes for yourself if living a

more successful and fulfilled life

sounds like something that you would be

interested in then make sure to click

the Subscribe button down below reason

number one why I hate study plans the

worm versus the snail now the snail has

a shell on it it is rigid it is hard and

if you have ever seen a snail move it

does not move very quickly versus the

worm worms are slippery slimy flexible

overall just a lot more superior to the

snail previously when I would make study

plans I would create a rigid robust 6

week schedule that I would try to stick

to when each topic would be allocated a

onh hour slot if it needed any more time

than that allocated 1 hour slot tough

they won't getting it a lot of the times

study plans completely neglect that some

topics are going to take longer than

others some topics we going to be weaker

in some topics we're going to go over

them once and then a week later forget

and then need to recap it and then

unpredictably need to recap it at a

later a date the rigidity of study plans

is one of the reasons I hate them the

most studying is an art it is fluid it

is not prescriptive we all have

different brains we all have different

memories there are some topics that just

will always stick in my head for some

unbeknownst reason whereas individuals

who are of equal intelligence May

struggle with that individual topic but

a topic that I might really struggle

with sticks with them another aspect of

the rigidity of study plans that is

detrimental is the neglect for high

yield topics now not all topics are

created equally there are some topics

that you will learn about for any exam

that will almost certainly come up year

after year after year and then there are

some topics that are incredibly Niche

and may never come up and honestly if

you never touched upon them once you may

still be able to get a pretty decent

grade in an exam another reason that I

hate the rigidity of a study plan is how

it neglects how you feel on that day

this may sound really fluffy and really

wishy-washy and I can just tell that

some of you are probably thinking F bill

build a bridge steady is not meant to be

easy we don't need to Bubble Wrap

everyone it is hard it's draining it's

boring you just need to get over it I

100% get that however from doing 5 years

of medical school exams there have been

days where I have tried with every

answer my being push myself through the

burnout and I physically have not been

able to and I would have just been so

much better to take the evening off rest

recuperate and come back to it in the

morning I think the issue that I always

found with the study plan is if my days

were so rigid ly structured and then I

got to the afternoon and I just wanted

to curl up in a ball and sleep I would

feel so much more guilty doing that

because then I would be behind on my

study plan and I'd never be able to

catch up for women if you're ill or

burnt out or at a certain point in your

cycle a lot of the times these aren't

things that can be predicted 6 weeks in

advance kind of moving on from the guilt

that I would feel when I used to make a

study plan is my second reason that I do

not like study plans and that is the

colorcoded plan that never gets cross

out now when I used to create study

plans I would allocate a couple hours

out of my day to create my study plan

for like the next 6 weeks 8 weeks 3

months whatever and those 3 hours would

eventually engorge the entirety of the

day because I would be having way too

much fun organizing my topics on a

colorcoded daily chart that I would

neglect the actual activities that are

actually going to get me better grades

in my exams and the worst part is I

would convince myself that I would was

being productive the cherry on top of

all of this is I would spend an entire

day creating this study plan and I would

never and I mean never stick to it now

if you're someone who creates a study

plan and religiously sticks to it then

well done you this video probably isn't

for you keep doing what you're doing I

certainly was not one of those

individuals Not only was it a complete

waste of my time but it felt like a huge

Cloud hanging over my head for the

entirety of exam season a reminder of of

the failure I was at being able to

allocate and delegate my time correctly

and not procrastinate final reason that

I do not like steady plans is the

Brussels sprouts or the Lindor analogy

would you rather 50 brussels sprouts or

five Lindor now personally I really do

not like brussels sprouts if you really

like brussels sprouts then again well

done to you this video probably isn't

for you I would much prefer Lindor just

because there is 50 brussels sprouts it

really does not make me want them any

more than the five lindel if you haven't

CAU on already I am referring to the

ageold saying poliy over quantity I

myself was sucked into thinking that

quantity was more important last year

when I was studying for my medical

school exams I set myself a daily quota

of how many practice questions I had to

complete in a day to the point that by

the end of the day I was getting every

single question wrong eyes half shut

crying out for my bed and some rest

probably not remotely benefiting from

getting any of these questions wrong

because my focus was just purely to get

through the questions and hit that

number now the method behind my madness

was by doing as many questions as

possible I would get through the breadth

of content that was required to pass my

medical school exams and to an extent

quantity is important I could have done

one question every single day but if I

really done it thoroughly it still

probably wouldn't have been enough to

pass there's a balance but I think with

study plans it often puts the weight on

quantity over quality I truly believe

that four or 6 hours of good quality

studying is infinitely more beneficial

than guilt tripping yourself into

spending 12 to 15 hours in the library

slowly dragging yourself through each

minute so if I do not make a study plan

what is it that I do instead well at the

beginning of any exam season I lay out

my goals I lay out weaknesses from from

last exam season areas of improvement

rough targets of maybe how many

questions I want to have got through

rough goals for what I would have wanted

to achieve by the time I come to sit the

exam to know that I feel like I've done

enough for me I know that if by the end

of exam season I'm getting decent marks

on mock papers I'm getting decent marks

on my question Banks um I'm up to date

with my flashcards then I feel

relatively confident that I've done

enough to pass so I have my initial

laying everything out session and then

instead of having a study plan every

single morning I have a little bit of a

ritual for planning out my day I will

write out the date and next to it I'll

write you got this and a little

heart and then I will write a daily

schedule in half an hour slots and plan

out my day based on how I did the day

before any weaknesses I noticed how I

feel that day take for example I'm

Midway through exam season I have a

couple of past papers that I haven't

done that I want want to get done I have

my flashcards to go over and I also have

a couple of topics I noticed I was

particularly weak on the day before then

I will write out my daily schedule um I

might schedule in to do one of those

mock papers as I know that's part of my

overall goals for that exam season um

I'll also schedule in reviewing my

flashcards because I like to do that

every single day of exam season and

ideally not exam season but doesn't

always happen and then I'll also schedu

in a little bit of time to focus in a

lot more intensely on the areas of

weakness that I noticed from the day

before so normally I like to plan out

about 3 hours in the morning have a

little bit of break for lunch and then

come back and then based on how I did

that morning plan out the next 3 hours

and then after those 3 hours are done

depending on what stage it is in exam

season or how I'm feeling that day or

how productive the morning and afternoon

were I might then decide to go home have

a little bit of dinner have a little bit

more of a restful evening or if I'm

still feeling productive still feeling

energized it's quite late on in exam

season or I've had a particularly

unproductive unhelpful morning I might

choose to stay for another 3-hour

session in the evening if you've watched

any of my other videos you'll know that

I'm a big big big advocate for batching

tasks now batching tasks is just

grouping all the tasks that are similar

together to improve efficiency and to

reduce the cost of task switching I

can't actually remember what it's called

but I'll put it here it's basically just

the energy you use up by switching from

one task to the next so anyway I am a

big advocate for batch tasking getting

all your daily plans for the next few

weeks done so that you can just get up

get to the library and you do not have

to think about what you're doing on that

day for me personally doing my plan

every morning and afternoon and evening

usually only takes me about 5 minutes

and it's got to the point where it is

such a ritual in my study routine that I

actually feel like it really grounds me

it's almost like a little bit of a warm

up for me and it gets me in the zone of

knowing I'm in the library to get done

alongside it being so flexible and

allowing me to incorporate all my

weaknesses and adap the plant my knees

for that day one of my favorite things

is checking off each half an hour with

my little red pen and giving myself that

quick little dopamine kick that I need

to get me through the rest of the day

rather than having the guilt hanging

over me of an empty 6 week color

coordinated study plan studying is hard

and mundane enough as it is I think when

we can give ourselves these little

moments of Joy these little moments of

satisfaction motivation encouragement

then I don't think we should shy away

from that I think that we think that we

can achieve more when we beat ourselves

up and I get so scared that the

adrenaline hits me and I study a lot

harder however that is great for 5 days

before my exam if I was to constantly be

going through that for the eight weeks

on the lead UPS of my exam I would get

burnt out so quickly and it has happened

before the pressure ate me up and I

burned out I reckon about 3 weeks before

my exam these little moments of

encouragement really can just be as

simple as Crossing out your daily

schedule with a red pen or rewarding

yourself with going home early because

you've achieved everything that you

wanted for the day if you made it to the

end of this video then maybe you can

leave a little calendar and across Emoji

in the comment section I hope you

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you have a wonderful wonderful wonderful

week and I will see you in the next

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