2. Outline
Quick tips
Sleep & self care
Time management
Studying
Test taking
Tools you can use
What works for you?
Questions
3. Quick Tips: Sleep & Self Care
Sleep problems are associated with a poorer working memory (Sciberras, et. al., 2015)
Routine helps: get up & go to bed the same time each day
Avoid caffeine after noon
Avoid screens before bed time
Exercise can help focus
Eat nutritious foods for your brain
Relax and do something you enjoy
4. Quick Tips: Time management plan
Keep a planner: Add due dates to a calendar
Set reminders!
Break up large tasks
If you have to write a 10-page paper, try breaking it up into 3 or 4 sections and
writing one per day.
If you have a test, break it up into small sections or chapters
5. Quick Tips: Time management plan, cont.
Start assignments early
schedule time at least the week ahead for assignments & study time
Take breaks
Plan rewards!
6. Quick Tips: Before Studying
Do a body check:
are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold? Etc.
Make yourself comfortable
Start with a 2 minute mind-dump: write your to-do list, what your thinking or worried
about
Re-read your assignment
Consider making a list of the criteria, such as word count, number of references
for a paper, or number of chapters or sections to study
7. Quick Tips: Plan Your Environment
Turn off your phone
Listen
Use Earplugs
Practice studying in a similar sounding environment as a test
Touch
Use fidget toys, stress balls, etc.
8. Quick Tips: Use all your senses
Visualize
Color-coding your notes gives you visual cues to spark your memory.
Try to associate pictures with certain words or reading passages. This triggers
your brain to remember them better.
Create your own Venn diagram to break things down.
Smell & Taste
Use the same chapstick, lotion, etc. with a specific scent when you are studying,
and then taking an exam
Chew gum, or eat a Jolly Rancher of the same flavor
9. Quick Tips: Studying
Study with a partner, if it works for you
This helps verbalize what you are learning
Organize material into sections before an exam
Review what you know first, quickly
Spend the majority of time reviewing what you don’t know
Three-times rule: “Make sure you go over everything at least three times, even if it’s a
subject you’re good at” (https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-study-tips#study-tips)
10. Quick Tips: Test Taking
Review what you know and feel confident about right before the exam
Plan your time:
Look through the entire test first and answer the easiest questions first. This will
help to reduce your anxiety.
Use the entire exam period rather than rushing through the test.
Read the question carefully and analyze what the teacher wants in the answer. If the
question has several parts, use these parts to structure your answer.
Ask for extended time or accommodations, if you haven’t already, to minimize anxiety
11. Tools you can use
Time Management tools
Listen to text:
Speechify
NaturalReader
Writing
Grammerly
Writing Center or writing tutor, for human help
Smart Pens & lecture recording
12. References & resources
E. Sciberras, A. DePetro, F. Mensah, H. Hiscock, Association between sleep and working memory in children
with ADHD: a cross-sectional study, Sleep Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 10, 2015,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2015.06.006.
https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-study-tips#helping-a-loved-one
https://www.additudemag.com/learn-more-in-less-time/
https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/study-tips-for-adhd#dig-deep
https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/ADHD_College_Success.pdf
https://careertools.binghamton.edu/blog/2021/04/15/study-tips-for-students-with-add-adhd/
https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/resources-and-tips-for-students-with-adhdld/online-and-
remote-learning-tips-for-students-with-adhd/
https://www.nursing.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/ADHD%20Study%20Tips.pdf
https://www.montana.edu/counseling/selfhelp/adhd.html
13. Get Help: Ask the Library
ask.lib.montana.edu
Chat
Email
Schedule an online appointment