Students often have a sense of what they should be doing. They heard they should be reviewing notes regularly, doing practice problems, and spacing out their studying. Yet, despite how many times I remind them of the steps, I still find students cramming for exams at the last minute. The gap between intention and action is real, and it’s where academic support educators can make a big difference. We can help students build routines that stick by drawing on principles from psychology and behavioral science:
- Starting Small with Micro-Habits
Students often come to talk about their big goals, like studying three hours every day (usually after not studying at all for a semester). But big goals can often feel overwhelming and, as a result, are abandoned quickly. Change is more sustainable when it begins with small, easy wins. For instance, suggest adding a 10–15-minute daily review instead of a three-hour study block. Once habits take root, they naturally expand. Success at smaller goals builds momentum. - Use Implementation Intentions
Vague intentions like I’ll study Torts this week don’t translate into action. Implementation intentions do. Implementation intents often follow a specific “if/when-then” plan. For instance, you might help a student draft a specific rule like: When it’s 6 pm, then I’ll review my Torts outline for 20 minutes or If I finish reading, then I’ll rewrite one rule statement. Helping students create specific, simple rules for themselves can increase follow-through. - Reduce Friction, Increase Cues
Students often avoid studying because it feels hard to get started. Let’s face it – there are probably a hundred things we’d rather do than sit down and study. Behavioral science suggests we should guide students to make the desired behavior easier so there are fewer excuses not to get started. This might look like reducing friction or increasing cues. For example:
• Reducing Friction: Keep outlines open on the desktop rather than buried in files
• Increase Cues: Pair study time with a visual or auditory trigger, like sitting in a designated spot or paying a specific “study start” song.
Environmental design can matter as much as willpower to following through with a study plan. - Harness the Power of Accountability
We are more likely to follow through when someone else is expecting us to. Encourage students to form study groups with clear, shared goals; schedule study check-ins with peer mentors or academic support staff; or use apps or tracking sheets to share progress. Accountability turns private intentions into public commitments. - Emphasize Reflection and Feedback
We all know that habits aren’t static. They require adjustment! Encourage students to pause weekly and ask what worked well, what didn’t, and what small adjustment(s) could improve next week. By framing reflection as part of routine, students learn that setbacks aren’t failures but feedback.
Helping students build productive study routines isn’t about handing them the perfect schedule. Instead, it’s about helping them work with human psychology. When routines are small, specific, supported by cues, reinforced with accountability, and open to feedback, students stop fighting procrastination and start building sustainable habits for law school, the bar exam, and beyond.
(Dayna Smith)
