So, you’ve learned some brilliant, evidence-based study techniques in our previous blog here - spaced repetition, active recall, dual coding… all the good stuff.
But now you might be wondering: How do I actually fit this into my life? Especially when life is full of lectures, placements, group projects, feeding yourself something vaguely nutritious, and maybe even sleep (we hope).
The truth is, knowing what to do is only part of the puzzle. The other part is making a study routine that fits your brain, your energy, and your actual schedule. A routine that doesn’t leave you burnt out or stuck in guilt-spiral land. That’s where this post comes in.
This guide is here to help you build a realistic, kind, science-informed study routine - one that works with your brain, not against it. Whether you’re studying veterinary medicine or veterinary nursing, these tips are designed to support your learning and your wellbeing.
Grab your planner, a highlighter (or a snack), and let’s dive in and build a vet nursing or vet school study routine.
Routines matter (and yes, we know they're hard)
Study routines aren’t about being rigid or robotic. They’re about creating structure so your brain doesn’t have to make a thousand decisions every day. A good routine can cut down the number of decisions you need to make, make your time easier to manage, and help you build momentum over time (Clear, 2018).
Traditional productivity advice doesn’t always work for everyone, especially in the high-pressure, emotionally demanding world of vet education. That’s why this routine isn’t about perfection. It’s about flexibility, self-awareness, and kindness. Let's ditch comparing to your housemate and figure out what actually helps you.
Step 1: Start with your reality, not the Insta-worthy ideal
Let’s start by throwing out the fantasy schedule that has you studying for 10 hours a day, cooking every meal from scratch, and meditating before dawn. It’s okay to be ambitious - but it’s even better to be realistic.
Try this:
- Write out everything already on your plate this week: lectures, placements, social plans, rest.
- Then block out non-negotiables (e.g. sleep, commute, essential self-care).
- What’s left is your actual capacity. This is your space to study - and to breathe.
Step 2: Time-blocking, but make it gentle
Time-blocking means assigning specific tasks to set chunks of time in your day. It brings clarity and means fewer in-the-moment decisions about what to do next. As time goes on, you'll notice if your energy peaks at certain points in the day too.
Example:
- Monday, 10 - 11am: Review week’s anatomy lecture (spaced repetition)
- Tuesday, 3 - 4pm: Practice flashcards on pharmacology (active recall)
- Wednesday, 7 - 8pm: Group quiz session on clinical cases
Tool tip: Use a planner or digital calendar (like Google Calendar or Notion). Colour coding optional but fun.
Bonus: Try Pomofocus to structure focused 25-minute blocks with short breaks (this is the Pomodoro Technique, Cirillo, 2018). The research on it is still fairly limited, but plenty of students, including some with ADHD, find it helpful on low-energy days. Treat it as something to try, not a rule.
Step 3: Build in spaced repetition, but make it possible
Instead of starting from scratch every time, revisit topics you’ve already covered at spaced intervals. Spreading your revision out over time, rather than cramming, is one of the better-supported study strategies we have (Dunlosky et al., 2013). Apps like Anki or Brainscape do the spacing for you.
Routine-friendly idea:
- Start each study session with 10 - 15 minutes of review.
- Rotate topics across the week (e.g., Monday = Path, Tuesday = Physiology).
Step 4: Rhythm not rigidity
Your study routine doesn’t have to look the same every day. What matters is rhythm, not rigidity. Unless rigidity is your jam.
Try a weekly rhythm like:
- Mon/Weds/Fri = Short revision sprints
- Tues/Thurs = Deep focus blocks
- Weekends = Catch-up or rest (yes, actual rest)
Gentle structure beats strict schedules. Life in vet and nursing school is unpredictable, so flexibility helps you adapt without scrapping everything.
Step 5: Include energy check-ins (don't skip this one!)
All study time is not created equal. What you can do at 10am after breakfast is very different from what you can do at 9pm after clinicals.
Add this question to your planner: What kind of brain energy do I have right now?
- Fresh & focused? Great time for learning new concepts.
- Tired but okay? Review or do a case quiz.
- Frazzled? Do a light task or take a break.
Step 6: Make space for compassionate habits
Want to build a new habit, like daily flashcards or 5-minute reviews? Stack it gently onto something you already do.
Examples:
- Review 5 Anki cards with your morning tea.
- Do one practice question before shutting your laptop.
- Talk through one case with a friend on your walk.
This is called habit stacking. The idea builds on BJ Fogg's work on anchoring a new habit to an existing one (Fogg, 2019), and was popularised by James Clear (2018). It can help make study feel more natural, not forced.
Tools to support your routine
Here are a few student-loved tools that support both planning and studying:
- Notion: Customisable planner and note system
- Google Calendar: Time-blocking made simple
- Forest App: Focus timer that grows trees (literally!)
- Study With Me YouTube videos: Body-doubling for solo study sessions (this one is a 50/10 format, 50 minutes of study with 10-minute breaks, so you can pick whatever rhythm suits you)
- Todoist: Simple to-do list with scheduling options
Adapting for neurodivergent brains
If you’re neurodivergent (ADHD, dyslexia, autism, etc.), study routines might need a little extra creativity. That’s not a flaw - it’s a difference.
Ideas:
- Try body doubling (study with a friend or online), which many students find helps them get started
- Visual timers and colour coding for tasks
- Break tasks into micro-steps ("Open laptop" counts! We love Goblin Tools for this)
- Celebrate progress, not just outcomes
And finally: make sure you do something that brings you joy, actual joy
Yes, rest is part of your routine. So is joy. You’re not a machine, and vet school isn’t just about survival.
Schedule in:
- Walks
- Catch-ups with friends
- Time with animals (obviously)
- Absolutely nothing at all
Sleep plays a key role in helping your brain consolidate what you’ve learned (Diekelmann & Born, 2010), and most of us cope better with a tough day when we’re rested.
Final thoughts
Your study routine doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours. Build it with love, tweak it when it needs adjusting, and trust that consistency and kindness will take you further than stress and shame ever could.
And if you ever find yourself in a spiral of "I’m not doing enough," take a breath. You’re learning. You’re growing. You’re doing something amazing.
One step at a time. We’re with you.
Want more support like this?
If you loved this post and want to feel more connected, confident, and calm during your studies, come join our Vet Empowered Student Collective. It’s totally free - and made just for vet and vet nursing students like you.
You'll get kind, real talk about wellbeing, studying, and thriving in vet study - straight to your inbox.
Click here to join the Collective - we’d love to have you.
Resources and references
- Cirillo, F. (2018). The Pomodoro Technique. Currency.
- Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits. Avery. https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
- Diekelmann, S., & Born, J. (2010). The memory function of sleep. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(2), 114-126. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn2762
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58.
- Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Forest App: https://www.forestapp.cc/
