The Top 10 Habits of Highly Successful Students
Have you ever seen those students who seem to have their entire life together? They play sports, are in every club imaginable, get top grades, and still manage to be genuinely kind people.
The truth? Their success is not about perfection; it’s about habits. Not big, overwhelming ones, but small, daily habits that build into massive change.
Here are the top 10 specific habits that you can start immediately to become more productive and successful: (tip: read Atomic Habits by James Clear for a deeper breakdown on building strong daily habits)
Habit 1: Make Your Bed Every Morning
What may seem like a small action is actually one of the biggest game-changers for productivity. By creating a win so early in the day, you gain instant momentum and set the tone for everything else. Plus, a clean environment is always good for your mind.
Habit 2: Do a 5 - Minute Morning Reset
Your morning reset does not have to be anything overwhelming. Adding simple structure helps you stay grounded and calm. Examples include: drinking water, stretching, planning out your day, tidying your room, saying affirmations, and journaling.
If you’re looking for more journaling inspiration, check out my blog post, “Journaling for Student Success: 10 Prompts to Gain Clarity and Confidence.”
Habit 3: Use a Weekly Planning System
If you take anything from this post, let it be this habit. A planner or weekly system is life-changing. Choose your 3 top priorities for the week, write down all quizzes, exams, and due dates, and break big tasks into smaller, daily tasks. As someone who uses a planner religiously, I promise your productivity will skyrocket. Don’t have a planner? Check out my Study Strong Schedules, which are on sale RIGHT NOW!
Habit 4: Study Using Active Recall Techniques
Instead of simply rereading your notes and convincing yourself you understand, use active recall. Make flashcards, teach the material out loud, or do practice questions. These methods will solidify the information and help you understand it more deeply.
Habit 5: Keep Your Workspace Clean
A clean environment = a clean mind. Surround yourself with things that will help you stay calm, productive, and successful. Small habits like a 2-minute tidy before bed, only keeping essentials on your desk, and doing a weekly backpack clean-out make a huge difference.
Habit 6: Write a To-Do List Daily (and actually finish it)
Every day–morning or night –write a short list of 3 non-negotiable tasks and 2 optional bonus tasks. This is your backbone for the day. Cross off these tasks throughout the day to stay productive and steadily gain motivation.
Habit 7: Move Your Body Daily
I cannot stress this enough. Daily movement is essential for focus, motivation, and happiness. Even small forms of movement can make a huge difference. Things like:
A 10-20 minute walk
An at-home workout
A morning stretch routine
Habit 8: Stay Ahead, Not Behind
Waiting until the last minute creates stress, frustration, and poor-quality work. Those students that you look up to take their time, stay ahead, and put a great amount of effort into everything they do. But how can you do that too? Preview tomorrow’s notes or topics for 5 minutes to minimize confusion and lock in ideas. Start assignments the day they are given to eliminate due-date stress. Pack your school bag the night before to ensure a calm, stress-free morning.
Habit 9: Protect Your Energy and Focus
If you are putting more effort into academics, you cannot drain your energy on things that do not support your goals. Midnight scrolling is not beneficial. It is not your “me time". You are setting up tomorrow for failure. That means putting your phone across the room when studying, using Do Not Disturb, studying in 45-50 minute sessions, saying no to plans that will drain you, and going to bed at a reasonable time.
Habit 10: End the Day with a Night Reset
To make tomorrow as productive and successful as today, you need to end today with intention. A clean space, clear mind, and direct purpose for tomorrow will help you sleep better and regain your energy. What you can do:
Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
Put away anything out of place
Review tomorrow’s tasks
Set your intentions/pray/journal
Do not start all 10 of these habits at once, or it will be impossible to stay consistent. Pick 1-2 of these habits to begin with, then build from there as you feel more consistent. If you want a simple way to keep track of your tasks, check out the Study Strong Schedules to stay organized and productive.
As always, thank you so much for joining me today! Comment below and tell me which 2 habits you will start today!
Love,
Juliet & Study Strong