Harsh Srivastava

I, being an IITian, am amazed how monotonous answers to this question get. I'll try to answer this in a different yet fun easy to follow approach.

1. Get a brief overview of your course curriculum.
2. Take a day off (probably on the weekend) and design a Timetable by the course curriculum, considering exam dates and other deadlines (if any).
3. Don't over-study, sitting for long hours without breaks. NO, NEVER! Take breaks now and then whenever you feel exhausted or are unable to concentrate. By intervals, I don't mean to stress your eyes on a tiny screen, scrolling social media feeds. Nope. Instead, lie down, take a walk, listen to some music or grab a bite to eat (or have a small discussion with your peers, if you study in groups).
4. Before proceeding to the next topics, make sure you have achieved required proficiency in the previous topics. Also, revise previous topics regularly because, after all, it doesn't matter how much topics you have covered, but how much information you have retained.
5. Play some sport. YES, SERIOUSLY! All work and no play may or may not make you dumb, but will surely make you frustrated. Besides, sports have a positive impact on both mind and body.
6. Remember it's not how much hours you study but what new do you learn. Don't let anyone, and I repeat anyone - schools, coaching (especially coaching) tell you otherwise. SMART WORK OVER HARD WORK, ALWAYS. (Reason I added this point is because many students, especially those preparing for competitive exams, tend to study same topics from many sources say different books or study material of other coachings, wasting their time grasping same information in various formats instead of using that time to learning new information).
7. Human work pattern doesn't follow a uniform distribution but rather a normal distribution. So, don't be disheartened if you are unable to follow the timetable strictly. Just try to be regular as much as possible. Take a day off to blow the steam if need be.
8. Make studying a part of your lifestyle rather than some strict regime you need to follow.