CalculateY
Quick Answer
20 hours of study spread over 5 days with a 6-hour max gives 4.0 hours per day, with 5 study sessions of 50 minutes each.
Break length is approximately 20% of session length
Common Examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 20 hours, 5 days, 6 hr max, 50 min sessions | 4.0 hrs/day, 5 sessions of 50 min with 10 min breaks |
| 30 hours, 7 days, 5 hr max, 25 min sessions | 4.3 hrs/day, 11 sessions of 25 min with 5 min breaks |
| 10 hours, 3 days, 4 hr max, 50 min sessions | 3.3 hrs/day, 4 sessions of 50 min with 10 min breaks |
| 40 hours, 10 days, 8 hr max, 50 min sessions | 4.0 hrs/day, 5 sessions of 50 min with 10 min breaks |
How It Works
The Planning Formula
Hours Per Day = min(Total Hours / Days Available, Max Hours Per Day)
The total study time is divided evenly across available days. If the result exceeds the daily maximum, the maximum is used instead, and the schedule may not fit within the given timeframe.
Session Breakdown
Sessions Per Day = ceil(Daily Study Minutes / Session Length)
Each study session is followed by a break. Break duration is set at approximately 20% of the session length:
- 25-minute session (Pomodoro): 5-minute break
- 50-minute session: 10-minute break
- 90-minute session: 18-minute break
The last session of the day does not need a trailing break.
Study Techniques and Session Lengths
Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes): Short, focused bursts with frequent breaks. Effective for maintaining concentration on difficult or tedious material. Four pomodoros followed by a longer 15-to-20-minute break.
Standard Sessions (50 minutes): Matches a typical class period. Good balance between focus depth and mental stamina. One break per hour of study.
Deep Focus (90 minutes): Matches the natural ultradian rhythm cycle. Best for complex problems, writing, or creative work. Requires a longer break afterward.
Evidence-Based Study Tips
Research on learning and memory suggests: distributed practice (spreading study over multiple days) is more effective than cramming. Active recall (testing yourself) is more effective than re-reading. Interleaving different topics in a single session improves long-term retention compared to studying one topic at a time.
Worked Example
A student needs 20 hours of study over 5 days with a maximum of 6 hours per day. Hours per day = 20 / 5 = 4.0 hours (within the 6-hour max). Using 50-minute sessions: sessions per day = ceil(240 / 50) = 5 sessions. Break time = 4 breaks x 10 minutes = 40 minutes. Total daily commitment = 4 hours study + 40 minutes breaks = 4 hours 40 minutes.