These days we can easily learn everything we want, from computer coding to history. Those, who are still in college can use the internet to gain some extra knowledge on various subjects. And those, who already graduated, can either build new skills or even master a new specialty with the help of educational videos, books, and online courses.

However, if you want to make the most out of your self-education, you need to organize the whole process right, which could be a tough thing to do. Though we have all the abilities to study on our own these days, we are rarely taught how to do this effectively.

But don’t worry. Here are 17 tips that could help you organize the whole self-learning process better.

1. Set a goal first.

What exactly do you plan to achieve with the help of self-education? Maybe you need to conduct a research to write a 1000 word essay on a certain topic? Or maybe you want to learn logo design?

You need to set a clear goal in order to understand how much time you’re going to spend on studying and to estimate the priority of your self-education.

2. Remember to be consistent.

Consistency is the key to the successful learning. When you invest time in the process daily, you remember everything better and master things quicker. That’s why you need to create a study routine and stick to it.

3. Create a schedule.

Scheduling requires you to access your tasks and to organize them in the best way possible. It also ensures that you’ll always have some time for studying, no matter how busy your day is.

4. Create a ritual.

A ritual is one of the best ways to get yourself in the mood for studying and to build a habit. You can start your learning ritual by organizing things needed during your studies (like pens or textbooks) or by making a cup of tea or coffee. Another good idea is to find a special place for studying and to go there at a certain time of the day every time.

5. Organize your workplace.

If all you need for studying is within your reach and your workplace is cleaned from all the unnecessary and potentially distracting stuff, it would be easier for you to concentrate on the studying process.

6. Maximize the focus.

The better you focus on studying, the more effective the result will be. So if focusing is a challenge for you, do your best to eliminate the distractions. You can try turning off the notifications on your phone and using apps that block the distracting websites for a certain period of time.

7. Take notes.

The process of note-taking requires you to analyze the text, choosing the most important parts that need to be written down. It could also help you later when you’re going to review what you’ve been learning.

8. Pick different sources.

Some sources help you polish the basics, some help you learn more about the latest trends, etc. That’s why it’s always better to combine different ones if you want to gain a deeper knowledge of the subject.

9. Experiment with tools.

Some learn the best while doing exercises, some like to play educational games, some remember better when the information is presented visually. Therefore, try learning not only from different sources but also with the help of different tools to find the one that suits you the most.

10. Organize the learning data.

An organized workplace makes it easier to concentrate on studies while an organized learning data makes it easier to return to it later. Create a Dropbox folder on an Evernote one to store your notes, useful links, and other study-related things there. This way you’ll be able to access them anytime you want and from anywhere you want.

11. Try online courses.

There are plenty of E-learning websites that offer different courses: basic ones, more specific ones, and advanced as well. While you might not be interested in them at the beginning of your self-education process, always remember that they might come in handy later.

12. Communicate with other learners.

When you study a certain online course, you can discuss various things with people who also study it. But even if you don’t pick a course, you can find some websites that are focused on self-learning and have a community. Talk to people there to learn some useful tips and to find more motivation.

13. Inspire yourself.

Motivating yourself to study all the time could be hard, so you might need something to help you carry on. This could be some inspirational TED Talks, quotes, or even role models that inspire you.

14. Don’t forget to practice.

Not all online learning requires practice. But if you have an opportunity to practice what you’re studying, do it. While the theory is definitely good, it’s the practice that helps us become better (especially if you’re building a skill to use it in life or in work later).

15. Always review.

Even if you think you’ve mastered something well enough, don’t skip the reviewing part. There aren’t many people able to remember something after studying it only once, so reviewing should become an essential part of your learning process.

16. Know your weak points.

Some things are easier for us to master while some are definitely harder. When you know what your weak points are, you can focus on improving them instead of reviewing all the material you’ve studied before.

17. Make learning a lifestyle.

The best and the quickest way to master something is to surround yourself with it. If you’re learning a new language, try watching videos in that language. If you’re mastering a skill (for example, learning graphic design), try observing how it’s used in the real life (for example, analyze billboards, poster ads, etc.).

Self-learning is an important and serious process, but this doesn’t make it less interesting. If you use these tips, you’ll be able to learn quicker and enjoy the process much more.