One of the biggest challenges for GED students is finding time to study, or developing a daily study routine, especially when students manage their own self-guided program to get ready for the GED test.

For adult students who attend GED classes regularly, studying is often easier. Classes help create a routine, and involve learning and applying the material candidates need to know to earn the General Education Development credential. Or, students in class find it easier to get into a study routine because they're preparing for classes or completing assignments. But sometimes, even GED students who attend classes need help developing study habits and a study routine. Often students who haven't succeeded in classrooms find class learning boring or even tedious.

The best study routine involves daily study, especially if the knowledge learned is new. Using new knowledge every day is the key to owning it; and this learning method is completely different from memorization. Whether students are in a classroom, using an online GED program or managing their own GED preparation, daily study works.

So how do busy adults with lots of job and family obligations find time to study? Here are some 10-minute study tips that have proven successful for PassGED students:

1. Study a problem or read a book, newspaper or magazine first thing in the morning, even if you only have 10 minutes. You can use a problem from a GED practice test or a short section from your GED test prep materials. Or, you might choose a short passage such as a newspaper article, editorial or a magazine insight piece. Don't worry about finishing the problem or passage; just concentrating on something for 10 minutes is the trick.

2. During the day, spend 10 minutes thinking about what you read or studied in the morning. If it's something you read, think about the words and the feelings those words create. What do they really mean? Consider how the passage or words apply to something else, or another situation. If it's a math problem, try writing it down and working on it in different ways. Don't worry if you can't remember the problem or words exactly. The key is to use the new knowledge soon after it's learned; just get into the mind of the problem or the words for 10 minutes.

3. Late in the day, spend 5 minutes really thinking about what you read or studied again, and you'll suddenly see and understand the knowledge more clearly. Make sure you spend a minute or two thinking about why it's clear -- this is key!

4. At the end of the day, spend 5 minutes reviewing or reworking the problem, and determine what you learned from the study activity. Then tell yourself how smart you are, how much you accomplished and give yourself a reward.

At day's end, you've accomplished 30 minutes of concentrated study, despite a busy schedule and life's demands. But more important, the time spent isn't just about studying -- it's about learning. You really learn since using knowledge means owning knowledge. And that's what it takes to pass the GED test.

For additional GED study tips and free resources on the GED test, official testing sites, financial aid and student support, visit PassGED

The website also provides links to federal agencies and nonprofits that serve GED students, instructors and workforce development programs.