2 Juz complete - 28 to go. Alhamdulillah but also some concerns.

So today I completed page 28, which coupled with 12 pages from Surah Kahf means alhamdulillah that's 2 juz complete in total. More than I got done in an entire year of 'hifz' when I attempted (or rather dreamed about attempting) when I was 19/20 on a year out.

Anyway some positives:

• CONSISTENCY: Alhamdulillah I have been consistent for 70 days now. Not one day have I missed on learning a new portion. Even on on-call days I make sure that I memorise my half a page. This Sunday just gone I was on surgical on call on a shift that ended up being 14 hours. Despite that I came home, did my chin ups and then my hifz. 

• EFFICIENCY: For the most part I have been efficient alhamdulillah. Especially when learning the new portion. Certainly when learning the new portion each day. With previous pages I need to be more efficient.

• VOCAB: Even words that I dont know (I've fallen behind on ANKI again) I end up learning quickly. They are inevitably the sticking points when learning a new section and also in the following 2-3 days. Its almost like back in medschool where I would read about a disease and retain most of it but not the drug names because they were obscure or new to me. But once read a few times, and by memorising it as in hifz, they end up getting repeated more than the once a day in ANKI, they do become ingrained in my memory. However, it's still overall much better if I am familiar with the vocabulary from ANKI.

Some concerns:

• REVISION: So the biggest problem facing those who have attempt hifz has come to me and that is recalling the previous section. Can I recall all 2 juz right now? Large parts of it yes, but there are a few sections of weak pages. Surah Kahf I can still recall most of it (with the odd checking), Juz 1 pages 1-15 are fine and Juz 2 most of it is fine, or was fine, last couple of days have not revised which is not good. But the end of surah kahf and pages 16-20 in Juz 1 are weak. 
• I really feel I shouldnt have a problem with recalling at this stage, with such a small amount memorised and if I dont get on top of what I know now then it will only become more difficult.
• 1 hour - 3 juz: This is a conversation I had with my brother in law (a hafiz mashallah) who mentioned that if you recite fast then you can revise three juz in an hour and ideally a good student be revising 3 juz a day. Given that I have only learnt 2 juz I should be revising all of this every day, not just for example Surah Kahf on Fridays. This is more important for someone doing hifz than someone who just knows Surah Kahf, as the more verses you learn the easier it is to get it confused with other parts which you assume that you know well. It is important to always keep revising old parts. I revised Surah Kahf for nearly two months daily yet even now simple verses which I should know can sometimes be stumbling points because I've learnt similar verses in Surah Baqarah. I still feel its very retreivable, but just needs regular reveiwing. 
• 3 hours: My brother in law also mentioned a good student would study 3 hours hifz per day. One hour on learning the new section and 2 hours on revision. The new section is not an issue, I think if I just stick to 2 hours efficient revision per day it wont seem as overwhelming. It does feel overwhelming at present thinking 
• Still no teacher. Hmm. 
• ANKI - need to fix this up. If I was on top of this I would be so much happier instead of facing 2-3 'sticking point' words on each new section as mentioned earlier. Also when I do eventually memorise unfamilar words, its not necessarily helping my Arabic which is my other great love, as I've learnt it without the meaning. 
• MORNINGS - I had mentioned previously that I need to wake up in the morning to learn the new section. I think its actually more important that I get up and revise in front of a mushaf. Most of my revising is happening whilst driving and if I have to leave a section (sometimes I dangeriously check whilst driving) then its unlikely I'll come back to it to correct it.

AN IDEAL PLAN:

2 hours in the morning before work:

• 1hr - revising (if I was on top of my old revision then ideally everything)
• 1hr - learning the new portion (although takes more like 40mins)
• To work: Last 5 pages x 1 and then listening (listening is very important, not just as something that will supplement my learning, but also because I dont have a teacher at present).
• At work: Last 5 pages x 1 
• On way back from work: Last 5 pages x 1 and then listening again.
• At home: 
• 1 more hour + really try and get fluency of the new section.
• (and the new portion throughout the day, it goes without saying)
• ANKI deck.

WHERE WILL I GET MORE TIME FROM?

Already on a busy schedule and having already sacrificed many things as mentioned earlier:

• I'm no longer locuming every weekend. In fact I am only locuming on saturday per month from now on. I dont care about money any more. Well not that much. 
• Starting revision more quickly as soon as I get home. Dinner should be maximum one hour. As soon as 1 hour is hit - just get started. Even if its slow, once I get started its fine. 
• LESS SOCIALISING. Every time I have a full day off or a 'full' evening off I often consider going out with a friend or doing something. I just have to say no and focus on my hifz. The time to relax will come one day inshaAllah. Not now. It's now or never. I have to graft now and do this.

MY GOAL BY END OF JUZ 3:

I only want one thing by the time I get to end of Surah Baqarah, which also coincides with 3 juz completed (page 49) and that is - be able to recall all 3 juz in one setting. 

If that's not possible then at least by the end of juz 4.

IMMEDIATE PLAN:

• Wed-Fri
• Keep pages 1-15 strong 
• Fix up Juz 2 until now (p22-28) 2 pages each day.
• Saturday:
• Surah Kahf: Pages 1-4 revise thoroughly.
• Sunday:
• Surah Kahf: Pages.
• Monday 11th onwards - fix one page a day from 15-20 and then from Surah Kahf 8-12.

0 MISSED DAYS SO FAR. WHAT WILL CONSTITUTE MISSED DAYS FROM NOW ON:

• Hitting the snooze button.
• Not getting up at 5am and revising.
• Let's just make this a routine. I know from previous studies and we all know from sunnah that there is blessing in waking up early and studying in the morning. It's difficult, very difficult in fact when you're sleep deprived, but if I can wake up last minute for fajr and for work then I should be able to do this. 
• Previously I had gotten into a habit of getting up at 5am, its doable and gets easier with persistency, as with any other habit.

SUMMARY

MEMORISED:

• 2 JUZ IN TOTAL        28 REMAINING

40 pages   Remaining: 560 pages

1.8 juz   Remaining: 28.2 juz


CONSISTENCY:

70 days of learning. Missed days = 0
(Referring to learning new portion)