learning the five root shapes that repeat over and over worked for me.

Using any scale:

Pattern 1: roots on the 2nd & 5th strings, 2 frets apart
Pattern 2: roots on the 5th & 3rd strings, 2 frets apart
Pattern 3: roots on the 3rd, 1st & 6th strings, 3 frets apart
Pattern 4: roots on the 1st, 6th & 4th strings, 2 frets apart
Pattern 5: roots on the 4th & 2nd strings, 3 frets apart

Try it, you will see all patterns connect to each other and repeat up and down the fretboard.