Study time is about channelizing all your energy and effort on your academics to get the grades you have been aiming at. Easier as it may sound there are some inexplicably sly cons associated with it that eventually force all your energy to retreat.
However experts and academic advisors have zeroed in on the fact that passion alone can take you places. Still there is need for some soul searching and finding ways to utilize most of study time. And the best person to do this is none other than you. So next time here’s what you can do:
- Planning-
Starting from planning to what you want to study to the number of hours that is required to be spent on a subject is something you will find most useful thing to do that was being ignored all the while. Adds thrust to it is education advisor Nathan Richardson’s advice. “Instead of beating about the bushes, it is better to have a planner that enlists your entire activity schedule including activities of leisure. It brings precision, does not hamper your study time and prevents all those nervous breakdown faced when running behind the schedule, he says”.
- Pick your time-
No one but you know what the best time for you to study is. Scientifically proven and experienced by many, brain performance is at its pick in certain time period. Also true is the fact that it varies from person to person. Twenty year old law student Brian has an anecdote to share. “I was aping my friends and started studying at the early hours of the day only to waste my time and seeing myself making no progress in studies. I switched to studying what they called graveyard shifts and it is working fine even now.
- Get rid of distractions-
Television tops the list of all distractions that hinders study time. What’s the solution? Watch your favorite show and then go back to studying? Well, not quite and it is not a success every time. There is an easier option; turn off the idiot box! Soon as you can.
- Let the music play-
There will be claims and counter claims. But what latest research points out is that some young minds do not get distracted by music played in the background at all. Some, not all though.
- Include breaks-
Mind is a machine- in theory. It basically is sea of varying thoughts that flow and splash every now and again. Therefore during study time nothing can be more rejuvenating than a break or two which provides much needed processing of thoughts and hey it also helps in recalling whatever has been studied and memorized. Some serious planning to go about finishing the job at hand and getting focus back too can be done during breaks. Healthy things to do while in break could be basic stretching of arms to relax muscles, moving around the study area and eating food high on protein and less on sugar content. Now the answer to your question of how frequently should you take break? It should be thirty minutes or an hour.
- Visualize-
Done with a chapter and you think you have mugged up all? Go for visualizing what you studied few minutes back to see how much of it you are really able to pick up. One can also go with jotting down whatever is studied without textbook help. One hidden advantage of this technique is it will help in improving writing speed and articulating answers in a better way.
- Teach-
That aspect of yours which you rarely know. Besides visualizing if one tries to spread their earned knowledge, it will only make studying easier.
- Bring variety-
It is not just the spice of life. Bringing variety in subjects during study time reduces clash of subjects and similarities in theory that create mental block and aversion. Therefore an hour studying English followed by linguistics will not be interesting if there is no Chemistry in between! Get it?
- Get the right place-
How could that possibly help? Ask yourself next time when you change your location of studying from noisy living room with luxurious sofas to more quiet room which is well lit and has less people talking constantly.
- Watch out-
Throughout the study time, keep an eye on your activity blueprint. Try to bring out a healthy mix between reading and writing. Some more attention should also be paid on giving importance to classroom notes if large amount of topic has been covered. If it is too important an assignment or point to remember, just underline or earmark that particular chapter and page.
- Ask yourself candidly-
Whether you do in beginning or later but never forget to ask yourself if you are satisfied with your achievements and whether or not you have put in enough effort to for results you wish. There are many methods and technique that one may implement during study time but the question is if it is working. Hence hold on for a while see where you stand and look at all grey areas that needs to be worked out.
- Draw the line-
Yes you are go getter of sorts and you love challenges being thrown upon you, but is it really necessary to stress yourself frequently? You are better off studying what is required and how much is requires than those long running assignments that only consume time.
Getting best out of study time needs some scientific back up too. Based on many studies and tests many beneficial ways of making studies free of boredom has been made possible. The best part is that these steps can be followed in everyday life without much ado.
Here are a few of them;
- Studies have discovered that despite the over dependence on gadgets of information like tablets and computers, traditional print materials like books and magazines are way better and require less repetition while studying. Most importantly, unlike gadgets like tablets and computers loaded with application and games print materials contain nothing more than content of requirement.
- Leitner system has proven success in making learning easier and more organized. Named after German scientist Sebastian Leitner, it uses moving flashcards having question and answer numbers on it. These cards have to be moved with correctly answered questions and incorrectly answered questions are moved to the box.
- Music is an elixir even while studying and this has been confirmed by school of Medicine. It is not only uplifting as far as mood is concerned but also changes perception about studying.
- Studying to become leader and true achiever in life prompts over learning. But this is not rewarding at all. It affects daily routine, anxiety and sometimes even leads to mood swings and suppressed anger. Studying in intervals and being more attentive at class reduces pressure during study time.
- No knowledge is useful knowledge unless tested. Therefore make it a habit of taking tests after every lesson to make sure how good your progress strategy is. Tests have shown that students who take test have managed to retain almost fifty percent or more of what they have studied than those gave practice test a miss.
- Some research also shows that there are individuals who have performed significantly better by just doing some extra assignments than homework. It is because more unsolved questions increase intelligence use and gives them more self confidence to perform without any assistance from others. Repetition of assignment and practice of what is already known only increases quick thinking and instinct.
Indoor spaces do not necessarily provide ambience to study effectively all the time. So how about opting for outdoor education while study time is on?
Focus for calm and organized study time
With so much of mad rush and jam-packed schedule how can one expect mind to function well? All hell breaks loose when one fails to concentrate during study time; more suffering follows when it is hard to get rid of and that starts to reflect in grades.
In modern times meditation seems to be the only therapy calmly addressing the issue of calming minds during study time. Meditation helps in stimulating the consciousness of mind that results in exuding positive energy and weeds out all negative ones.
Lack of patience wastes an individual’s time and meditation helps in gaining the same. So do not forget to.
- Meditate before study time as it improves concentration, lowers depression and anxiety.
- Vocal prayer before study time can also make the mind calm and free from distractions.
Just don’t
- Study when not in a state of mind to do so. It is sheer waste of time and energy. Go for quick walk or break instead.
- Eat or drink anything sugary that makes the body lethargic. Energizing as it can be, it will only slow down body metabolism and lead to dizziness. Coffee or tea too can give terrible crash after few hours.