Studying can be difficult at the best of times but with the right planning and resources, you can turn studying from boring to rewarding. In this article we will look at eight things you can do to study effectively.
Remove Distractions
Before you start studying make sure you find a quiet place to sit. Put your phone on silent and face down away from you. You may also like to use an app to stop you from procrastinating. Apps like Forest are great as you get to grow a tree while you study. If you are studying at home, make sure no one will disturb you while you are studying. It is very easy to get distracted from studying, especially if you don’t want to, so removing distractions will mean that your study is done in a smaller amount of time.
Write a to-do list
To-do lists are useful as they give you an overview of what needs to be done. You can even include in your to-do list when things are due to help you prioritise. To-do lists can also be helpful to break down a large task into smaller tasks that seem more achievable. This will help you stress less about how much study you have to do and will increase your productivity.
Create a study plan
Study plans are a great idea especially if you have a lot of other commitments. A good study plan should include the study you have to do, work/school commitments, social commitments and time for eating, resting and sleeping. A study plan can be as in depth as hour-by-hour or as simple as a list of things to do each day. Everyone has a different way of creating a study plan, so its important to think about what will work best for you.
Do all the set work
When studying, it is easy to overlook certain aspects of a subject which may be important in the future. Readings, homework and textbook questions all help prepare you for exams and assignments. To better your understanding of the subject, it is important that you do all the work that is set or recommended by your teacher. This way you can make sure you fully understand the topic come exam time.
Ask questions
If you are finding a topic especially difficult to understand, you should ask your teacher or tutor for help. Quite often if you are struggling with something you are learning in class, others will be too. Asking a question can prompt your teacher to explain the topic in a different way and will be beneficial to all the students in the class. Never be afraid to ask for help when you need it; there is no such thing as a silly question when you are struggling to understand.
Review work frequently
Reviewing your work throughout the term will make sure that you don’t forget things when it’s time for your assessment. The best way to make sure you are reviewing frequently and to help you study effectively for exams is to write a summary of what you have learnt after each day or week, depending on how often you may need it. Then when your exam arrives, all the important information from your subject will be in one place. If you can take notes into your exam, you can use the summaries to write down topics which you struggle with or may forget.
Get enough sleep
It can be hard to focus when you are lacking sleep. To ensure you are studying effectively, get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night (Melinda Smith, 2018). Before you go to bed, put your phone on the other side of the room. This means when your alarm goes off you have to work across your room to turn it off. Try to stay away from electronic devices an hour before you are planning on going to bed. This allows your body to produce enough melatonin, the sleep hormone, for you to get a good night’s rest.
Reward yourself
Positive reinforcement is an effective way to motivate yourself to study. A reward can be anything from getting to have a piece of your favourite food, getting to watch your favourite show or spending time with your friends. If you have something to look forward to when studying, you will study more effectively as you will focus on getting your study done so that you can have your reward.
References
Melinda Smith, M. L. (2018, September). Sleep Needs . Retrieved from HelpGuide.org: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-needs-get-the-sleep-you-need.htm
Forest App: https://www.forestapp.cc
If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: You Can Procrastinate And Study – At The Same Time,How to be a Good Tutor and How is University Different from High School?
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