Try to switch subjects every hour or so, too, to prevent yourself from getting bored and saturating your mind. Too much of one subject and your brain will start going on autopilot. A new subject will wake up your mind and your motivation. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source
If you start to feel your mind wander, stop it dead in its tracks. Take a second to shake it off, and then resume with the material. You are the ringleader of your thoughts. You started them, and you can stop them, too! Keep pen and paper beside you and write down everything that comes to your mind during your study sessions. Do or think about those things once you’re having a pause.
And it’ll be easier for your brain to process, too. Switching up what skills you’re using helps you brain process the information faster and hold onto it. The time will go faster and you’ll remember it better? Check and check.
If possible, get your parents involved. Could they help supply you with incentives? Maybe getting better grades could get you out of your least favorite chore or could temporarily up your allowance. Ask them whether they’re willing to help work out some type of reward plan – it never hurts to ask.
When a question comes up saying, “What was George Washington’s stance on the Boston Tea Party?” it’ll help to know who George Washington is. Figure that out and then move on the content at hand.
Ask yourself questions as you read. Look away from the page and summarize out loud what you read.
Create a quiz as part of your note-making, as you read and use it later for a checkup and a review.
This little recharging session will do wonders for your focusing ability. You may think it could be distracting and get you off course, but ultimately you’ll be able to get more done. [8] X Research source As long as you use your break wisely, that is.
For example, do not study right in front of a TV; you will only do your homework when the advertisements come up. Go to get a “snip” of TV or radio only as a quick break – exactly as if it’s a few moments to go to get a drink of water or “fresh air” for a minute. Sit in a chair at a table or desk while you study. Don’t study in bed, except maybe reading on top of your covers, propped upright with a bright reading light behind you. However, don’t get under the covers – you’ll just want to fall asleep. What’s more, you’ll start to associate your bedroom with studying and that’s definitely an impulse you want to avoid. A standing desk does a remarkable job making you focus on your task (in addition to being a healthier option to sitting).
Even if you’re not sure you’ll need it, it should be in your “study area. " All the textbooks, notebooks, and papers you need (remember that syllabus) should be within arm’s reach. This is quite literally a set-up for success. Use your laptop if it is necessary for your studies otherwise keep your laptop away from you.
Looking for some “super-foods?” Research shows that blueberries, spinach, squash, broccoli, dark chocolate, and fish are all brain-boosting foods that can help you get your study on. [11] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source
Make sure they’re doable. If you have to read 100 pages this week, break it down to 20 pages a day – don’t bite off more than you can chew. Keep in mind your time constraints as well. If you only have one free hour tonight, do the most important thing you need to get done.
There are websites and software blockers like SelfRestraint, SelfControl, and Think that can keep you away from the websites and software that are the hardest to resist. Understand yourself and whether you need Facebook to be blocked for the next hour or so. Don’t worry – it’ll come back.
Keep in mind that the music that’s right for you to study may not be the music you traditionally like. Traditionally music that you don’t know is better because recognizing a song makes your mind wander or even sing to it. Experiment with listening to other genres to see whether there’s something you enjoy but can easily tune in and out. Try to use a background noise generator that plays natural sounds such as birds chirping, rain, river stream, or other pleasant sounds to help you study. There are several free tools available online.
For some people, this will be bright and early in the morning when they still have plenty of energy for the day. For others, they get their juices running at night, after powering up for a while. Whichever is yours, listen to your body and study during that time.
Most people need between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Some a little more, some a little less. How many hours do you like to sleep, when you don’t have to set an alarm? Try to get that every night by going to bed a bit earlier than usual, as required. [13] X Research source
Avoid white foods like white bread, potatoes, flour, grease, and sugar. They’re just “dead” foods and sugary drinks that cause you to crash in class and at study time.
Try the “5 More” rule. Tell yourself to do only five more things or five more minutes before quitting. Once you’ve finished those, do another five. Breaking tasks up into smaller chunks makes things easier for those with shorter concentration spans and it keeps your mind going longer. Try not to generalize about your abilities in a way that holds you back. For instance, instead of saying, “I can’t do algebra,” you might redefine the problem by saying, “I get confused about simplifying expressions. “[14] X Expert Source Ted Coopersmith, MBAAcademic Tutor Expert Interview. 10 July 2020.
That being said, avoid bogging yourself down when reading, or getting stuck and defeated on difficult problems or essay questions. Sometimes the least desirable part of an assignment may be too time-consuming and it could drain/kill all your available time. So try to limit your time and self-supervised to move on to easier matters, if necessary.
