Studying when you have never had to before can be difficult, and I know that I especially have struggled to find habits that force me to study and not get distracted. With lots of trial, and even more error, I have found 3 study habits that I use to study successfully.
- Set an Alarm for Small Increments of Focused Studying
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The thought of studying in large chunks is painful to me, and also gives me an excuse to allow myself to be distracted by my phone, laptop, friends, etc. One way that I have overcome this is to set a timer on my phone, ranging from 45 minutes to 2 hours, in which I only am allowed to look at whatever I’m studying. I don’t look up or at anything until the timer goes off. This way, I study without worry about what time it, because I will know soon enough, and I can thoroughly focus on what it is I’m trying to learn.
- Set a Reward for When You’re Done
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One thing that can make me really hunker down and get some much needed studying done is the thought of some sort of reward following its completion. Even if the reward is a short nap before continuing studying, or a meal and face mask, these small things that you are looking forward to can motivate you to complete the tasks at hand.
- Start Atleast 2 Days Before Whatever You Are Working on Is Due
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Everyone hates when they procrastinate, and while it may seem impossible to overcome at times, forcing yourself to start things early will benefit you in the long run. Using numbers 1 & 2 in this list, I have started to encourage myself to start things a few days before the night it is due. One way to trick yourself into doing this is to pretend the due date is one or two days ahead of what it actually is. This way, you can replicate the feeling of frantic procrastination without the actual detriment to what you are working on (and/or the grade you receive).
I hope that these types help you like they have me! And if these don’t work immediately for you, don’t sweat it! Keep practicing, keep trying to make better study habits. And, if these still just aren’t working, I hope these tips lead you to finding different ways of studying that work for you personally. Happy Finals Week!