We’ve all read articles telling us how to be the most productive when it comes to homework and studying, but most of us have a hard time incorporating those skills into our study habits. I’ve probably read every article out there in an effort to find tips and tricks that work with my personal study style, resulting in little success. It’s taken me quite some time to find what really works for me through trial and error. Fortunately for you, I’ve compiled a list of the eight best study tips that have gotten me through homework and exams and will hopefully work for you too.
1. Clear out your headspace.
This one is a lot easier said than done, but fret not, you can do it! Before you sit down to do anything important, take a second to just close your eyes and take a deep breath. I know it’s really cliché to say “go to your happy place”, but I have found that actually visualizing something calming is a lot more effective for this step than just picturing nothing. This helps you focus by letting you move all of the unimportant stuff out of the way and make room for what you’re about to do.
2. Clean off your physical space.
Everyone who knows me knows that my life is cluttered in every sense of the word: my clothes are perpetually in piles on my bedroom floor, I have a miscellaneous drawer in every space I inhabit, and my backpack has at least five papers crumpled up in the bottom at any given time because I don’t own any folders (I’m very busy, please give me a pass on this one). But when it comes to studying, I organize my space better than Leslie Knope’s color-coded binders. I keep all my in-class work in one pile, my textbooks stacked on top of each other, and anything that isn’t related to what I’m currently doing stays away. Because a messy desk has the potential to distract you or, more likely, will stress you out, moving all the stuff you’re not working on at the moment will help keep you on track. Decluttering your desk is super easy and will put you one step closer to success.
3. Take breaks.
As someone who spent almost 48 hours straight in the library for finals last semester, I know that taking a break can sometimes feel like it will be the end of the world. However, your brain can only take so much information in at a time. Multiple studies have shown that the best way to retain as much information as possible without overworking yourself is to study nonstop for about 50-55 minutes, then take a 10 minute break. This method is really effective for making the time go by faster and keeping you focused. It’s imperative for this trick that you keep your phone either face down or completely away from you, otherwise, you run the risk of getting distracted.
4. Take even longer breaks.
Let me set the scene: you’ve been studying for five hours and you’re starting to lose focus. You know that you’re really not gaining any more knowledge at this point, just looking at the words in your book. This is one of those times that you really should take a break for longer than 10 minutes. Forcing yourself to work past your limit is not doing you any favors whatsoever. This tip is really useful when writing papers because it gives you a chance to collect more ideas. Feel free to watch a couple of episodes of your favorite show or even a full movie, just make sure that you’re taking enough time to let your brain rest.
5. Listen to instrumental music.
I’m a human and therefore, I love music. And while I could listen to the Mamma Mia! soundtrack on loop for the rest of my life, that is absolutely not conducive to getting a good grade in chemistry. I also am incapable of doing anything in pure silence, so I listen to classical music while doing any kind of schoolwork (I’m actually listening to Spotify’s “Perfect Concentration” playlist as I write this). Because classical music isn’t everyone’s thing, instrumental covers, soundtracks, and even electronic music work. The most important thing about this tip is that the music doesn’t have any words. It’s almost impossible to focus on the subject you’re trying to study while simultaneously listening to the lyrics of a song.
6. Don’t forget to eat.
This is probably one of the most important things to remember when it comes to studying. It might seem a bit silly to some people, but I have lived entirely off of bagels, coffee, and the occasional piece of fruit while studying for an exam. At the time, my thought process was that even if I took 15 minutes to eat a real meal, that was 15 minutes I could have spent reviewing. In reality, those couple of minutes won’t affect your grade, but not eating causes you to get less work done and makes your brain lag.
7. Reward yourself.
You’ve worked so hard and you deserve it! Rewards can be anything ranging from a piece of candy after working 20 calculus problems to buying a new sticker for your laptop after finishing an essay. While I don’t necessarily suggest using this method all the time, it’s a good little pick-me-up for when your homework is really draining you. It also motivates you to keep working because that means you’ll get another reward soon!
8. Sleep.
This is another thing that a lot of college kids forget to do, especially during finals. I’ve had a lot of nights where I only got five hours of sleep and it really affects the rest of my day. This is especially unfortunate when I have a lot to get done. I know that the recommended seven to nine hours every night isn’t always attainable, but make sure you’re getting that on average. Similar to skipping meals, an insufficient amount of sleep can lead to lowered perception, causing increased errors and decreased productivity.
Obviously, not everyone studies the same, so some of these tips might not work for you, but feel free to try them out. If they don’t help you any, then don’t worry. Just keep looking until you find what works best!