An effective student isn’t one who spends all his time studying. It’s a student who studies more effectively instead of longer, or one who studies smarter instead of harder. As you move forward in your education, this becomes a prerequisite to your success. Soon enough, there aren’t enough hours for you to write your papers or study for different subjects. When this becomes an issue, you should definitely consider changing your study habits.
You might be able to go through high school with bad habits, but you won’t be able to breeze through the higher academic level unless you have the habits in the list below. From learning how to find the best research topics for your essays to finding time to fit all your papers and study sessions in, you’ll need to change your lifestyle and introduce these effective tricks.
1. Space Your Work Out
When you set your study sessions a week before the exam, you can’t really expect this to be easy or effective. A student studying days before an exam will barely keep his eyelids open, not to mention be unable to grasp all the material or get a good night’s sleep before the actual exam date.
The first things you have to change if you’re finding study sessions to be exhausting and challenging is to space your work out. You can’t keep cramming all the studying into a single session and expect your results to be great and your memory to be sharp.
One of the good study habits is to revise the material you’ve learned in class once you get back home. Of course, you won’t always be able to do this, but if you take some time to revise it at least once a week, the study session will be much simpler and more effective later.
2. Study at the Same Hour
Did you know that there is such a thing as a peak study hour? It differs from one student to the next one, but the fact is, we all have our peak productivity hours. Find out what these hours are for you. When is your studying easier and more effective?
Once you find out what this time is, schedule your studying and writing during those hours.
3. Get Help
At times, no trick under your sleeve will help. You’ll have a deadline you can’t meet with the time at your disposal, or something that’s too complicated for you. Or, there will be times when all the academic things are too hard for you, and you simply need some rest. One of the most effective study habits students know of is getting someone to help them with their assignments and leave them only with the study tasks. If you feel this way, why not say ‘I should pay EduBirdie to do my essay for me?
4. Try to Beat Procrastination
It’s easier said than done, that’s for sure. However, if you eliminate the distractions, follow your schedule, study in a set time every day – you can actually beat procrastination and finish your academic tasks faster. Procrastination usually causes students to spend hours on task that should take much less effort and time. Don’t let this pull you backwards and steal valuable time from you.
5. Tackle the Hardest Parts First
Completing the hardest tasks will give you the mental boost to finish the easy ones afterwards. Moreover, working on the most complex assignments or studying the hardest part demands your maximum focus. The more you prolong this and study other things before it, the less focused and motivated you’ll be to learn the hard parts later. This will only make your study sessions longer and less effective.
6. Pick the Best Study Location
Picking your most productive time might not work unless you do your studying in your perfect location. What does this mean? It means that unless you are in a place where you aren’t distracted or feel uncomfortable, you won’t be able to study effectively.
The perfect location also varies from one student to another. It can be the coffee shop around the corner, the quiet university library, or a bright and quiet room in your home. Whatever it is, it should be free of things that distract you while you study, as well as make you feel comfortable while you’re in it.
When you choose your best study location, consider everything from size, tools you have around you, noise, lighting, temperature, etc.
Are you ready to challenge your previous study habits, implement new ones, and completely change the ways you learn? If you want to learn faster and more effectively, you should definitely consider the tips in this list. Remember, you should always strive to study smarter, not longer.
Author’s Bio:
Elisabeth Skinner is an educational expert with Master’s degree in teaching and a PhD in psychology. With her expertise and background, Elisabeth is the person people listen to when they need some guidance or study advice. Her blogs are all over the web and are some of the most insightful, most realistic content tips you’ve ever read.
