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“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”
Motivating myself to study is always the hardest part of my routine. Sometimes I needed an extra push to get myself in the right mindset. It is a lot easier said than done! I have developed a few study habits that I thought I would share with you. Here are some tips and tricks I use to keep myself productive.
YOU ONLY NEED TWO MINUTES. The best piece of advice I have received regarding procrastination is this — force yourself to pick it up for just two minutes. There is nothing that is actually physically stopping you from doing your work. After the two minutes, if you still want to stop, put it down. You have still gained two minutes worth of information you never had before.
CLUSTER YOUR NOTES. When I am studying a subject with a lot of definitions or I am studying a topic, I use note cards. Group your notes by a specific topic, class, test or chapter to make it easier. I use different colour cards for different topics or I use a topic card and group them that way.
BREAK IT DOWN. Any difficult or hard to understand topics are best understood in smaller pieces. If you try to master each small chunk once at a time, understanding thee whole concept is much easier.
MAKE STUDY PAGES AS YOU GO. As you learn a new lesson, add the main ideas to a study page so by the end of the unit, you have a ready-to-use study card. I also write down definitions and other things to memorize on index cards as I go through lessons so that they are ready to use and easy to grab when studying for tests and exams.
TWENTY-FIVE/FIVE. In order to maximize your efficiency when studying, follow this rule. Study diligently for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes have passed, take a 5 minute break. Completely rest your mind for only 5 minutes, any longer and it will be hard to get back into the motion of work. Every third break you take should be 20 minutes instead of 5!
WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. Okay so maybe not everything! But anything that you have to do. Get a planner of some sort and keep track of all your due dates. Even your tasks to-do should be written down and organized, too.
STUDY BEFORE BED. This one may not work for everyone but, for me, this is the best! When we sleep, our brain files new info and when we study before bed, the info is fresh and filed as high importance. When you wake up, all of those files are ready to be used when you need it! (Try not to study in bed though, you’ll fall asleep!)
WHITEBOARDS ARE YOUR FRIEND. I recommend using whiteboards for studying, productivity and organization. I write down my most important tasks, things I need to get, topics I need to study and any other important things that are relevant to my day.
CLEAR DEFINED TASKS. Don’t just say you’re going to study biology. Be deliberate in what you are going to do. Setting clear, defined tasks allows you to jump into the task quicker. Setting a clear goal makes it easier to obtain!
REWARD YOURSELF. Make promises to yourself and when you fulfill them, give yourself a prize. Maybe it is finishing a lesson or studying without distractions. Setting small goals and earning something for completing them motivates you to work harder to achieve it!
SWITCH IT UP. Sometimes the scenery around you just isn’t cutting it. Move to different parts of your room if you can. Maybe try studying outside or the library. Switching it up allows us to avoid creative and educational blocks.
BE SELF AWARE. Recognize what keeps you distracted and off track! Be intentional when preparing to study, making sure that you eliminate as many of these distractions as you can. For example, turn your phone off and put it in a different room. Trust me, you don’t realize how many times you check it in an hour.
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