Being a student comes with significant challenges. They don’t start or end with memorizing or understanding school materials. Such challenges start with how and where you should engage in learning. Thus, students should start by creating healthy learning habits. It means building discipline, excluding studying at random hours, reducing distractions, and enhancing focus. Otherwise, poor studying habits can lead to lower school performance and burnout.
The ideal learning process is somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. So, if you are having trouble in school, think, is it the way you learn? It’s quite likely you’ve been approaching studying wrong this whole time. Here are a few basic but essential habits to help you learn better and progress faster.
Studying in appropriate places
There is no need to stick to just one study place if you don’t want to. Many students change things every now and again, changing their locations and finding their new favorite spots for studying. However, the important thing is to study in places well-suited for intense brain activity. Hence, for example, you shouldn’t habitually study from your bed. Such a place is wrong for two reasons. First, it does little to motivate you or enhance your focus. Second, you will eventually have trouble getting rest or falling asleep after studying in bed. You confuse the areas of rest and work, and it impacts both spheres.
Instead, you should focus on 2-4 places of study, like a working desk at home, a library, a school’s computer class, a quiet coffee shop, etc. A location change can stimulate your memory, enhancing your focus and retention.
Setting clear study goals
Each study session should start with setting clear and realistic goals. Hence, you should know where to start and finish the day’s learning. Having a goal will motivate you, help you track your progress, and give you a sense of accomplishment afterward. However, such goals should be achievable. You can even break them down into smaller components for higher convenience.
Many students make the mistake of setting too tight deadlines or overburdening themselves with tasks in a short amount of time. Such an approach leads to inevitable disaster, where students get frustrated at themselves and feel disappointed and disempowered in their abilities. Instead, you should enter the working space with a strong idea of what you are trying to achieve and how much is enough for the day.
Taking breaks
No one can study for hours long and stay productive without rest. Students often push their limits by squeezing as much information in as little time. However, such an approach doesn’t lead to efficient results. Our brain shuts down at a certain point, getting bored from routine work and lack of changes. So, it starts to bring your thoughts elsewhere, encouraging you to procrastinate, make tea, or play on the phone.
A student needs to take frequent study breaks to avoid such self-sabotage. Thus, you can set a timer for a five-minute break after each 25-30 minutes of studying. This way, you can engage in longer study sessions without feeling exhausted or bored. Yet, do something fun and relaxing during breaks to make them count.
Reducing distractions
Needless to say, a productive study session can’t happen in a destructive environment. So, before starting the homework, have a look around. See what bothers you or can get your mind away from books. Try to remove things that don’t help you focus. Also, inform people in your household about your studying hours y to enjoy some privacy and quiet time. Lastly, block phone notifications and keep them outside your reach while learning.
Having water and healthy snacks
Don’t forget about hydration and snacking during studying. You need water and nutrients to keep you going. However, don’t rush to pack with you sugary treats, energy drinks, or low-carb, low-fat snacks. These have the opposite effect on your body and mental capacity. For instance, a chocolate bar (like most energy drinks) will give you a fast sugary rush, leading to anxiety. It won’t tend to your body’s needs, leaving you hungry in half an hour. Thus, you will get distracted from your studies once again.
Instead, think of healthy snacks you can pack to school or bring to the working area. Nuts, dark chocolate, hummus with veggies, and egg or fish sandwiches, for a start, will be good choices to feed your body and mind. These healthy brain foods are packed with protein and omega fatty acids, which enhance your blood work and activate your brain.
Practicing self-care
Sometimes, the best learning trick you can do is to give yourself some rest. Many students suffer from burnout, stress, anxiety, and depression. These mental health disorders don’t have to follow you throughout schooling or proceed in your future career.
Students today are constantly on the run. Taking some time out for yourself is incredibly important and will be worth your while! If you need a hand with writing assignments, one option is to use a writing service like WritePaperForMe. You can pay https://writepaperfor.me for an essay along with many other writing service websites that can help guide you in creating better papers and great results when it comes to improving academic performance.
Whenever you feel like quitting or can’t find the energy and motivation to leave the bed, think about what would make you feel better. Find ways to spark the light of joy inside of you. Enjoy a day for yourself, having a walk or meeting with your family.
