8 Great Ways To Make Time To Study

Whether you’re still in school, entering college, or returning to school, you can enhance and improve your study time. Here are ways to do that.

-The Learning Center at the University of North Carolina stresses the importance of calendar usage.
“Students who planned their time scored higher on cognitive tests.”
-Van den Hurk, 2006

Keeping all other events, appointments, and meetings on a calendar or planner is also important. This prevents these critical responsibilities from interrupting study time and vice versa.
Review your syllabi and compare them to your appointments outside the classroom. For instance, notice where most significant tests are scheduled instead of when you may have a doctor’s appointment. Arrange your calendar with these dates accordingly.
Use different colors of markers for necessary study/work-related dates and other essential dates outside the professional setting. Keeping these separate on the calendar will help navigate the various dates.
If you prefer, use a journal. A journal is smaller and can be easier to remember.

-COLLEGE INFOGEEK explains that a home study space should resemble an office.
Where you study is as important as how often you study. The suitable space for this type of activity should be an area that promotes focus and concentration. The best study places tend to have these qualities:

Plenty of natural light.
A well-lit area helps with vision and energizes you, helping you stay awake when taking notes and doing research. Natural light provides vitamin D, which also lifts the mood.

Fresh air is an essential factor. It helps improve concentration, thus improving the quality of study time. Try placing your work area near a window. You can also set a few houseplants strategically around the room, as houseplants generate fresh air.

Set a mood for your space that works for you. This could be silence or ambient sounds but will differ from person to person.

Adjust the temperature setting for this space. A cooler room tends to ward off fatigue, while warmer temperatures can cause sleepiness.

-Stetson University shares information on how to schedule better study time.
Study time is more effective when scheduled in a balanced manner rather than in a strict format. Here are some essential things you can do to work consistently:

Plan study time as soon after class as possible. One hour shortly after your lessons helps develop memory and understanding of materials and works and studying for more extended periods later on.

Establish study habits by organizing what you will study and when. Keep subjects at the same consistency and days each week.

Avoid generalizations about what your studies. Instead of saying, “Study English on Tuesday for an hour,” rather, “Remember to read Chapter 3 on Tuesday”, as an example of targeted study. Studying in this manner reminds you about the particulars of each subject matter and what must be completed.

-Harlem Insider Magazine shares ways to relax for a rested mind

Just as study time should be scheduled, so does relaxation time. Rest is essential in improving concentration. Try these relaxation methods to enhance your study later:

Meditation and yoga help you retain a flexible body. But it can also help you keep a relaxed mind. Take a few breaks to meditate and utilize a few yoga poses throughout your day. This refreshes your mind so you can concentrate better.

Get plenty of sleep. The lack of sleep can significantly deter the quality of your study time. Likewise, a healthy sleep schedule can dramatically improve your study abilities. Need better quality sleep? Turn off all the lights, reduce the temperature, and eliminate noises.

Take some notable time off. This doesn’t include regular breaks. Rather, this pertains to taking a short weekend getaway or vacation. Go camping, take a trip to the beach, or just take the entire weekend off from doing any study-related tasks. It will provide mental refreshment to tackle the next week’s work.

-According to thekitchen.com, meal prep is setting aside time to gather ingredients and prepare meals for the whole week.

Meal preparation can take a considerable chunk of time away from studying. But there’s a solution to that. A few benefits of meal prep include:

Preparing meals ahead of time saves a great deal of money. It saves because when meals are not prepped, students are more likely to buy fast food, which is more expensive. Study time is also cut down when making additional meals on the spot.

Meal prep is planning, and it helps improve motivation that can influence better study tactics, like avoiding procrastination.

-Chasse Nordengren, of Phi Delta Kappan reminds us of the importance of realistic goal setting

Study time can significantly benefit from setting more realistic goals. If goals seem too overwhelming, it can decrease study time.

Setting more realistic goals help students seek more academic challenges. If the goals aren’t set too high, you’re more likely to try harder to achieve the goal. As your goals are completed and your confidence grows, you can reach for higher goals.

Also, setting goals that seem more realistic helps you focus better on specific outcomes. It’s as if you can see the endpoint from where you start. It’s encouraging. Instead of tackling six classes, try perfecting four instead. Visualize a high performance with these classes.

Being realistic about what you expect also helps you separate immediate goals from future goals. If you need help keeping these in order, make a chart of goals and organize them. You can always reference back to see how far you’ve come.

-Journal of Food Science Education reveals:

Students thrive by connecting with other students. They can share ideas and resources to improve study time. It’s easier to make time to study when indulging in high-quality study time with a greater focus.

Making friends with other students provides a way to form study groups. Groups have been shown to work better than studying alone—just a couple of sessions of group study work and studying every night. There are higher standards. As every individual within the group has a goal, students help each other and learn faster.

“Study groups are so effective because they provide a way for students to make the lecture notes their own”

-R. Keith Sawyer, Ph.D. and Associate Professor of Education in Arts and Sciences at Washington University

Group study allows students to look down at the information in their notes and then back up and rephrase what they’ve read. This, in effect, causes each student to learn the material and not just memorize it.

Studying with others also improves your psychological well-being, thus improving your energy levels, ability to trust others, and ability to work together to find solutions to problems.

All these positive aspects provide a more efficient way to study.

Save time and learn more.

Learning how to study more efficiently saves so much time. Not only can you carve out more time for other things in life, but you can learn more in the process.

https://collegeinfogeek.com/create-study-space/
https://www.stetson.edu/administration/academic-success/media/STUDY%20SCHEDULE.pdf
https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/how-regular-relaxation-can-improve-your-studies/
https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/using-planners/
https://kealakai.byuh.edu/meal-prep-gives-students-more-time-during-the-week-and-saves-them-money
https://kappanonline.org/goal-setting-practices-support-learning-culture-nordengren/
https://source.wustl.edu/2006/07/discovering-why-study-groups-are-more-effective/
https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4329.12176