10 Best Studying Habits {13}

1). Manage Your Time Wisely: Whether it’s writing down a weekly schedule or keeping a mental checklist, make a plan for yourself before you study. There is time to get good grades, participate in extracurricular activities, and have a social life when you are efficient with your time. An organized schedule keeps you on track and makes social media, friends, and other distractions more manageable. Those who are disorganized with their time usually end up with last minute cramming sessions that result in the sloppy and careless work indicative of procrastination. You can easily avoid the stress and emotional exhaustion that accompanies procrastination by simply making yourself a study plan. Managing your time wisely can improve your grades and make learning more enjoyable.

2). Create a Conducive Study Environment: Each individual’s study environment should be catered to his or her personal needs. Determine what type of environment you thrive in and seek a place that fulfills your requirements. Make sure you choose a place free of distractions that is well equipped with everything you may need to study. Turn off all of your electronics and isolate yourself so that your only option is to study. Studying in the right environment can have a major impact on your homework and how you will perform on the tests.

3). Take Notes: Teachers will often give hints or suggestions in class about material that may be on an upcoming test. If you take good notes you will be able to determine how you should study for the test. Using a color-coded system or highlighting important key points, can also help you when you are studying for a test. You can make taking notes easier by using abbreviations, recording only the important information, and keeping all of your thoughts organized. Make sure you review your notes as often as you can to keep the material fresh in your mind.

4). Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to speak up in class. If you are struggling with a concept or don’t fully understand the information, consult with your teacher. Your teacher is there to help you and to make sure you understand everything that is being taught. Take advantage of the resources offered to you when you are learning—that includes teachers, tutors, peers, etc.

5). Share What You Have Learned: Albert Einstein said, “If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” Share what you have learned with others. This will reaffirm what you know and will give you the opportunity to discover the things you need to spend more time studying.

6). Know Your Dominant Learning Style: Because each student is unique it is important for us to evaluate our habits and natural tendencies.  We all learn differently and some of us struggle with studying because we do not know what type of learning style we possess. Auditory learners prefer to hear the information, whereas visual learners thrive through visual aids and tactile learners benefit by doing hands-on projects. Knowing your learning style can maximize your studying and help you retain more information.

7). Motivate Yourself-Set Goals/Deadlines: Simply sitting down to study has very little value. You must be very focused on what you want to accomplish during your study time. Goals and deadlines will keep you focused and deliver results.

8). Read and Study at the Same Time: Read with a purpose. Instead of skimming through the textbook, stick to the four R’s: Read, Recall, Reflect, and Review.

9). Test Yourself: Flashcards, memory games, mnemonic devices, quizzes, practice tests, and group study dates are all great ways to test yourself. Testing yourself before taking a test is one of the best ways to solidify what you know and can help you determine how you will perform on the actual test. The only way to make sure you are retaining what you are learning is by testing what you know.

10). Take Care of Yourself: Maintaining a healthy diet and keeping yourself well rested are both vital to retaining what you learn. What you put into your body will affect the way you learn and process information. Make sure you are eating the kind of foods that will nourish your body and provide the brainpower to fuel you through your study sessions. Getting the right amount of sleep is an undervalued yet crucial part of learning. Sleep consolidates what you learned the day before and clears out useless information to make room for new information. Your brain and body need the rejuvenation that sleep provides in order for you to be at your best.