5 Highly Effective Study Habits
Study methods that actually work! Image from www.freepik.com
Study smarter not harder. The key to productive studying isn’t putting in more hours or cramming at the last minute, but studying more effectively. Start studying smarter with these 5 effective study habits.
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1. Set the Stage
Getting a good night’s sleep the night before you study is the first step to effective studying. People often overlook how important physical health contributes to a healthy mind and brain. Eliminate any distractions around you and have a peaceful place to study. Lofi hip hop has become a very popular genre to listen to while studying and research has proven that studying with music can actually help improve brain functions.
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How You Approach Studying Matters
Studying isn’t normally at the top of everyone’s fun list. However, to effectively study you need to be in the right mindset. If you’re distracted by something going on in your personal life or approach studying with negative energy then you will not have a good study session.
Some ways to improve your study mindset:
Avoid catastrophic thinking.
Instead of thinking, “I’ll never be able to finish all this reading in time for the exam,” look at it like this, “There might be a lot of reading but if I take it chapter by chapter I can get most of it done before the exam.”
Avoid absolute thinking.
Instead of thinking “I always fail these types of problems,” the better view is, “I didn’t do so well last time on this type of problem, what can I do to improve?”
Avoid comparing yourself with others.
Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Your skills and abilities are unique to you and everyone learns at their own speed.
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2. Outline and Rewrite Your Notes
Every person is unique in how they connect information so whenever you are outlining or taking notes in class, make sure to remember to write outlines in your own words and structure. It’s okay to copy other people’s notes to have a starting point but make sure you translate those notes into your own words so the concepts stick in your memory. Research has also shown that students who hand-write their notes tend to be able to not only remember the material better but also understand the concepts better as well.
If you get stuck on paraphrasing just think to yourself, “How would I explain the content to a 5-year-old child?” It’s often the simplest explanations that are the easiest to retain. Reading your notes out loud is also a proven way to help your brain retain information.
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3. Self-Quizzing
Testing yourself on concepts is a great way to retain information. It is a proven method to effectively study since it is a form of active retrieval practice that helps work out your brain muscle. You can create test questions for yourself as you learn new concepts. Think, “if I were writing a test for this concept how would I phrase the question?” Then answer that question you just created. Quizlet is a great resource to easily make your own flashcard decks!
4. Take Breaks
Spacing out study sessions has been shown to improve retention and recall more than massed practice a.k.a cramming. A study found that the most productive people work for 52 minutes, then break for 17 minutes. Creating flashcards is a great way to do spaced practicing since you can easily quiz yourself and practice throughout the day and week.
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5. Practice By Yourself or With a Study Group
There is no better way to study than to practice, practice, and practice. You can practice by yourself by taking practice exams, past quizzes, or flashcards. If a practice exam isn’t available you can work with a study group to come up with potential test questions and test yourselves. However, don’t just depend on a practice exam and expect that those will be the exact questions on the test. Don’t forget to review your notes!
