Important tests, long research papers, and even small assignments add up quickly and can be difficult to complete. These tasks can be very daunting, but one thing that you can do to manage this stress and be successful is to create healthy study habits. Studying the right way can help you to become more efficient, preparing you to do well in school.
The first thing that you can do to create positive study habits is to create the right environment. Different locations work better for different people, so you should pick a place in which you know you will be able to concentrate and that might not be the same place as everyone else. One place you should avoid studying in is your bed. Studying in bed or doing homework in bed can make you feel tired and unmotivated, causing you to give up or work much slower. If you do not already have a go-to study location and are not sure what type of environment works for you, it may benefit you to test out different environments on a day when you do not have much homework.
Some people may require total silence, while others need white noise, background noise, or music. Music can make studying much more enjoyable and improve concentration. Fast-paced music may help to motivate you and help you to work faster, while slow music might decrease stress and anxiety which can be good for your mental health. One thing that you should absolutely do is get rid of any possible distractions. You can do this by leaving your phone in another room while you work. If you are unable to leave your phone in another room, you should instead put your phone on do not disturb mode and place it somewhere near you where you will not immediately reach for it.
Even though you may have a good study environment, gaining motivation can be very difficult. Anxiety or stress about an assignment can cause procrastination. The best thing to do when that happens is to take a few deep breaths and take it one subject at a time. You can start by making a list and prioritizing the things that are of the most importance. Pick the thing that is of the most importance or the thing that is most enjoyable to do, and tell yourself that you are going to accomplish that one thing. Once you have completed that, pick another task from your list and finish that task. You may also consider setting a timer and working hard for 15 minutes then taking a five-minute break, repeating this pattern until you are done with your work.
Finding a good study environment and getting motivated are necessary for success, but if you want to be efficient while studying for a test, you are going to need an effective study strategy. One promising study technique is active recall. The way active recall works is after reading or learning something new, you try to explain what you learned in your own words without going back to the source. When you are explaining, it is best to write down your explanation on paper and say your explanation aloud. When you are done with that, look back at your source and evaluate your explanation. Do this as many times as you need in order to understand the concept and remember it.
Another simple way to do well in school is by taking good notes. Writing can be very helpful with memorization and can help you pay more attention to what you are being taught in class. Additionally, when you take notes in class, you are obligated to organize the information that you are learning, making yourself consciously think about the information. Informative, organized notes are also helpful when you review for tests or other assignments.
School can be strenuous and exhausting, but practicing beneficial study habits can relieve stress and make you overall more successful. Making changes to your study routine is worthwhile as it may relieve anxiety and help you to be more productive. Additionally, practicing these habits is good preparation for college and your future.
