We have all had our intensive spurts of studying in the past.
Did it leave you tired, feeling light-headed, and worst of all, stressed?
Actually, there are smarter and easier ways of going about this with the same or better results.
And to do this, you will need some preparation time.
After all, nothing good can happen with last-minute burnouts.
Good study habits are the easiest and smartest ways to reach your desired results.
And not only that, you will be able to harness your potential to the maximum.
I have 6 good study habits which can easily blend into your daily routine and some of them are rather enjoyable as well!
Study Habit #1 – Set Aside Time Daily
This is all about discipline. Setting a stipulated time each day, as difficult as it may sound, is really a step forward in the right direction.
Just set aside about 2-3 hours a day for a start. Or even 1 hour if that is better.
Never over-reach. Just set aside a target you can attain.
Overreaching can lead to disappointment and you might give up the entire idea.
When you sit down and do some work during these times, you will be surprised at how quickly the time will pass.
The most important factor is that you would have gotten some work done and that will encourage you to keep going every day.
Study Habit #2 – Set A Target That Is Easy
When you start your daily study routine, map out a schedule for each week and then set a daily target.
If you want to finish reading a book, target 2 chapters a day. This may seem like under-achieving but you would have done 14 chapters by the end of the week.
Once again, do not set impossibly high standards for yourself. Targets help you to maintain your balance.
It is about being ‘in the flow’ and feeling confident that you are on track.
It boosts your energy, making it easier to set more targets later which will lead to a rapid acceleration in your studies.
Study Habit #3 – Write Notes As Opposed To Taking Photos Of Work
Ok, I am talking about students who take down notes by taking a photo of written notes on the board. Or taking a photo with your phone instead of copying the important portions from a reference book or another text.
Write down the notes that you think are important. If you feel it will benefit you in your studies and which you may use for revision or writing essays, then should you not be writing them down?
When you write down notes, you will be automatically committing them to your memory. And those who do would have done half the work as they will only have to revise this content later.
Writing down notes also improves your handwriting.
Trust me, you don’t want your handwriting to look illegible. And taking photos will not help.
Study Habit #4 – Verify Your Content
Verify everything you write. Even if it is from a known source, counter reference the information to ensure that you have got everything correct.
This can be a useful habit when you are sourcing information on the internet. There are many sources of information and some may be misleading.
You will need to ensure that you verify the news properly or look at the bibliography at the bottom of the article.
News agencies that publish their news online are trusted news sources.
Look out for these and your work will always retain a high standard.
Study Habit #5 – Memorise Quotes/ Statistics Daily
This is the way to write an impressive essay for your exams. Adding quotes and statistics will improve the quality of your work.
A wise quote at the start of your essay will vastly enhance your work. If you are able to memorise just one a day, imagine how much you would have accumulated in a month.
Just try to read and memorise one interesting quote or statistic a day and you will be surprised at how knowledgeable you will be.
Study Habit #6 – File For Easy Reference
Organising your work is a really disciplined way of going about your studies. It can avoid you having to search for your work or wondering if you have accidentally thrown it away.
Filing your work also means no one else in your home may shift it accidentally. Please avoid all this trouble by having a good filing system. It does not have to be sophisticated. Just opt for ring files and have some shelf space for them.
Keep filing your work according to dates. A January file for example will remind you of what you did. Or label it according to topics. Whatever you do, just make sure that everything you have done is within easy reach.
These are just some practical tips which I have shared with you. Of course, there is one more factor that I did not discuss. And that is You!
You need to get this started. No matter how impressive the tips are, they will be of no use if you procrastinate.
Get cracking and cultivate your study habits today!