All About the Effective Study Tips
Effective study skills I have come across students who spend most of the time studying sincerely and yet score poor grades. There are students who spend a dedicated a few hours every day and score better grades than their counterparts. The difference lies in the technique used for studying. It is never too early or even too late to develop good effective study habits. The sooner you involve in a good study habit; the better everything will be. Your chances of getting good marks will also improve. Students generally grapple with many issues in their lives. There are lots of disturbance that comes on the way thus diverting from studies. It becomes very difficult to concentrate on studies.
If you want to progress in each class, then you have to study.
Important Of Effective Study Tips
You can begin studying smarter with the tips mentioned below:
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How you approach studying matters (effective study tips)
Most of the students look at studying as a mandatory task and not as enjoyment or an opportunity to learn something. It is found that how you approach something matters almost as much as what you do. It is really very important that you should be in the right mindset in order to study smarter.
There are situations when you can’t force yourself to be in the right mindset, and in such scenarios, you should simply avoid studying. These situations can be relationship issues, favorite shows on TV, important functions organized in society, or an upcoming game. If you study in such a scenario, then it will just go to be an exercise in frustration. You can come back to study after this disturbance, and you are focused.
There are few tips to help improve your mindset for studying. These are depicted below :
- You should aim to think positively when you sit down to study.
- You should avoid catastrophic thinking. For, e.g. Instead of thinking that “I’m really terrible at studies and I cannot even score passing grades in exams”, think that “I can score better grades in exams if I study daily and earlier grades don’t matter since I’m going to study better from now.”
- You should avoid comparing yourself with others. It is more likely that students who score poor grades compare with students who score better in grades, and the result is feeling bad about yourself.
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Choose the right place and time for effective study (effective study tips)
The place as well as the time you select to study matters most. Everyone has their own idea regarding the best place and time to study. For few students, it’s bedroom during the night or the library after lectures better place to study. This may differ for every student. You should find a study space as well as a regular study time that will work better for you.
- The right place for study: Your study space should be quiet and comfortable. It should always be free from distractions such as TV, place of social gathering, Computer, etc. Such a place should make you feel inspired to study. You can decorate the surrounding walls with your favorite pictures or inspiring quotes. Ideal places for study are study-room (in case you have better staying), library, bedroom during the daytime.
- The right time to study: Some students feel comfortable studying in the morning while others prefer the nighttime. You should work out which time suits you and then plan accordingly. You should not study much later than your usual bedtime, which will make you tired to study. The ideal time for study is early morning, the time at which there is no one in the room.
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Equip your study area with all materials you need (effective study tips)
You should always equip your study area with all materials you might need while studying or completing the assignment. Materials such as the pen, pencils, all relevant notes, dictionary, paper clips, calculators and other gadgets (for engineers), water, refreshments, etc., should be kept handy.
This helps you to study without any interruption. You should turn your mobile phone into silent mode or switch it off during your study time. You should attend calls only if it is very important; otherwise, you can ignore them and reply to them later. Keeping essential materials handy allows you to work with better concentration and without any interruption.
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Use memory games (effective study tips)
Memory games are techniques for remembering pieces of information with the help of simple associations between words that are commonly used. Sometimes you remember a sentence because it sounds rhyme or some sort of funny. You can use this technique to remember difficult concepts.
For, eg. If you are preparing for the civil service exam and you want to remember the list of prime ministers of India, then you can use the below technique :
This list includes prominent names such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Gulzarilal Nanda, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Moraji Desai, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, Narendra Modi. You can remember this list as JG-LIM-RAMN, which are an initial letter of each person.
This technique will really be helpful in case if you want to remember difficult names such as scientific names of plants, a list of medicine etc. These don’t work for everyone, and if it doesn’t work for you, then don’t use them. You can use any memory technique that sounds comfortable to you.
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Prepare a schedule and stick to it (effective study tips)
You should keep aside certain hours of each day for study just like you do for sleep and nourishment. You should prepare a schedule for your studies and stick to it. While preparing a schedule to keep several factors in mind, such as the schedule should be achievable, more time for the difficult subject, and less time for easy subjects.
The amount of time required for study differs from student to student. It completely depends on an individual’s skills and his/her ability to grasp concepts. Some students can study for three to four hours continuously without any break whereas some student finds it difficult to study even for an hour!
An average of two hours of study every day is recommended. Spending an hour or two every day is better than studying one 12-hour marathon a day before an exam since this avoids last-minute cramming.
It should be noted that going to coaching classes is a different thing and self-study is a different thing.
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Take intermediate breaks (effective study tips)
It is really important to take regular intermediate breaks while you are studying. If you are feeling tired or frustrated, then you should definitely take a break. According to research, if you take a break every two hours of continuous working, your performance at study will be tremendously better.
If you are working too long on a task, then it can gradually decrease your performance. When you take a break, make sure that you are away from your study area. Typical activities recommended in the break are indulging in conversation with people, do physical activities such as walking, running or listening to music. Activities such as watching television, sleeping or having heavy meals should always be avoided during break time.
This intermittent break can often help you to look at a problem in a different way, and even it could help you solve it in a better way!
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Teach what you have learned (effective study tips)
If you have studied something, then you can test it by explaining it to someone else. Using this technique, you will come to know how better you understood the concept. It will also help you revise concepts, and also the person to whom you are explaining will be able to learn it.
I’m reminded of the below quote when it comes to learning which is mentioned below :
“Tell me, and I forget.
Teach me, and I remember.
Involve me, and I learn.”
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Study every day (effective study tips)
If you study a little bit every day, then you will be continuously reviewing concepts in your mind. Effective study habits This helps you understand things. It also helps in remembering things for the long term. Studying every day can help you avoid the stress of last-minute pressure.
You can plan a schedule to devote spend an hour or two every day to stay on top of things. If you plan to study when exams are nearby, then you might need to study more each day.
It may be that you will find it difficult to devote time to study. You can prioritize activities and can easily chalk out time for study. This means to cut time spent online or give the weekend plan a miss etc.
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Review and revise (effective study tips)
It is human nature that we forget things over a period of time. Hence, you should review and revise things once a week that you have studied in class. This can help you to understand the concepts, and also, it can help you remember when you really need them the most.
- Quiz yourself: You can ask friends or family members to quiz you on concepts you have studied. In turn, you can offer your friends with their work too. This is a really great way to build confidence about what you know. It can also help you know what you still need to learn an effective study plan.
- Prepare your own notes: You can think of some practice exam questions or can create your own flashcards to help you study. The advantage of this technique is that you learn it all twice. once when you prepare study materials and once when you revise them. This helps in remembering concepts for the long term.
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Always stay motivated (effective study tips)
Every person has a different source of motivation. For some looking at idols is inspiring; reading quotes or watching inspirational talks is boosting factor. Students generally find it difficult to stick to their goals.
When you are studying, you should keep in mind reasons for doing all the hard work that you are working towards. You can decorate your study place with favorite pictures, inspirational quotes or photos of people you admire most. This creates a better aura for studying.
During my college days, I was motivated with the below quote that I had hand-written and stick to book-shelf.
Good, better, best. Never let it rest.
‘Til your good is better, and your better is best.
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Practice on old exams (effective study tips)
You should always practice on old exams question papers. This is one of the most effective ways to prepare for exams.
It really helps you to get accustomed to the format of the questions that come in exams. If you practice it, then you may time it very well and thus be helping you score better grades in the exam.
This gives you an understanding that how much amount of time should be spent on each section.
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Snack on brain food (effective study tips)
You should inculcate the effective study habits of avoiding junk foods. It is found that what you eat can really have an impact on energy levels as well as on your mind. You should always keep your body and brain well-fuelled by choosing nutritious foods. Foods such as fish, milk, nuts, seeds, yogurts, green leafy vegetables, blueberries etc., are rich in nutrition.
It has been proven by scientists that eating nutritious food can improve concentration and memory. During exam days, you should eat a healthy meal, a meal that will provide energy throughout the day. Students generally avoid meals during exam time which results in weakness, dizziness, and thus impacting their exams.
It is rightly said that “Sound mind dwells in a sound body”. This means that if your health is good, then you can have a better mindset.
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Drink plenty of water (effective study tips)
You should drink plenty of water so that you remain well hydrated. This is essential for your brain to work at its best.
Drinking water and brain function are linked with each other. Lack of water in the brain can cause problems such as poor focus, brain fatigue, and brain fog, poor memory, headaches, depression, insomnia, and the list goes on.
According to scientists, around 70% of your body is composed of water, and every function in the body is dependent on water. This includes critical activities such as the brain and nervous systems.
In order to keep your body properly hydrated, you should drink at least four to six liters of water every day. You should also make sure that you keep drinking plenty of water throughout your revision session and also during exam time.
Recommended
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