March 2nd, 2022
David Peachment
4 Tips to Study EASILY
Studying can be hard. It takes a lot of time, effort, and preparation. But a strong study session can make the difference between a failing grade and a passing one. It can be between nailing that job interview and looking elsewhere. And it can even be between getting that promotion or staying in your current position. Studying is an essential part of life. Whether it’s schoolwork, information on a client and their industry, or doing research into your new product, studying cannot be skipped. In this blog post, I want to share a few tips I’ve found over the years that have greatly helped me with my studying. These will help you elevate your study game and allow you to perform better and longer in your learning. Proper planning and setting yourself up for learning will make all of the difference in your success. So without further ado, let’s dive into some tips!
Create a Schedule
The first tip (and this is an important one) is to create a learning schedule for what you are trying to learn. What is your overall objective? What do you hope to accomplish? Figure that out, and then build your learning schedule around it. Need to finish a certification in a month? Figure out how many hours of studying you’ll need to do to acquire that certification, then break it down over the week. Does it require 5 hours a week? 4? 10? Once that number is understood, you can design your week around it. Need to get 5 hours of studying in? Plan to study one hour each weeknight at a consistent time. This will help build the habit, and you’ll know that you need to study when that time comes around. Do you learn better in the morning or evening? Schedule your session for the time that works best for you, and commit to doing it at that time every day you need to.
Plan Your Session
Continuing on from the last tip, you need to plan out your individual study session. What do you hope to accomplish in this particular session? Once that’s identified, you then need to plan your time around that core objective. For example, if you need to study and take an online test, how much time will you allocate to studying? How much time for the test? You never want to feel rushed either, so make sure you have enough time for whatever it is you are doing. If you think to yourself, “I don’t have enough time to study and take the test,” then plan to take the test the next day and give yourself more time to study. Do you need to learn several different concepts? Allocate time to each one based on what you need to know. What do you want to finish the session having understood? Work towards that goal. And don’t forget to schedule in breaks either! One of the best methods I know is to work for an hour uninterrupted, and then take a 5-10 minute break and let your brain fully relax. Then do it again.
Setup the Environment
But how exactly do you study uninterrupted? When you plan out your session, you also need to set up the studying environment. This is comprised of a few key areas. First, what will you need to ensure you have enough energy throughout the session? Bring along some light energy-filled snacks such as an apple, granola bar, veggies, etc. This will give you the boost you need, without a sugar crash that you might get from a chocolate bar or a bag of sweets. And bring a water bottle to stay hydrated! Next, find a place free of distractions. Go into a private room, or head down to your local library where you can read and work without people talking to you or without loud noises going off. Make sure to put your phone on silent and in a bag or backpack, so you aren’t tempted to look at it while studying. Only bring it out during your breaks. Also, ensure you have all of the materials you need. This might include items like notepaper, pencils, a calculator, a device for music (if that helps you study), etc. Take some time to prepare your learning environment to work uninterrupted and maximize your focus.
Review Early and Frequently
Finally, always review the material you have learned early and often. What I mean by early is don’t wait a long time before going over what you have learned. Did you know that students can forget 80% of what they learned in just two weeks? Make sure you review the material within a couple of days and look back on it every couple of days after that. This will ensure you remember everything in the short term and cement the facts in your brain permanently.
With all of these tips, I hope you can level up your study game and achieve your goals. Create a study schedule for the future, and plan the specific session. Set up your environment by making sure it’s conducive to learning. Schedule breaks at optimal times. And finally, review the study material shortly after learning it, and go back to it on a regular basis. Using all of these tools, you’ll be able to improve your studying and go farther than ever before!
Until next time,
David Peachment