How to Study More Effectively

Learn to Study More Effectively

Many times the key to educational success begins with a student's ability to study effectively. This how to guide emphasizes three key concepts that can be used to improve your studying abilities and eventually your grades.

Things You'll Need

• Quiet Room

Instructions

1. Limit Distractions:

   A Bad Plan:

   I know that on occasions, I've gone to the local coffee shop to try and study for my next exam. They have comfortable tables and chairs, wireless internet and all the coffee you can drink. I thought it was a good idea at the time, but I was soon very distracted and was not even able to study. What went wrong? First, I had a couple of cups of that coffee, which made me jittery. Then, with the easy access to wireless high speed internet, I got distracted checking stock quotes and the news. Finally, those comfortable chairs and tables weren't so comfortable after two or three hours. Plus, add in the constant buzz of people and traffic in and out and the whole place became a study nightmare.

   A Good Plan:

   A better plan is to find a nice comfortable spot at home. The best place is away from the kids, the TV, the internet and all of the other distractions of daily life. Go behind closed doors. Meet your needs. Use the bathroom before you begin. Grab a snack and a glass of water. Bring everything that you might need for the next few hours with you. Study in an environment that you can control. Start your study time by taking a few minutes to really think about what you need to learn and focus on getting your studying done and out of the way.

2. Create a Study Routine:

   There are two keys to creating an effective study routine. The first key is time management. Learning the skill of effective time management is a real asset to a student. With so many things going on in our busy lives these days, failure to manage your limited study time in an efficient and effective manner can kill your chances of doing well in school. Keep in mind that you will need two to three hours of study time for every hour that you spend in class per week and once that time has passed you by, no amount of cramming is going to help. Try to divide the study "work" that you need to do into manageable parts and tackle it a little each day. It also helps if you set aside a certain window of time each day, early morning works for me, to concentrate on your studies. Use this same schedule every day and your routine will only grow stronger over time.

   The second key is determining isolation versus participation. It helps to figure out if you study and learn better as an individual or as part of a study group. If you are the type of person that gets easily sidetracked when in a group, try studying alone one time and see if that improves your understanding of the material. Many times, study groups, especially those with more than two or three people, get off track with multiple conversations going on at once and disruptive behaviors from some members.

3. Stay Organized:

   Improving organization can be one of the easiest and most effective ways of improving your ability to study more effectively. If you are disorganized, you spend a lot of your study time trying to get your notes in order, find page numbers in the book, and make sense of all the information that you are dealing with. It's much easier to consolidate your notes, with all of the vital study information included, into one concise notebook or flash drive, that is easy to access and use. This decreases the time required for you to study and makes more effective use of your precious time and limited studying opportunities.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid eating heavy meals at least two hours before studying. Research shows that after eating a large meal, your blood flow is diverted to your gastrointestinal tract to aid digestion and away from your brain where you need it while studying.

• Avoid excessive caffeine or sugar intake that can effect your concentration when you are trying to study and retain information.