Tags: #academic success, #college students

Effective Study Habits

Have you ever wondered what effective study habits really mean? How can reading material be retained better? At least once, you’ve definitely wanted to begin studying smarter, but you might have had no idea how to do it properly.

When you approach to study with the right attitude, minimize your distractions, choose the right study environment and set a proper schedule, it means you have these so-called effective study habits.

It’s really simple, no difficulties, as you will see.

Who says that studying smarter means only studying all day and night and only cramming, cramming, cramming…?

You CAN and SHOULD have these effective study habits as you definitely want to begin studying smarter, don’t you?

Highly Effective and Proven Study Habits

  1. The place DOES matter

How can anyone be concentrated in a dorm room with a roommate who is a real chatterbox, with TV, computer and all those damned distractions? Your poor study area has nothing in common with your effective studying. The lack of concentration and noise are the reasons why you SHOULD find a proper place for studying. No matter what it would be, it just has to be quiet enough.

  1. The importance of a proper approach

According to researchers, the way you approach something is of the same importance as what exactly you are doing. Many of us consider studying as a necessary task, but not an opportunity to learn. The right way of thinking DOES mean a lot! Why don’t we look at studying as at an enjoyable thing?

To be in the right mindset IS essential if you want to study smarter. Of course, sometimes it’s impossible to be in the right mindset and unfortunately you can do nothing with it. In this case, you should better not study at all and come back to it after a while. Being distracted by an upcoming game or a relationship issue or whatever, your studying is going to be like a curse for you, nothing more. Take your time and return to study as soon as you are ready.

The ways your study mindset can be improved:

  • When you are studying think only about positive things, say NO to negativity
  • Never compare yourself with others, it gives you nothing good at all
  • Say NO to catastrophic thoughts, stop thinking what a mess you are, instead say to yourself how good you are, and how desperately you want to study for this exam and have good results.
  1. Outline as a learning tool

When you are writing an outline, don’t forget about the important thing here – an outline should be written in your own manner and words. Writing notes, you put the information into the terms and words, which you understand. When you connect similar concepts together, you help yourself to remember everything much easier. While copying other student’s outlines or notes, don’t forget to put them in your own words in order to have no troubles later. If you don’t do this, you’ll have difficulties in remembering important things.

Effective study habits suggested above DO matter if we are talking about effective studying. Make sure you have them all!