Sit upright in a chair at a desk. Don’t lay on a bed or in a position that you know will lull you to sleep. Pick a space that is solely used for studying. Before long, your body will associate that space with that activity and it will be easier to concentrate. Study in a brightly lit room. This will protect your eyes from straining too much at a book, your notes, or a computer screen. Bright lights will also keep you from dozing off. You want a comfortable chair. There should be no strain on your back or neck. Pain is a terrible distraction.
Keep in mind that study music might not be the music you listen to in the car for fun. You want to fill the room with sound, but not to the point that it becomes distracting or stressful. Experiment with different genres and figure out what helps you focus. [1] X Research source
To avoid any distractions remove your cell phone from your study enviroment for an hour or two. Know what distracts you most on a computer, if you need to use one. There are websites and software blockers like SelfRestraint, SelfControl, and Think that can keep you away from the websites and software that are the hardest to resist. Find a place where there is no internet or your cell phone doesn’t work. Alternatively, you can choose to study in a place that doesn’t allow people to use cell phones, like in a quiet section of a library.
Schedule yourself to study different subjects. Studying the same thing for too long is a recipe for boredom. Know yourself. Do you get bored easy? If so, schedule your time strategically. When are you most productive? Working when you have a lot of energy makes the work easier. If you know that you get tired at a particular time of day, schedule tasks that require less attention then. Some people are early birds. They wake up early before most people even begin their days. They take this peaceful time to catch up on their studies. Other people are night owls. They thrive after everyone else has gone to bed. Their home is quiet and they can concentrate easier. Some people don’t have the luxury of waking up early or staying up late. Maybe you are one of them. If so, find a time in the day that you can devote to studying that works for you.
Make sure they’re doable. If you need to write a 10 pages in a week, schedule yourself to write 2 pages a day for 5 days. The task will no longer seem daunting and discouraging. This works for any assignment, whether you need to read a book, study for a test, build something for science class, or whatever. Break the task into manageable parts.
Your brain can process information in several different ways. By studying with different techniques, your brain will process the information differently, thus increasing the chance of retaining the information.
Get others involved. One of the most effective ways to learn information is if you try to teach it to someone else. Have a significant other, roommate, friend, or family member play the student. See if you can explain the difficult material to them.
Eat super foods. Research shows that blueberries, spinach, squash, broccoli, dark chocolate, and fish boost brain activity. Avoid eating junk and sweets with little to no nutritional value. Your body will expend energy breaking them down, but won’t benefit for them. A healthy diet will keep you more energized and make it easier to put your mind to the test.
