Studying smart produces the best results
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“Be humble, ambitious, and always strive to be the most competent worker wherever you find yourself. Don’t just work hard; think smart, work smart.”
― Emmanuel Apetsi
How often have you heard that the more you study, the better your results will be? Almost all the students are advised to study longer and harder but much to their dismay, they get the same, even lower result in contrast those who spend less time learning. Have you wondered why?
Even twenty-four hours a day will not seem sufficient unless you learn to study smarter. As a matter of fact, the significant majority of students make it big only by developing smart, intelligent and effective study habits that not only boosts their memory but also amplifies their concentration.
Why is it important to study smarter, not harder?
- Saves energy: Studying in short bursts, for example, allows you to study challenging portions of the book with greater energy and produce better results.
- Increases productivity: It encourages you to focus and concentrate better.
- Increases motivation: It fosters feelings of positivity about your abilities, future and yourself.
- Increases self-esteem: Studying smarter allows you to focus on the quality of your preparation rather than the quantity with less effort but equal passion, which in turn will naturally boost your self-esteem
How to study smart?
- Establish a morning routine: Try to start your morning the same way every day. This could mean taking a short walk of around 10- 20 mins around the house or it could mean starting your day by meditating for a while. Meditation can be a great exercise to kickstart your morning with. According to various researches, meditation is shown to increase concentration, enhance your mood and combat the feeling of stress and anxiety.
- Have a to-do list: Make a checklist for the chapters or portions of the book for the day. Focus on three to five important and challenging parts for the day, your most important parts once completed, will make you feel highly productive. Focus on these portions one at a time before moving on to less important portions.
- Keep a track of your results, not your time: As you keep accomplishing the goals you’ve set for the day, tick them off your list. This will help you feel motivated and accomplished. Not only that, the list will make it seamless to celebrate your feats and better anticipate as to how long similar portions in the book will take in the future.
- Make studying productive: Have a roadmap of what you want to cover during a session and the desired outcome. Keep your study session as effective and productive as possible.
- Study in 90 to 120 minutes blocks: It is scientifically proven that our brains our best able to concentrate for 90 minutes at a time. Consider taking breaks and dividing your study schedule into 90 minutes or two-hour sections. This will help you maximise your brain’s ability to focus and expand your overall productivity. Also, assure that you strictly adhere to your break schedule and remain tightly focused on your studies during your 90 minutes study sessions. Stay away from all the distractions during these times.
- Establish deadlines: Set reasonable deadlines for your studies. Consider establishing shorter gaps of time for completing the given parts or chapters. This approach will improve the efficiency with which you are able to attain them.
- Adopt stress-management techniques: Techniques like reading, meditating, listening to music, walking or practicing yoga can be a great stress buster especially, when exams are around the corner. These tactics will fight the stress that can impact your mental, emotional and physical health and can enhance your overall performance.
It’s not about how much your study, it’s all about how efficiently you study. Therefore, instead of taking the long, tiring road to your destination, take the one that provides the maximum productivity with less enervation because that’s the road that will make all the difference in your life.