Dedicating ample time to study for tests and examinations is key to attaining and maintaining excellent academic performance. That means you’ve got to study at home too. However, with the temptation to watch some TV, surf the internet or sleep, it’s not easy to study.
Being at home also means that there are distractions that might keep you from studying effectively. With the right attitude and some changes to your routine, you can make the best use of your time at home to up your academic performance. Here’s how:
1. Organize Your Time With a Planner/ Scheduler
Each day, when you wake up, there are things in your mind that you intend to do during the day. However, without a proper plan or schedule, it’s unlikely that you will find time for all of them. A schedule or daily planner helps you to manage your time better.
If you want to study at home consistently, you’ve got to plan out your days. That includes designating time for your chores, study sessions and rest. You can install an app on your phone for this purpose.
2. Designate a Quiet, Distraction-Free Study Space
Next, find a room or space that is comfortable and can help you concentrate. Ideally, you want a relatively quiet area with enough natural light coming in, and is clutter-free. All you need is a good chair and table to make a study space.
Remember to keep your study area free of distractions. If possible, keep your phone away from you or on silent. Isolate yourself from siblings, too, during this time to avoid being interrupted.
3. Have Water and Brain-Friendly Snacks Near You
Water helps you stay hydrated and alert when studying. So, fill up a bottle and have it next to you. If you get hungry often during the day or have a pretty long session, carry some healthy snacks to your study room. Some good brain foods that you can munch when studying include:
- A bowl of fruit salad;
- Nuts such as almonds;
- Dark chocolate;
- Grapes;
- A cup of green tea;
- Oily fish such as salmon;
- Peanut butter.
4. Finish Your Chores and Assignments Before Study Time
It can be quite hard to concentrate when you’re thinking of a chore that you’ve got to do before the day ends. So, why not get it done before you sit down? By completing your tasks first, you’ll avoid interruption when you are studying.
If you have an essay assignment, prioritize it. Assignments are just as crucial for good grades as studying. So, work on it and have a professional from EssayEdge to edit and proofread it. Once these chores and assignments are out of the way, you’ll be motivated to study as you know that you can rest afterward.
5. Divide Your Study Material into Chunks
You can’t tackle everything you’ve learned in a month or semester in a day or two. Studying is most effective when you do it bit by bit. You can tackle two or three subjects in a day by reviewing a topic or two in each.
Remember, planning to cover more than you can handle will be counterproductive. So, experiment in the first days to know how long you can stay productive. Then, divide your notes into chunks that you can cover during that time. Schedule breaks every 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Make a Study Timetable to Help You Cover Each Subject
While a daily scheduler helps you organize your entire day, you also need a time table to plan your study hours within your day. You can, for instance, set out to study between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on your schedule. Then on your time table, stipulate which subjects (and even topics) you will cover within those three hours.
Generally, you want to have a time table to balance out your study time across all subjects. Without proper organization, you may pay more attention to subjects that you love, sparing little time for the rest. Pair up a subject you enjoy with one that you don’t like so much.
7. Use Study Tools like Flashcards and a Notebook
Reading tools are things that improve learning and make recalling information easier. Using a revision tool, especially just before a test, helps you refresh your knowledge and assess your understanding of different concepts. Examples of excellent study tools you should use include:
- Flashcards
- Practice/ Mock tests
- Notebook
- Study games
- Highlighter pen
- Study guides
8. Make Studying a Routine
The human body and mind work well with routines. So, studying at the same time each day makes it easier, more convenient and highly effective.
You could, for instance, study during mid-morning hours after breakfast from Monday to Friday every week. If you’re busy during the day, you could study during the early evening hours each weekday. Stick to it long enough, and it becomes a routine.
9. Let Your Family Know About Your Study Sessions
Lastly, it would help if you had the support of your parents and siblings to make your plan work. Without proper communication, your study time may conflict with family events and commitments.
Your siblings can also be a significant source of distraction if they aren’t aware of your study times. So, ensure that your family is in the know about your plans. That way, they won’t interrupt you, and they’ll understand whenever you have to say no to something.
Putting It All Together
While you can learn so much in class and school in general, the secret to academic success lies in your personal study time. And, since you probably spend most of your free time at home, dorm or apartment, you should make the most of it. With the right strategies (such as the ones suggested here), you can make at-home studying more productive and effective.
