Mastering Your Mind: The Guide to Effective Study Habits

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Let’s be honest, most of us have all pulled an all-nighter to polish off an essay, or spent the last twenty minutes before an exam cramming as much textbook knowledge into our short-term memory banks as possible. Just like we knew in those panicked moments, though, this is not the most effective way to study and retain information.

While the merit of homework and examinations continues to be debated, particularly for younger children, where studies have highlighted potential negative impacts on well-being, the reality is that most educational institutions will require you to develop some study habits to qualify for a pass. In this article, we explore what study habits are, how they can set you up for success, and the dos and don’ts of studying.

What are study habits?

Study habits are routines and practices put into place to learn effectively and achieve success at educational institutions, to assist with career advancement through skill development, or to pursue a passion or interest. Proper study habits encompass various practices, including good time management, creating the right environment, reviewing processes, and practicing self-care.

Taking the time to develop and practice good study habits offers several benefits. It can help enhance understanding and retention of information, improve problem-solving skills, increase motivation and confidence, and reduce anxiety often associated with studying or achieving academic success.

Good and bad study habits

When it comes to studying, there are both good and bad habits you may pick up.

Do — Create a routine

When developing a new habit, routine is key. Determining a time and setting up a place when you know you do your best work should be your starting point, then you need to find a way to build it into your schedule every day. Not only will there be one less decision you need to make daily, but studying will soon feel less like a chore and more like just another part of your day.

Do — Take regular breaks

It can be easier to focus on work that needs to be done when you know a break is on the horizon. The Basic Rest Activity Cycle (BRAC) is a concept that describes the roughly 90-minute cycles of alternating periods of activity, rest, or relaxation a human experiences throughout the day. These cycles are thought to be influenced by the body’s natural rhythms and can impact focus, alertness, and productivity. Basically, we function better if we allow ourselves time for highly focused work, then rest.

If we apply this concept to studying, by adopting the habit of performing focused study in 90-minute increments, with rest breaks in between, you will likely achieve a much more focused session with greater outcomes than attempting to study for hours on end.

Do — Listen to the experts

If you know people who have performed well at school or in exams in the past, or who have studied courses like an edd in higher education online where they study studying, take the time to talk to them about what methods they find effective. Learning about techniques from those around you can help build out your study habits and allow you to consider methods you may not have thought of before.

Do — Develop realistic goals

The self-motivation required to study effectively can be sustained by having clear goals. This can be one long-range goal that is broken down into smaller, manageable goals, but the key aspect of them all is that they must be realistic and achievable. Realistic goals are crucial to success as they provide motivation, a sense of accomplishment, and can help avoid discouragement or burnout.

Creating realistic goals can help drive motivation while studying. Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash.

Don’t — Attempt to cram

Cramming involves attempting to learn everything you need to know right before an exam or deadline. Cramming generally leads to poor information retention with no real long-term benefits, and can increase stress levels, which can negatively impact performance.

Instead, you should set up regular study sessions over time to help form good studying habits and ensure long-term retention of information.

Don’t — Allow distractions

Distractions vary for every individual, but common ones include studying in a space with lots of noise, having your phone or smart device handy, or scrolling through social media during the middle of a study session. Distractions will, by nature, make it difficult to focus, and you will be unable to absorb information effectively.

It is very important to find a quiet, comfortable space to study that is free from distractions.

Don’t — Multitask

As much as we don’t like to admit it, multitasking reduces our focus and concentration when we try to split our attention. Although it may feel like you are getting more done, ultimately, it will make it harder to learn and recall information.

Learn to dedicate your full focus on a single task at a time, to maximise your studying.