Creating a study environment.
Find a place to study and keep it for study only. (Don’t keep on changing places.)
Tool-up the environment with all study needs. ( keep stationeries & books on your table)
Control noise level and the visual environment to acceptable levels.
Avoid relaxing while working; create a work atmosphere. (Don’t watch TV while relaxing).
When To Study
Best during the day and early evening; you will remember better.
Best when there are fewest competing activities in progress.
Best when adequate rest periods are provided.
Stop studying when fatigue or lack of attention occurs.
How To Study & Concentrate
When distracters are present, become intensely involved. ( when
somebody is around or some event is diverting your mind then start
reading or studying more with dedication)
Keep a pad of paper handy
to jot down extraneous thoughts that cross your mind while studying, get
them out of your mind, and on to paper.
Set study goals before you begin each period of study (number of pages, number of problems, etc.).
Design adequate rewards after specified goals are attained.
Break up the content of study by mixing up subjects and building in variety and interest and removing boredom.
Make the most of rest periods-do something quite different.
Don't try to mix work and play.
Start with short study periods and slowly build to longer periods only as fast as you maintain concentration.
If necessary, make a calendar of events to clear your mind of distractions.
Plan the length of your study period by the amount of material you have
decided to cover, not by the clock. (Often the clock is one of the most
serious distracters.)
How to Space your Studies:
Get a
dedicated space, chair, table, lighting and environment Avoid your cell
phone or telephone. Put up a sign to avoid being disturbed or
interrupted. If you like music in the background, OK, but don't let it,
be a distraction.
Stick to a routine, efficient study schedule and accommodate your day/night time energy levels.
Before you begin studying, take a few minutes to summarize a few
objectives, gather what you will need, and think of a general strategy
of accomplishment.
Incentives - Create an incentive if necessary for
successfully completing a task, such as calling a friend, a food treat,
a walk, etc. For special projects such as term papers, design projects,
long book reviews, set up a special incentive.
Change topics or change the subject you study every one to two hours for variety.
Vary your study activities Alternate reading with more active learning exercises helps a lot.
Take regular, scheduled breaks that fit you. Do something different
from what you have been doing (e.g., walk around if you have been
sitting), and in a different area.
Give yourself a reward when you've completed a task
Worry or Think Time
Research has proven that people who use a worry time find themselves worrying 35 percent less of the time within four weeks.
Set aside a specific time each day to think about the things that keep
entering your mind and interfering with your concentration.
When you become aware of a distracting thought, remind yourself that you have a special time to think about them,
Let the thought go, perhaps with "Be here now,"
Keep your appointment to worry or think about those distracting issues.
For example, set 4:30 to 5 p.m. as your worry/think time. When your
mind is side-tracked into worrying during the day, remind yourself that
you have a special time for worrying. Then, let the thought go for the
present, and return your focus to your immediate activity.
Tallying your mental wanderings
Have a 3 x 5 inch card handy. Draw two lines dividing the card into
three sections. Label them "morning," "afternoon," and "evening."
Each time your mind wanders, make a tally in the appropriate section.
Keep a card for each day. As your skills build, you'll see the number of
tallies decrease.
Maximize your energy level
When is
your energy level at its highest? When are your low energy times? Study
your most difficult courses at your high energy times. Sharpest early in
the evening? Study your most difficult course then. Later in the
evening? Work on your easier courses or the ones you enjoy the most.
Most students put off the tough studies until later in the evening when
they become tired, and it is more difficult to concentrate. Reverse
that. Study hard subjects at peak energy times; easier ones later. This
alone can help to improve your concentration.
Visualize
As an exercise before you begin studying; think of those times when
concentration is not a problem for you--no matter what situation. Now
try to feel or image yourself in that situation. Recapture that
experience immediately before your studies by placing yourself in that
moment. Repeat before each study session