What are good study habits?

A good question there! 

Study habits lie at the core of one’s academic performance. 

They determine our pace of learning, efficiency and retention capacity. 

Here are some good study habits

Have a schedule and manage your day well to execute the schedule: 

• Making a schedule requires you to plan your work and your day. 

• It helps you organize your work in your head even before you attempt it. 

• Identify your productive hours and keep important subjects/topics for that time. 

• Take adequate breaks in the day. 

• Take a small power nap (maximum 30 minutes) it will boost your productivity. 

• Further, identify the triggers and indulgences that waste your time e.g. TV, Social media, YouTube, phone calls, etc. Stay away from them.

Think Positively: 

• Being in the right mindset can make all the difference. 

• Encourage your child to think positively when studying or heading into an exam and by all means, avoid catastrophic thinking. 

• Help your student turn negative statements like, “I’ll never have enough time to get a good grade on this exam,” into positive ones like, “I began preparing later than I should have but I put together a comprehensive study plan and will be able to get through the material prior to the exam.”

Get Organized: 

• Between homework, tests, and extracurricular activities, it’s all too easy for things to slip through the cracks. 

• A planner can help your child keep everything organized. 

• Students should write down assignments, appointments and to-do lists, then review items in the planner at both the beginning and end of the day to stay on track.

Designate a Study Area: 

• Yes, studying at the local coffee shop may seem like a good idea, but not if there are constantly people interrupting or other disruptions. 

• Even at home, studying in front of the TV won’t be the best use of your son or daughter’s time. 

• Help your child by providing a quiet, well-lit, low-traffic space for study time.

Keep break in your study schedule: 

• Working for all days of the week for a long duration of time will lead to burn out and disenchantment with your work. 

• Breaks are important to rejuvenate yourself. 

• Meet old friends, go for a movie or a photo-walk, it helps your brain recover from an exhausting work routine.

Silence and the library habit: 

• As far as possible, one should study in silence. 

• It reduces the exhaustion of your brain. 

• You can consider accessing the library of your institute or even join a public/private library for more efficiency and better focus.

Take a break in between your studies: 

• A number of students continue to study for a long duration of time but are not able to get good outcomes. 

• The fact is they continue to work with a tired mind. 

• After every one hour of study, it is necessary to take a break of 5–10 minutes in order to re-energize yourself. 

• However, the break should not last for more than 15 minutes as it breaks the rhythm of study.

Concentrate well and avoid distraction: 

• Keep gadgets and other distractions away while studying. The biggest distraction that our generation face is that of a mobile phone. 

• With messages popping up on the screen round the clock, we have become a kind of addicted to pick up the phone and check if there is a new notification. This is harmful as it consumes valuable time and dwindles concentration. 

• Lack of concentration makes us take more time than required on a particular portion/chapter and even affects your understanding of the same. 

• The mobile data and wifi connection must be switched off while studying. 

• Though some students may find this habit extremely tough, this discipline is the secret behind thousands of successful students.

Practice Active Listening: 

• It’s important for students to concentrate and avoid distractions when an instructor is presenting. 

• Ask your child to try concentrating on the main points being made, think about what the speaker is saying and pay attention to how things are said (gestures, tone of voice, etc.). 

• They should avoid talking or thinking about problems when listening. 

• If a teacher says, “This is important” or “I’ll write this on the board,” there is a good chance students will see the concept on an exam.

Regulate your sleep: 

• A sound sleep is important for retention, better interpretation, analysis and has obvious positive health implications (especially in maintaining your immunity). 

• Prolonged sleep deprivation and irregular hours or timing of sleep are bound to affect your efficiency in the long run. 

• One should try sticking to a definite sleeping and waking time.

Create a Study Group: 

• Working in groups can help students when they’re struggling to understand a concept and can enable them to complete assignments more quickly than when working alone. 

• Keep groups small and structured to ensure the maximum benefit to participants and reduce distractions.

Plan specific time for studying: 

• Study time is whenever you are accomplishing something related to schoolwork. 

• It very well may finish allotted perusing, taking a shot at a paper or venture, or concentrate for a test. 

• Timetable particular occasions during the time for your study time

Correct Posture: 

• Study with your back straight as it helps you get the maximum retention of what you have studied.

Meals and eating habits: 

• Try having proper meals at regular times. 

• It is advisable to avoid munching on snacks while studying as it is a major distraction and also makes you gain unnecessary weight. 

• Tea or coffee should be taken as per need and not as a habit. 

• Avoid junk food and consume healthy stuff if you are preparing for a crucial exam. 

• This ensures that you don’t lose days due to illness.

Set particular Goals for their study times: 

• Goals will enable you to remain focused and monitor your progress. 

• Simply sitting down to study has little value. 

• You should be clear about what you need to achieve during your study times.

Take effective notes: 

• The retention of knowledge becomes really easy if you take effective notes. 

• The study from a good book or two, take your own notes. 

• Mention the important points in bullets. 

• Read them again and again.

Exercise daily: 

• Start your day with at least 20 minutes of light to an intense workout. 

• Choose anything out of a brisk walk, skipping a rope, gym, yoga, Zumba etc. as per your convenience and interest. 

• These activities help you avoid unnecessary backaches, neck sprains, and headaches. 

• Apart from fitness, exercise has been proven to help you build a positive outlook towards studies, work and life in general. 

All in all, be determined and disciplined. By adopting the above study habits, you will not only reach your study goals but also enjoy the process.

Hope you all like this article.

I want to hear what you think about this article. Send a suggestion, feedback or write to freebirdguidance@gmail.com

About Writer

Rashidul Haque

Rashidul Haque is heading his own organisation -Free Bird Guidance. It specialises in counselling, career guidance, coaching, mentoring, training for students & individuals. He is a successful Behavioral & Personality Transformational Coach, Career & Educational Counselor, Personality Development Trainer, Writer - Blogger & Motivating thousand of students.

He is aiding students in building future educational or career paths & help students to evaluate their abilities and interests, overcome challenges and obstacles, and develop necessary skills. He helps students to craft a long-term plan for reaching their career objectives. Conduct group workshops on a variety of topics, including writing resumes and cover letters, successful job interviewing and various career development programs.

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