7 Ways You Can Develop Good Study Habits

7 Ways You Can Develop Good Study Habits

Just about everybody could stand to make at least a few improvements to their study habits. Maybe you  habitually wait to the last minute to get anything done. Maybe you constantly turn your assignments in late, or maybe you surf the internet in class when you should be working. Whatever your bad habits are, you can improve them if you really wish to do so. Here are 7 tips that you can use to help improve your study habits.

1. Assess Your Current Study Habits

The first step that you will need to take, if you want to develop good study habits, is to take a look at your current habits. How many hours per week do you study? Do you study at home or somewhere else? Do you participate in any study groups? How are your habits working for you? Do you find yourself rushing to get caught up or are you falling behind on assignments? Answer these questions, and you will be able to identify areas where you can improve.

2. Write Down Your Goals

Once you have assessed your current habits, you can write out your goals for improving your study habits. When you do this, don't think too far out. Try setting goals that you can work towards over the course of a semester. This way you do not take on too much change at one time. Here are a few example goals that you might set fort yourself:

• I will turn in 90% of my assignments on time
• I will spend 1 hour each week in the math lab with a tutor
• I will join a study group in order to raise my Biology grade
• I will use a note taking app to quickly take notes in my classes
• I will stay off of social media websites in class
• I will study one hour per evening, 5 evenings per week

3. When You Are Studying Use The Pomodoro Method

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This is a proven productivity method that you can use to improve the efficiency of your studying. It involves studying in blocks of 25 minutes and then taking 5 minute breaks. This method helps to insure that the time you spend hitting the books is as productive as possible. Essentially, the 25 minute blocks are just long enough for you to study and pay attention, but not so long that your mind becomes fatigued or you get distracted.

4. Develop Great Note Taking Habits

The better organized and informative your notes are, the more useful they will be to you when you study. Many students find that they  have good luck if they use a note tacking app. Apps such as Evernote provide students with the means to take notes, to organize them, and to search and study those notes later on. This is much preferable to taking paper notes that can be easily misplaced. If you wish, you can also download an app that will allow you to snap pictures of the whiteboard and save them.

5. Get Enough Sleep

Nothing you do to improve your study habits will do you any good, unless you get enough sleep. If you are between the ages of 17 and 24, your natural sleep patterns tend to keep you up late at night and sleeping until late in the morning or even early afternoon. If you can schedule your classes and work hours to accommodate this, you will feel much more well-rested.  In any case, try to get at least 6 or more hours of sleep every evening.

6. Set Up a Study Area That Works For You

There is no ideal study area. There is only a study area that is ideal for you. Some students need absolute silence with not distractions whatsoever. Other students would go stir crazy in that environment. What is most important is that your study area is comfortable, well lit, and that you have room to spread out and work. In order to avoid sore muscles, eye strain, fatigue, and even carpal tunnel syndrome, be sure your work area is ergonomic. It will help you to study better in the short term and save you health problems in the long term.

7. Make Studying a Daily Habit

If you are going to improve your study habits, you have to make studying a priority. The best way to do this is to schedule time each day for studying. You do not need to set aside hours per day. Just give yourself 30 minutes to an hour that you will spend studying no matter what. If you do not have anything coming due on a given night, you can use the time to organize your notes, purge anything that you no longer need, and read lesson plans for upcoming classes.