There are many elements to planning a study session. First and foremost, you determine the location where this will be taking place. Next, you’ll probably go to necessary measures to eliminate obvious distractions. At that point, it’s just you, your study material, and your study environment. But is that always enough?
It is very common to still find yourself at a stalemate with how to get motivated in the process. Even with all the right surroundings, you may find yourself bored and sluggish, leaving you on a road to nowhere in your study journey. Not knowing what else to do, students often just accept this fate and endure the studying hours that end up stretched out far longer than they should have been. You may also want to check out these tips on how to avoid study distractions.
Thankfully, this is something you can control. It is very possible that you will gather up the determination needed to change your attitude and get past the dullness of the situation on your own. However, if you still find yourself feeling weak and moving slowly, you may want to consider the addition of a few random items that could brighten up your study session. Think of these as accessories that could complete your study persona and let it thrive like it should. They are small and simple, but could make a salient difference.
New Pens: While this may seem meaningless, a change in pens could actually improve your mood toward studying. You may think switching pens is only necessary when your current ones totally run out of ink, but a pen that is bringing out lighter and lighter ink on the page as it runs out can be quite frustrating and hurt your drive. You have to put enough effort into studying as it is; why add extra scribbling efforts just to get your writing to show up? That is something you should never have to worry about for a minute throughout your study session. Additionally, look into pens with grips or other materials that are more comfortable on your hands. Cramped or blistered hands can certainly make you want to quit studying, so get rid of that possibility.
Music Without Lyrics: This isn't exactly an item, but it's something you can incorporate into your study session. We all love music and tend to think we can successfully listen to it as we study, but it doesn’t always work out that well. Although it’s nice to have your songs shuffled in a perfect playlist in the background, the lyrics are bound to distract you. Especially if you are writing, lyrics will often get in the way and slow you down. That is why instrumental music is worth looking into. You can still have the comfort of some catchy background noise, but without the audible words that mess with your mind. Classical is a go-to genre for this, but if that doesn’t fit your taste, there are plenty of other wordless songs out there in every genre. They may not be prominent in pop culture and therefore off your radar, but with a little exploration, you should be able to find something you like – or at the very least, something that inspires you intellectually. If you are on the fence about listening to music while you study you may want to check out this post, can music help me study?
Computer Screen Cleaner: If you’re using the computer, you’d be surprised at how dusty and dirty your screen has probably gotten over time. You’re probably used to its current state and think you are not bothered by it, but that is only because you haven’t been reminded of anything better. Get a hold of a proper cleaner for your screen and apply appropriately. Even if the result is just a slight improvement, it’s still an improvement and will make your screen easier to look at. Take a look at your brightness settings as well and figure out if the light from the screen is bothering you at all. It’s always easier to continue an assignment on a computer if you are not struggling to keep your eyes comfortably locked on it.
Different Colored Post-it Notes: If the wheels in your head are really turning as you go along, you are going to come up with various thoughts that you’ll need to document. Getting them down in your notes is one thing, but sometimes we get ideas that aren’t quite ready for the formal study guide we are making and need some development. Or perhaps you have just remembered something you need to acquire or do later on to aid your study process. Being able to jot down such thoughts on post-it notes is extremely convenient; you’ll be happy you provided yourself with them. Buying them in different colors is certainly optional, but it is encouraged since it is typically more aesthetically pleasing and can allow you to organize your thoughts in a more systematic way by categorizing things. It keeps things fun, and of course, you can place these little reminders wherever you’d like due to their handy stickiness.
Coffee/Water/Beverage of Your Choice: Caffeine is one study aid that many people depend on, but even just having a bottle of water or juice can be helpful. This will help keep you occupied as you fight the urge to go on a lengthy snack break, and more importantly will keep your thirst quenched. We need a good dose of healthy distractions to keep us balanced while studying, and this is one of them. Simply having a delicious beverage in hand could keep you interested and focused on your respective tasks.
None of these are meant to individually solve your study problems, but they each have their own pleasant benefits. It’s sometimes the little things that can make a big difference in the way you work. You may also want to check out these tips on how to find your study space.
