Over the years, students who put in enough time tend not to get positive results that could improve their academic and study lives and thus have concluded they aren’t good enough in their field of study, while some blame their tutors for not being able to inculcate the knowledge into them in an appropriate manner. Our drive and motives are to ensure students faced with such challenges will have a different story at the end of the implementation phase of the tips we’ll dish out.
However, have you been putting much effort into your academic pursuits without yielding positive results? That’s pathetic, I could feel the pains associated with such because I was once a victim. Sometimes you think of giving up but that’s not the right decision to make.
You’ve not been studying and understanding effectively because you’ve been doing it entirely the wrong way all this while. That’s why I’ve taken enough time to summarize the scientifically proven methods of effective studying to excel as an academic student into nine (9) tips for clarity. I’m positive you’ll smile with a thumbs up at the end.
Start With The Most Difficult Task
Are you surprised? Do you think I’m insane by asking you to start with the most difficult task? Well, don’t jump to conclusions. Just read it aptly and in an undistracted manner to understand my points. Most students and workers tend to distance themselves from difficult tasks, not because they lack the courage to face them, but because of fear.
A vast majority of people will give up without making an attempt to see if it’s possible or not, while some may end up halfway. The essence of starting with the most difficult task is that it is because of the energy attached to starting anything new. Imagine waking up in the morning and being faced with a lot of things to do.
Ordinarily, the entire task will take you 10 hours. But you’ll choose to start with the most difficult one because you can’t imagine yourself doing a task of that kind at an odd hour (probably at night), but if you could finish the difficult task within the day, then the easy ones will take you nothing to complete.
On the other hand, if you should begin with the easier tasks, then you’ll find the difficult ones strange and unfamiliar when you’re faced with proffering solutions to them.
Identify Your Plans, Prioritize and Write Them Down
This is one of the major mistakes most students make in the course of study. Inability to plan and execute. If you most excel study-wise, you must be willing to map a strategic plan to guide you through. And not just mapping a strategic plan but following and executing them sequentially.
You cannot scale or compare the success story of a strategic planner to that of a non-strategic planner. Learn to itemize, prioritize, and executive adequately. Avoid skipping your plans to be more productive.
Take a Break Periodically
You can’t study effectively if you choose to neglect one of the most important strategies of effective studying. There’s this popular proverb that “All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy”. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should play a bit while you study or work but rather give your brain a little time to rest. I’ll use myself as an example in this scenario, there was this mathematical problem (Engineering Mathematics) I was trying to solve for over one hour but all efforts were futile.
I was unhappy and angry because I’ve tried it over and over again with no positive outcome. At one point I concluded that I won’t leave my study desk until that problem is solved without knowing that it was a wrong decision. I persisted but to no avail.
Then I left my study desk in disappointment to cool my head a bit for a few minutes, walk around and take some chilled water. After about 5-10mins of break, I returned to my desk, looked at the problem one more time and I was able to identify my mistake without any further stress.
This is trying to make us understand the essence of rest. Most times the answers to problems you seek are right in front of you but you can’t see them because you’re stressed at that moment. All you need to do is take a little break to cool your head before getting back. At least take a break of 5 mins for every 45 mins of study, it will help you attain an effective study life.
Disengage All Sorts of Distractions
Most students and workers (especially students) fall victim to this. You’ve mapped out a certain time for study and yet your device (phone, tablet, and laptop) is beside you and connected to the internet. It’s not a bad study habit to have your devices around you while you study, especially when you’re using them to do research that concerns your study.
But it requires a high level of discipline to overcome the kind of distractions associated with it. If possible, keep electronic devices away from yourself and study with a hard copy. You mustn’t use electronic devices while studying.
Most times while surfing the internet and finding necessary information about your study or research, a message or notification can pop up from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other social media platforms that could divert your attention from what you’re doing.
So, it’s better to acclimatize to being focused while studying, always ensure your device(s) are in do not disturb mode, discipline yourself and make your friends know you shouldn’t be disturbed whenever you’re studying.
Feed Well and Eat Healthy Food
The little things matter. Health is wealth, that phrase shouldn’t be underrated for any reason. Many students tend to study on an empty stomach. How the hell do you want to understand what you’re reading while you’re hungry and uncomfortable.
It is expected that one studies while comfortable, you can’t study and understand while you’re not in a stable state of mind. Before you study, ensure you’ve eaten and are well fed. Also, try to maintain a balanced diet and eat healthy foods and drink enough water (make sure you’re always hydrated). Don’t just eat anything you see because there’s a repercussion for every action and inaction of ours.
Get Enough Sleep and Wake Up Early
There’s this proverb that says “There Is Time For Everything”. It also has a scriptural backing in the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Nature is one mystery that can’t be boycotted no matter how hard or smart you try. Effective study habits are a gradual process one must follow, you shouldn’t force anything on yourself else you’ll feel the effects in the future. It is expected that you have at least 8 hours of sleep to enable your brain to function effectively.
When you get enough sleep, you’ll discover that falling asleep while studying won’t interfere with your study. But when you try to take some medical pills to keep you awake because you want to study more, always remember there’s an effect associated with it.
Get used to going to bed early, having enough sleep (at least 8 hours), and waking up early to begin your daily activities. You may be struggling to wake up early, employ these few tips such as setting an alarm for when you go to bed and when you’ll wake up, avoiding eating late at night, avoiding keeping late nights, and silencing your phone to avoid unnecessary distractions while asleep, etc.
Avoid Procrastination
In the words of a late Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature, Chinua Achebe. He says and I quote “Procrastination Is A Lazy Man’s Apology”. This is a factor that has eaten deep into the fabric of the lives of most students and youths at large.
It usually begins by mere statements of adjusting a time frame of an event or activity and then readjusting the time again and again until you end up not doing it. As a student who wants to study effectively and excel in your endeavors, you must eradicate procrastination from your life and stick to your schedule.
If there is an urge to procrastinate any activity, try as much as possible to do it earlier than the proposed time. The moment you allow it to become part of you, you’ll live to regret the actions and decisions you’ll make in life.
Self-Gratification (Reward Yourself)
When was the last time you gifted yourself? Oh yeah, I just asked you that rhetorical question. You shouldn’t wait until someone tells you that you’re doing well or rewards you before you’ll know. Sometimes, take some time to analyze what you’ve achieved so far and you’ll see reasons to appreciate yourself.
You necessarily don’t need to wait until you can afford to buy expensive gifts before you do so. Rewarding yourself makes you feel good and motivates you to drive further and it works as positive reinforcement. Learn to reward yourself today no matter how small it may be.
Be Consistent
Are you wondering why you should be consistent to have an effective study habit? A vast majority of students have failed to maintain studying effectively because of inconsistency. Remember the words of Philip Stanhope “Whatever Is Worth Doing At All Is Worth Doing Well”.
Maintaining an effective study habit requires you to constantly repeat your routine until you’re acclimatized with it. By so doing, you’ll never stay a day without doing the things that you ought to do else you’ll be uncomfortable for the rest of the day.
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Conclusion
Remember I promise to put a smile on your face by the time I’m done. With the points extensively discussed above, if implemented your study and academic life will change drastically for good.
Our motive is to ensure that students faced with the challenge of difficulty in studying effectively can practically use these tips sequentially and testify that there has been an improvement in their academic life. Leave a comment below, what do you think about this content, was it helpful?
