5 Ways to Boost your Studying

Study guidelines suggest that for every hour spent in class, a further two hours should be spent studying outside class. For example if you have 4 courses that comprise of 3 hours each, that would translate to twelve hours in class and 36 hours of study which adds up to 48 hours a week on schoolwork. That is more time than is spent working.

Most students unfortunately end up studying too much to a point of struggling as the semester goes on. Here are some tips to help you avoid losing your head as the exam time approaches:

Sleep more

Sleep is a highly important biological process. Some students however make the mistake of thinking that sleep is optional. They spend the whole night studying relying on coffee to keep them awake. Recent studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between getting enough sleep and having a good memory, perception and judgment. Lacking adequate sleep will hinder your memory and cause you to perform poorly in your exams. It is important to make a realistic study plan that includes enough time for sleep in order to get more out of your study sessions.

Eat right

Most college students get up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and rush to the library. Before they realize its already afternoon time and they are hungry. So what do they do next? They rush to the nearest vending machine and grab a snack such as a chocolate bar. The one thing with food is if you eat too little you will end up losing weight and if you eat too much you will end up gaining weight. Eat unhealthy foods and you will compromise on your overall health. Build in time for feeding within your study routine to be in top form for studying.

Reconnect with family and friends

For some college students, the people they see every day are members of their study groups and may go for months without talking to family and friends. While there is nothing wrong with this it’s prudent to take time off and call family members or talk to a far away friend. When you are through you will find that you feel restored, more balanced and in a better mood to study.

Avoid reading and responding to messages while studying

Leaving behind a trail of unanswered texts or emails conveys a message of disinterest and may result in your inbox seeming like it’s full of spam messages. There is a high chance that it also contains useful information. Instead of going through your email and messages during study hour, it is better to designate certain times of the day to check and respond to emails. This will ensure that you are concentrating on the right thing at the right time.

Avoid procrastination and take breaks

After maintaining a study session for quite a while, you may start to notice that your mind is wandering and it becomes difficult to concentrate. This is normally due to fatigue. Some students may make the mistake of forcing extended periods of study which only increases the study time but reduces their ability to absorb and retain material. Productivity takes a nose dive. Take time off to relax, take a walk, visit a friend or take a meal. It is after all not about how much time you spend studying but how well you study.