John B. answered 06/28/22
My name is John, and I have been tutoring since 2018.
There are many ways to improve our studying skills and habits. Make sure you are clearing your environment of unnecessary distractions. When you are studying, you want to dedicate your full attention to the work that you are putting in. This means, you may want to set your phone, smart watches, tablets, and/or electronics off to the side, or silenced. When you clear your mind of these distractions you are able to fully engulf yourself in your studies.
Another important thing to do while you study is give yourself breaks. Earning breaks are just as important as the actual study time, because your brain needs these breaks in order to process your studies and prepare yourself to continue as the break ends. We should give ourselves about an hour straight of studying at a time, followed by about 15-30 minutes of a break.
Along with breaks, we must also give ourselves the proper amount of time to study. Instead of cramming all of our information and studies in a day or two, try to begin your studying over the span of a week. As the week continues, the work will begin to feel like a review of information that you have already mastered, and the work load will feel much lighter. As the work begins to feel lighter, your comprehension and application of the work will naturally increase, which results in much more effective studying skills.
It is also important to remember that not everyone studies the exact same. Find which studying style fits your skills the most. For example, some people are more efficient when they study verbally, while others tend to use note-taking or study cards.
We must always study during a time that we are able to give our full focus. This means, studying while you are tired is not a great time. Be sure to eat a snack or healthy meal before your studying session, and give yourself time to digest. It is sometimes a great idea to award yourself a snack during your break to recharge your brain.
When you are looking to memorize information, it is very important to memorize information actively. This means, try to visualize what it is you are memorizing. When you are able to visualize something, it becomes concrete in your mind, and you understand the information at a stronger level.