Studying for tests and quizzes can inevitability feel like a drawl, especially in the winter. Boredom reeks around the corners of each page of the textbook that you are supposed to be taking notes on and studying for exams. Procrastination peeks its head as your phone lights up with notification after notification.
Studying is hard. During the frenzy that is the school year it can be difficult to motivate yourself to work at your top performance and be productive all the time. Thus, I have some tips of ways to boost your productivity and study more effectively to beat your winter slump!
- Use colors when taking notes
Colors help your brain engage with the textbook and absorb the knowledge on the page. While reading without taking notes is easier, actively engaging with the textbook and highlighting key phrases helps both organize the information in your head and keep you interested in the material you are learning. - Take breaks!
It is important to alternate between periods of heavy studying and periods of relaxation. Using apps like Pomodoro, a helpful study timer, you can set intervals of 25 minutes to study followed by 5 minutes of rest. By allowing your brain to take short but frequent breaks, your brain can better retain the knowledge you just learned. - Turn your phone off
Snapchats, messages, and instagram notifications all serve to distract you when you are trying to get work done. The solution to this is easy: turn off your phone! It can be hard to depart from the device that holds our connection to the rest of the world, but you will be better off letting go of your phone for the few hours it takes for you to effectively study. Get a friend or family member to guard your phone if you can’t resist it’s bings and rings while studying.
