By Bianca Zhou
Many students find it hard to stay focused and productive while studying, but try these tricks next time you grab your textbooks, and with any luck, you’ll be whizzing past the chapters like nobody’s business!
Study in 15 minute intervals: Nowadays, people have very short attention spans, and studying for long periods of time can decrease the effectivity. Those who study in 15 minute sessions have an easier time memorizing and connecting key terms to concepts. So set your timer to 15 minutes, study one topic (like math), and when the timer rings, change your focus to another topic (like history) and set the timer again. People who study this way show fewer signs of mental fatigue and ultimately cover more material in a shorter amount of time.
Take a break every hour: Breaks are very important as the brain can’t function well when it’s distracted. Every hour, give yourself a couple of minutes to stretch and grab a snack, check your phone, etc. Also, make sure to step away from your chair: sitting down for long periods of time is detrimental to your health, even if you’re active during other periods of the day.
Get started early: Breaks like the weekend are often a tempting moment to simply not return to work. To prevent this from happening, get started early. Even if you only start a little bit, it’s proven that the earlier you start a project, the more likely you are likely to finish it. So the next time you need to get something done, make sure to get started as soon as you can!
