Ahh procrastination, the study session’s number one enemy. We’ve completed our three top tips that will get out back on track in no time!
ONE: Set realistic limits for how much time you’ll spend on each task
Planning specific chunks of time for each task can be a little tricky, as it is often hard to know how long something will take until you get started. However, it is smart to set an upper limit for each task to ensure you get as much done as possible. E.g. I won’t spend more than 10 minutes on this Biology question, I won’t spend more than 40 minutes on writing and editing this English body paragraph.
This will also mean that you won’t be spending copious amounts of time on one thing, which often leads to boredom and then procrastination!
TWO: Take breaks!
This step is SO IMPORTANT, and worthy of much more explanation than I’ll write in this article. Your brain is under strain while you study and will be quicker to burn out the longer you use it without stopping. Taking breaks allows your brain to rest, ensuring you can get better ‘output’ for longer sessions!
The key here is that your breaks should be intentional – use them between tasks to allow your brain to adjust to the skills it needs to use for the new subject. You need to avoid picking up your phone which often leads to a complete loss of focus. Instead, move your body, grab a snack, have a sketch, close your eyes for a few moments, listen to some good music.
THREE: Choose ACTIVE study techniques
As common as they are, review based techniques (like going over your notes, flicking through PowerPoint slides etc) are rarely helpful for retaining information. Active techniques (such as flashcards, teaching content to someone, answering questions, writing practise paragraphs) will give you far better results regarding memorisation and deep understanding.
Everyone combats procrastination differently but using these tips every time you study will help you build more consistent and healthy habits – making loss of focus a thing of the past.
Happy studying scholars!
