6 Essentials you need to achieve productivity when studying

Introduction:

There are certain inhibitors of academic success. Most of the time, it's not that we are lazy or procrastinate but because little details are left unnoticed in our study sessions, which hinders our productivity. We will discuss essentials that are needed to do a lot of work in a short amount of time.

1-Your environment

First of all, find a good study environment. Don't deceive yourself that you can do a lot of work when you have your sibling throwing you old jokes that takes your attention away every 2 minutes. You're not going anywhere and I'll tell you that after you have realised that, you would have spent 3 hours doing nothing. The truth is, your environment really matters. Avoid being with your family and friends when you want to study except if they are your study partner or if you're confident that they won't distract you. You can go to places like a library, quiet coffee shop or even your room. You'll be amazed at how much you would have learnt with a good environment.

2- Planning

Now that you in the right environment, the next thing you need to do is to plan what you will study. It can be overwhelming to start studying when you don't know where to start. Get a piece of paper or a noting app and separate your study session in different sections. It needs to include the topic, the hours you wish to spend on it and what you will do exactly in specific time intervals to diversify your learning.

3- Pomodoro Technique 2.2

(It's actually called the Pomodoro Technique. I added "2.2" because I personalised it)

This technique will help you to avoid burnouts and cause you to take adequate breaks to prevent information overload. Study for 30min intensively, take a 5 minutes break. Focus for another 30 minutes, take a 5 minute break. Restart all over again until the end of your study session. Personalise it the way that it suits you but make sure that you don't do this for longer than 50 minutes before taking a break. During your break, avoid going to your phone, social media or a platform that will feed your mind with a lot of information. You won't be giving your mind a proper break if you do so. You can just relax and close your eyes, do a few exercises or meditate.

5- Ultimate Focus

Get rid of every distractions that will hinder your productivity. It could be anything, ranging from your phone, objects and even food. Hide them somewhere if you have to. Your phone might be the biggest distractions because of constant notifications. Put it in silence or in "Do not disturb mode" and keep it away from your sight. There are instances where you may need to use your phone to search something, which I personally don't recommend. If you can, use a computer or a laptop. You will less likely find yourself getting distracted on your phone notifications or social platforms. Don't feel like you're punishing yourself, it's wisdom and the time you spend studying will be worth it. Additionally, you can trick your brain that you will study for only 30 minutes with all your focus and get a good reward. This is where our next point comes in.

6-Treat, snacks and a refreshing reward

It's satisfying when you complete your study goal for the day and that deserves a recompense to encourage you to keep being consistent next time. Don't hesitate to treat yourself with snacks, rewards or simply--something you like doing :D. (It's time for me to read my book and eat my French baguette)

4-Find the best studying technique that works for you

Everyone is different and learn at different rates. The same way a study technique may work for one but not for you. Experiment with different strategies. Observe and ask yourself this question "Do I understand the concept better and faster when I do this or not ?". If it's a yes, keep using it. You can be learning about a specific topic by reading for 5 hours. But when you start watching videos on that same topic, a study session that used to take you 5 hours, decreased to just an hour. This is how powerful this is.

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Conclusion

Sometimes, the best students aren't those who spend the more time studying. But it is those who are able to study so efficiently that studying feels like walking casually. They are able to get high marks without having to study for 10h a week. By integrating these essentials into your study routine, you will definitely see a difference if you weren't doing these before. So, let's recap:

1. Find a good study environment

2. Plan your Study

3. Apply the Pomodoro Technique 2.2

4. Use a studying strategy that works for you

5. Be focused

6. Reward yourself

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