Give Me Your Best...

[Hope]

....Studying techniques!

I have been out of school for a while now and have just started going back to become an Ayurvedic Doctor. Needless to say I have a lot to study. Unfortunately, I've been known to procrastinate. .. (those of you thinking I'm doing that now by not studying. ... you'd be right.)

I want to know what works best for you! Any particular time of day? Have a special routine? I'd love to know!

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

It's been a few years since I've done any serious studying, but I found I did my best work in "isolation". I'd shut myself away in my room, and use headphones to block out external sounds, with only a desk lamp to illuminate my books/laptop. Then, I would put on an acoustic playlist I had set up; the music itself was from a variety of genres, from classical to Latin and even techno, but it was all done without lyrics, as I found that the words were too distracting. The result? Owing to low-lighting, I had enough light to study, but not enough light to see other things around me, and, with acoustic music playing through headphones, I was immune to sounds from outside my room. It's not quite an isolation tank, but it did the job.

The other trick is to make sure that you have supplies handy for where you're studying. If you're the sort that drinks or eats whilst studying, then you should put a big bottle of water near to your desk, so that you don't have to keep walking back to the kitchen to top up. Same for snacks, too. The less reasons you have to leave your study area, the less chance there is of you becoming distracted.

A slightly cold room will keep you awake, whilst a warmer room can make you feel a bit tired. Crack open the window if you find yourself starting to nod.

...And, finally, you've got to study, but you've also got to accept that there are times when you're just not mentally able to study. Whether it's down to illness, or having things on your mind (relationship issues was always a favourite of mine), sometimes you just can't study effectively. It's probably best not to force it, unless you really have to. Try dealing with some of those issues, or, at least, doing something you enjoy so that you're in a better mood. Then you can come back to studying when you're ready.

 

[Hope]

It's been a few years since I've done any serious studying, but I found I did my best work in "isolation". I'd shut myself away in my room, and use headphones to block out external sounds, with only a desk lamp to illuminate my books/laptop. Then, I would put on an acoustic playlist I had set up; the music itself was from a variety of genres, from classical to Latin and even techno, but it was all done without lyrics, as I found that the words were too distracting. The result? Owing to low-lighting, I had enough light to study, but not enough light to see other things around me, and, with acoustic music playing through headphones, I was immune to sounds from outside my room. It's not quite an isolation tank, but it did the job.

The other trick is to make sure that you have supplies handy for where you're studying. If you're the sort that drinks or eats whilst studying, then you should put a big bottle of water near to your desk, so that you don't have to keep walking back to the kitchen to top up. Same for snacks, too. The less reasons you have to leave your study area, the less chance there is of you becoming distracted.

A slightly cold room will keep you awake, whilst a warmer room can make you feel a bit tired. Crack open the window if you find yourself starting to nod.

...And, finally, you've got to study, but you've also got to accept that there are times when you're just not mentally able to study. Whether it's down to illness, or having things on your mind (relationship issues was always a favourite of mine), sometimes you just can't study effectively. It's probably best not to force it, unless you really have to. Try dealing with some of those issues, or, at least, doing something you enjoy so that you're in a better mood. Then you can come back to studying when you're ready.

Thank you! I like the idea of complete isolation. And I'm going to try the classical music too. I seem to do better when there is some sort of noise in the background.

 

[Hatsune Candy]

I've always thought it was best to study at night right before you go to bed. I learned in Psychology that sleep helps you keep information in your long term memory so that you're less likely to forget. Of course it has to be proper, 8-10 hours of sleep, otherwise your more likely to lose the information rather than remember it. And if you're not getting the right amount every night, your memory as a whole is gonna decrease quite a bit. Believe it or not, sleep is a very important factor in retaining information, something not a lot of people realize. As for actual methods of study, I have no clue, I don't normally study a whole lot, I usually do alright without it.

 

[Hope]

Thanks for the advice :). You are right. Ayurveda teaches that proper sleep is one of the three pillars of life, along with proper digestion and bramcharya, or proper management of sexual energy. According the Ayurveda, if these three things are properly managed there would be no disease. :)

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

I've always thought it was best to study at night right before you go to bed. I learned in Psychology that sleep helps you keep information in your long term memory so that you're less likely to forget. Of course it has to be proper, 8-10 hours of sleep, otherwise your more likely to lose the information rather than remember it. And if you're not getting the right amount every night, your memory as a whole is gonna decrease quite a bit. Believe it or not, sleep is a very important factor in retaining information, something not a lot of people realize. As for actual methods of study, I have no clue, I don't normally study a whole lot, I usually do alright without it.

It depends a bit on what you mean by "studying". If you've got to read textbooks and learn information, then, yes, I'd go for doing it in the evening and letting a good, healthy sleep cycle work its magic on your memory. If your "studying" involves answering questions and writing essays, then the body clock's peak is about mid-morning. Assuming you have a normal pattern, your cortisol levels will be at their highest around ten in the morning, and you'll feel more alert and more ready to apply information, answer questions and grapple with tough subjects.

 

[Windsong]

Adderal.

 

[Razilin]

discipline

 

[Kestrel]

Condition yourself to relate a certain space with studying and, seriously, don´t do anything else there. Nothing. Don't even check your phone. If you have to check your messages, leave the building first to make this a very concious choice. This was literally the only way for me to keep up in uni. It took me a few days to get used to it and a lot of discipline to get to the point of it working, but once it did, studying started to come more natural to me. Go hard or go home, essentially becoming a rather fitting motto.

 

[Hope]

Wow! I love your way of studying @Kestrel

That takes a lot of discipline but I think that is just what I need. I get so distracted everywhere I go. I just need to turn one place into my study area. Great idea!

It's also similar to what Disgruntled Goat said. How to dimly light your area so you stay focused on one area and don't get distracted. Very good ideas :)

 

[Kestrel]

It's easiest when you have to get out first. I couldn't do it anywhere in my home, so I made the library my go-to spot. I'd dedicate 10 minutes of travel to go and study. Not a big deal, it seems, but it's surprising how much more of a barrier that is compared to walking 20 seconds from your desk to the fridge and draft a grocery list for things you don't need, checking on a housemate who left their room-door open, check what is on TV in the living room even though you don't watch TV anyway, etc. Seriously, and that was after I physically removed distractions from my room. It was bad, there was a pile of my stuff laying around in the hallway >.>