Ok, so let’s admit it – some of us are just being lazy at home while schools and colleges are closed. But what if I told you that there are some students out there who have taken up this unexpected free time and decided to make this a very productive time for themselves. But how!! So today I will share with you 10 Smart Study Tips of How to Study at home and some Rules that have been taken from these self motivated dudes and I am sure these tips will help you become a Study at Home Ninja.
1. Morning Ritual –
So when we wake up, we are still sort of slow and lazy. It is so important to have that one or two things that you do every morning after you wake up. e.g. sip warm water and lemon, go out into the fresh air, water your plants, feed your pet, take a walk, meditate – anything that you do as a rule everyday in silence. This helps your mind to slowly move out of the siesta time into work time.
Also, don’t forget to make your bed. That way the brain understands that it cannot just jump right back into bed anytime.
2. Follow a schedule –
This is so so important otherwise we sometimes even forget what day of the week it is.
Overall, pick a simple schedule for each day or just mimic your school time table, but you must have a clear routine for each day which you stick to. That doesn’t mean you study all day. You can study for just a few hours each day, but following a routine will ensure that your day is productive and predictable.
3. Have a designated work space –
this is my number one tip. Our environment influences us. No matter how small or crowded your home is, look for one little corner where you can put a small desk, or even a portable desk and use that place exclusively to study. It is super important to separate your study space from your eating space or your entertainment or sleeping space. Ideally, don’t sit on the dining table with the entire family going up and down in front of you and someone watching TV in the same room.
Try to hide in a corner, as far away from your bed, the TV and other people as possible. But what if you have just one room with just one bed and nowhere else to go. Then use different corners of the bed for studying and sleeping.
I follow this religiously. That way I can easily trick the brain. When I sit on my desk I can immediately start working, I don’t need to prep my brain. And if I get a call from a friend I move out of the room and answer it. Come back and bingo, I’m all set to work again.
Just follow 3 basic rules –
a) keep the study space sacred – only for work
b) keep it neat and tidy and
c) make this a no phone zone.
4. Manage your phone –
your phone can be the source of your distinction, distraction or even destruction. The problem is not the phone, but how we use it. There can be only one master – Ask yourself – are you the master of your phone or its slave?
A few simple rules will make you the master not only of your phone but also of your destiny –
a) avoid picking up the phone first thing in the morning – remember our morning ritual in tip no. 1.
b) Keep the phone away when you study, remember the study table was a no phone zone. Pick it up and place it in another room.
c) Use some app that prevents you from getting distracted
d) What if you have to study on your phone? Keep the phone on airplane mode.
5. Organise online video study sessions – with your friends our cousins.
Fix a time each day when you can discuss your doubts, read a chapter together, maybe teach other or even just share with each other what all you have covered during the day. Put this down on your schedule and you will look forward to it each day. You can also do this with your family. Have at least one planned informative conversation every day and this will simulate a real life classroom session for you.
6. Make notes –
You may have some online classes either from your school or college or maybe you’ve signed up for some online classes. The tip here is to listen to them on regular speed without pausing. If you keep pausing you lose momentum. Also take notes while you listen. This way your brain will remain active and you will focus on the topic entirely.
7. Afternoon Slump –
most of you find that post lunch you are not able to focus on your work. Move out of your room, shut your books or laptop and you have two choices. Either take a short nap if you woke up early morning or do something physical – like folding your clothes, cleaning up your room, organising your desk or just feeding and grooming your pet. Sometimes while doing this you find solutions to problems you were struggling with at your desk.
8. Doubt Sheet –
Always keep a note pad next to you where you can write your doubts. And keep moving on. Just note down the doubt and keep studying further. When you next have a call with your teacher or friends you can ask them those questions.
9. One Priority per day –
Don’t try to do too many things at a time. Each day give yourself one big priority. You want to understand one concept thoroughly or you want to write an outline of that presentation. There are some rules here
a). Identify that one single priority on the previous night and write it down either on your white board or on a sheet of paper and keep it on your table
b) Try to take up this single challenging task as early in the day as possible. This not only keeps you focussed during the day but it also gives you a great sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.
c) If you have small tasks to complete then do them after you have finished with this one big task.
10. Don’t Study all day –
This is also a good time to give yourself a much needed break. Study for a few hours as per your own time table. Keep each individual study session short and at the end of it get up, move around and hydrate. And schedule something fun in the evenings. But do make sure you sleep on time and sleep well. Avoid mid week late night Netflix binging because a good night’s sleep is the key to being productive the next day.
And above all, stay healthy, reward yourself for all the accomplishments and stay connected with your friends.
This is the time to bring out the best versions of ourselves.
