When he is studying, I excuse myself and don't want to disturb him. He don't have time for dota (his favourite game) and a lot of things also. I hope he can focus more without me accompany him.
Study, assignment, task, to-do work... When it come to study, what's in your mind..? Maybe you can leave your thinking in the comment box. Last time, I'm shy. So, I restrict my blog that nobody can comment whatever I post. teehee... Now, that I am ready, everyone is welcome to leave a comment. :)
As for me, I have some strategy to study effectively. I got these notes from a seminar. Shall we get start now..?
1. Goals. Do you have a goal..?
Absolutely true that this is very very important. When you have something you aim for, it become a motivation/ a driver to push you go forward. Yes... you can have a lot of goals and your goals can be as ridiculous as possible. I don't stop people from dreaming. I like people who chase after impossible dream and make it come true. Those extraordinary one. We have a lot of celebrities with their shocking background as examples.
2. Set Goals
Now, that you have various goals, choose one that suit you the best. I mean for the current situation that compatible with your age. For example, maybe at younger age, you'll want to meet new friends, score exam with flying color,perform your hobbies, and when you're at my age like 21 years old, you learn dressing up, do well at college, volunteer for charitable work, and later part of life, buy houses, work, get married, have kids and so on. There is super duper a lot of goals in this world. In setting goals, make sure you are able to achieve it. Don't give empty promises.You know that when you put a little extra effort, you're going to achieve it. Goals is a big achievement. You need small small step to walk towards it. For me, every year I'll set my resolutions. From time to time, I double check to keep myself on track. In the end, I know, I've already reach my major ridiculous GOAL that I want. For further literature, you can read HOW TO GET WHERE YOU WANT TO BE FROM WHERE YOU ARE by Jack Canfield. There is a lot you learnt from this book.
3.Discipline > Intelligent
Simple right. There goes this story A who is very intelligent with high IQ. B is someone moderate. A lazy around and play a fool taking his intelligence as granted. B consistently continue his hard work because he need to double his effort to be in A's shoes. Guess who will success..?
4. Study Method
Everyone has different way of studying. Some study with music, some need extreme quite surrounding. Whatever it is, be yourself. Choose a most comfortable way for yourself. Doesn't matter you write your own notes or study with tablet. All is for you to understand better and able to apply later. Don't you ever copy what the person next to you is doing. It's very wrong. Everyone is unique with different taste and style.
5. Time Management
Manage your time effectively and not efficiently. There is a huge different between these 2 words.
Effectively- Let say you take 2 hours to study daily. All 2 hours is for only one subject. After studying, everything is in your fingertips. You effectively understand everything.
Efficiently- Efficient is when you stuck 3 subjects and read in that 2 hours. When you're being tested, you only know partial of each subjects.
The decision is in your hand weather you want effectiveness or efficiency in your life. For more knowledge, I highly recommend First Things First by Stephen R.Covey. You'll be surprised by the amount of diamonds he put into your pockets after those struggle with his masterpiece.
6. Resourcefulness
When you want to complete your assignment or prepare for studies, make sure you got the right resource. From word of mouth, from the website, books, journals, magazines and etc.
7. A good study place
You'll need to stay at that place for at least 2-3 hours. Make sure the lighting, air-ventilation , noise is up to your expectation. My boyfie is very particular about lighting. A little dim or appearance of shadow, he strongly oppose that place. Choosy right. But he got his style. For me, I am such a carefree person. You'll be trolled when I say my favorite studying/ reading place is inside public transport. I love to read inside train especially KTM and LRT! I am much more focus inside the train. Weirdo me.
8. Study place free from interruptions
With modern gadgets made available to connect you with people every second, make sure you let it go when you want to study. I am pretty good at these. Since I am introvert, I seldom chat/ socialize when it is not necessary. Interruption for me is usually my friends. Very annoying and distracting. So, I only attend to them when I am done. Sorry to do this but I've got my priority set. When it come to group study, make sure it is mutual beneficial for you and your friends. Don't get me wrong. Group study is not always what you think as a failure. I've gone through few group study and absolutely helpful. It depends on how you do it and how your friend co-operate with each other. This will be successful when you know yourself and your friends well enough. Some friend, don't you ever sit next to them for they will only disturb you more than helping.
9. Study place contain all study materials
I love big tables. Put everything necessary on the table and you no need to make few trips into your room or search here and there. It is annoying when you miss out something you need and go get them.
10. Take Notes
A way to keep you follow the classes everyday is by taking notes. You don't need to copy everything. Just the keyword or a simple chart will do. When you do revision, instead of reading the whole chapter like a newborn baby, it is better to refer back to your own notes like an old friend. You can write in short form and make it a quick one.
11. Attention + Focus ( signal statement)
Have you ever feel like, what... lecturer already teach this chapter..? I've got no memory of it. I am not sure about other course and you. But I experienced this before. I know I am a bit off from focusing in class lately. This is something that should not happen on me. This is a wake up call telling me that, I've not pay enough attention in class. I wasted everyone and my own effort in attending the class but not learning anything.
I love to understand one thing at that particular time. When teacher/ lecturer is teaching, I make sure I got the first hand knowledge because it remain as the strongest memory in me. After that, I just need minor revision. To do this, all you need is attention and focus inside the class.
12. Strategy in reading textbooks/ notes
When you read, identify what you know and not know. Always ask ask ask and ask till you get the answer. You may want to ask your lecturer or friends. I prefer to ask my lecturer first. Because their job is to teach me until I understand ma. I only ask my friend when lecturer is not available or I can't communicate with them. I just don't understand a single thing coming out from their mouth.
13. Memorizing vs Understanding
My friends, they will say memorizing some facts is useless as they are not necessary for future use. Wasting their time, energy and effort. Well, my reasoning is, I am currently studying this course and this is the facts needed for exam. While living this current life and condition, my duty, I memorize them. The future, let the future decide itself. What is more important is current performance. More important is, your understanding toward the matter. When you understand, you don't need to purposely memorize it. I know how painful it is to force yourself memorize something you just won't digest or use in the future. You can consider use acronyms (colors) and acrostic (1st letter), graphic/ mind map, even songs to aid you. Any terms, statement to help you to recall, just use them. No need to double think. Micheal Jackson Kiss His Boss In USA. what do you get from this acrostic..?
14. Improve Concentration
My advise is don't study a subject for too long. Maximum is 2 hours. Do you know that your focus can only last for 50 minutes. After that, take a physical break for 1 or 2 hours. Yes. just do whatever you feel like doing. Your brain is tired. It need something different. You can set your task/ target when studying. Some subjects is memorizing and some is twisting your brain like maths/ accounts. Mismatch one easy and one tough. Make your day moderate. One day, you can only study 4 hours effectively. Don't make an unreasonable goal. You're no hero and don't become zero.
15. Difficult vs Easy
When they is 2 tasks, easy and difficult, finish the difficult one first. When you conquer the difficult, easy became a bonus. Leave the things you like best the last. Here come the saying save the best for last. You may feel dilemma or doubt. You can always experiment to find out the truth. Hehe...
16. Good habits, Good routines
To ensure that you really focus and can study well, have good habit in saying prayers, waking up early in the morning, do some exercise, eat well, sleep well, go to bed early. This is to prepare your physical body. When you've got the stamina, you can do better, a lot better. Think how your daily routine affect your studies and eventually towards your life. When I read an hour a day, how many hours I donated towards increment of knowledge. If I continuously hit the gym 2 hours a day, I'll have great endurance level. By the way, for boys and girls out there, watching porn can lead you to low memory for academic stuff. Careful ya!!!
17. Prepare your mindset
Before you start studying, don't do exciting activities. Make sure your emotion is calm. Not overexcited or sad. You know the time you fight with your beloved, you can no longer concentrate. Your mindset must be right.Clear out everything else and make the moment of studying precious that is solely for learning. When the mind is clear, the road to walk is clearer.
18. Break chapter into smaller part
For me, I don't like this. I prefer studying the chapter as a whole. Not part by part. For you that do not like studying, part by part can help you. When you got low attention engagement, study little by little and end up mastering the whole chapter.
19. Review
Always, frequently review things that had been thought to you. After dinner, I jot down/ summarize the lesson learnt earlier in a log book. Whenever there is a quiz, I refer only the log. There is a research showing the brain remember better when you revise within 24 hours after being taught the 1st time. Hubby boy like to revise using ANKI, a software program. I am not a techno person and prefer old school method. After reading a book, I make notes about what is important for me. I review from time to time and ask myself, did I apply this..? When I apply, is result change positively. Most of the time is a yes. This is the importance of review.
20. Diet
Whoever you are, study and daily planning for activities is strongly affected by our diet. When you eat too much, no good, too little also no good cause not enough. To study effectively, you need to have a healthy diet. Before studying, never have big menu or take heavy food item. Ever heard of after a meal, hard to concentrate in class and sleepy..? This is because our digestive system begin its work. All blood capillaries dilates, absorb nutrients and send to the brain. All blood platelet rush up towards your head. So, you feel sleepy. Just have a moderate meal sufficient to keep you away from hunger and continue your battle. Never/ reduce glucose/ sweet intake before study. I know some of my friends take sweets saying it will help in keeping them awake. Is it true..? For me, sweets will make me hyperactive because of sugar rush. I don't like to rely on caffeine, sweet drinks, cold drinks either. I keep oxygenate. Drinking plain water can keep you awake by sending oxygen to your brain.
21. Rest and relax periodically.
Sometime, when it is your maximum level, you just gotta admit and stop everything. Take a walk, talk with friends. Close your eyes and rest completely. After a while, you'll be more recharged and able to continue the war.
22. Study first, play later
This is my dad teaching since I am young. He remind and remind me again and again. haha... nothing beats this way to do work. same theory as difficult first then only easy. In malay "bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian". I always devote my time for assignment/studies and make sure I am completely done with them. After that, I enjoy all I want. When serious work is finished, you feel so relaxed that every second became holiday.
These are what I did to prepare myself. It works on me for years. Hope it does on you too.
Nobody are once born able to walk. We crawl, try, fall, try, fall and eventually learn to walk.
It's never too late kick-starting a better you.
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With Love,
T3ddy Lim