Have you ever wondered why some students more than others are highly effective in their studies? On a large scale, working smarter always pays off more than working harder. Students who are highly effective understand that studying smarter is key to becoming a successful student.
Let’s explore some of the habits of highly effective students that could help you excel in your academics.
#1. Take It In Bits
Attempting to memorize your notes in a study session is a very ineffective way of study. Learn to break down your work strategically. The relationship between the brain and information can sometimes work like the stomach and the digestive system. The stomach needs food, but just enough.
When the food is supplied in excess, the stomach only takes what it can contain at the moment and the excess can cause it to malfunction, and even cause harm to the body. When you try to take in so much information at once, your overload your brain, and that could lead to migraines. Highly effective students study in bits because they understand the brain can retain a certain amount of information.
Also Read: 10 Things Confident People Do Differently
#2. Have A Plan
Having a scheduled time for study is one of the habits of highly effective students. It goes a long way in ensuring a student’s success. Randomly reading may be a good idea but it may not be the most effective for academic success as it doesn’t help in keeping track of study progress. It is important to create a feasible study routine and stick to it. This helps in preparing you mentally and emotionally for assimilation.
#3. Set Goals Per Session
Each study time should have a specific goal. Avoid reading randomly. Studying without direction is very ineffective. You may end up celebrating small wins that are indeed ‘small’. Learn to set a goal that compliments your overall study goal and would eventually translate to your success. Understanding this as one of the habits of highly effective students keeps you on par with success.
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#4. Avoid Procrastination
While some uncontrollable situations can sometimes affect study time, it is very necessary to stick to an already scheduled study time as often as possible. When unforeseen circumstances encroach, it is advisable to have makeup for that lost time, if possible, before it accumulates too much workload. Avoid procrastination ensures accountability, hence, promotes academic success.
#5. Always Take Notes
In this context, notes refer to your translation of class discussions, lectures, or even study materials according to the level of your understanding. Simply put, jotting down in your own terms. This helps with the process of assimilation. It helps you catch up easily because it allows for a skimming when necessary. Tking personal notes is very important to the success of a student.
#6. Take Away Distractions
Distraction is relative. Different mental and physical environments contribute differently to the success of different individuals. While studying in quiets environments work for some individuals, the reverse may be the case for you. Understand the kind of student you are. Recognize your distraction and do away with them as long as study time is concerned.
Read: 5 Habits That Kill Your Motivation
#7. Don’t Multitask
As much as possible, avoid multitasking. Remember what we discussed earlier about overhauling the brain? it also comes to play. The brain is the powerhouse of the body, hence, no function can take place in the body without it first being processed by the brain. The implication of multitasking is that the assimilation process gets slowed down since the brain is trying to do many things at once. This doesn’t cut it as habits of highly effective students.
#8. Ask Questions
If it’s worth listening to, it’s worth questioning until you understand it.
Seth GodinAsking questions doesn’t only clear doubts but creates graphic images that make mental assimilation easier. It also helps in the quick accessibility of already stored memory. That is, it makes remembering things easier since the brain retains images more.
#9. Different Strokes For Different Folks
As pointed out earlier, different environments influence our individual productivity differently. It is important to find out what works for you and maximize it like a hack. It could be the use of images, joining a study group, having discussions, taking practice tests, literally anything. Just discover what style of studying works for you and milk it.
#10. Study
Obvious right? However, it is still necessary to emphasize this. It is one thing to study and another to read. Reading doesn’t necessarily ensure assimilation as it could be just one material in focus. Studying on the other hand affords you to juxtapose different materials and educational mediums, thereby making learning personal and relatable, and fostering assimilation.
Bonus Point…
GET OUT OF BED!!!!
You have to shake off every form of self-deceit if you want to be a successful student. Adopt these habits to improve your productivity and effectiveness in your academics. It’s time for you to maximize your peak time for study.
