How to Make Yourself Study Properly
Most study tips on how to start learning effectively are predictable and lack originality. The usual advice of attending all classes diligently, keeping up with assignments, and maintaining physical well-being is sound but hardly groundbreaking.
Despite their simplicity, the recommendations are far harder to implement in practice than they seem. How do you build a proper daily routine for an intensive workload? How do diet and drinking habits affect brain function? What is the advantage of a student who engages in moderate physical exercise over one who sits at a desk most of the time?
Let's break down all the components of good study habits one by one.
Time Management
American writer and journalist Daniel Pink in his book “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing” considers the issues of competent allocation of time resources, based on knowledge of psychology, human physiology and economics.
The author gives useful practical advice on how to make learning more effective. One of them is to take into account circadian rhythms when allocating activities throughout the day. What is the essence of this view of the workings of our body?
According to this theory, every seven hours a person begins a new energy cycle. Their change affects not only our efficiency, but also our mood and perception of the surrounding reality. From 7 a.m. onwards, we are at our most efficient. Then productivity gradually drops, reaching its lowest point by 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
Adherents of this theory recommend that the most difficult tasks should be done in the first half of the day. The impact of circadian rhythms explains the highest frequency of certain errors at work. According to statistics, from 2 to 4 o'clock in the afternoon increases the number of wrong decisions in medical workers.
That's not to say that successful mastering of study material is directly dependent on what time you get up and study.
But when it comes to performing the most difficult types of learning activities—such as preparing for tests, writing reports, or working on coursework—it’s best to schedule them for the time of day when your energy and focus are at their peak, which for many people is in the morning.
Still, even with perfect timing, complex assignments like coursework can be overwhelming. In such cases, some students opt to buy coursework online to better understand the structure and depth expected. This approach, when used responsibly, can complement your study habits by offering real examples of academic writing.
Proper Drinking Regimen
Many people forget about another not-at-all-tricky way to start studying well — to consume at least the recommended amount of water per day. Working hard, we often stimulate ourselves with drinks with caffeine: tea and coffee. But they do not make up for the lack of water, which is so important for brain function.
This has long been confirmed by various scientific experiments. In particular, back in 1988, the results of a study were released, according to which even 1-2% dehydration leads to a decrease in mental performance.
Full Sleep
Is it worth repeating once again that a proper rest regime directly affects our concentration, attention and cognitive abilities? American scientists have revealed another curious pattern regarding the assimilation of new material and sleep. It turned out that the participants of the experiment better memorized spontaneous pairs of words when they learned them just before going to bed.
Sports For The Brain
In the minds of many people, sports and mental exercise are opposed to each other. It's either one or the other. Either a smart guy with books, or an athlete with dumbbells. But practice proves the opposite. It has been scientifically proven that physical activity benefits our thought processes as well.
In one scientific experiment with 120 participants, results were obtained proving that regular aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, running, dancing, etc.) leads to an increase in the size of the hippocampus (a section of the brain), which has a positive effect on spatial memory.
In 2012, the journal Brain Research posted data on a large-scale analysis of a large number of studies of the relationship between mental performance and the intensity of sports activities. After studying 79 scientific papers, the publication's staff concluded that the correlation between physical activity and high cognitive ability is not as high as one might expect.
The journalists suggested that the results of the meta-analysis could have been different if the scientists had recorded other indicators of mental activity or evaluated it according to other criteria.