The Power Of Habits: Building Effective Study Habits

The history of learning can be traced back to the earliest human civilizations, with people like Ivan Pavlov and Jerome Bruner being in the frontline of 'teaching strategies'. It is remarkable, however, that even after all these years, studying is still something that many people struggle with, and many people go about the complete wrong way.

Whilst everyone's learning styles differ, there are certain set-in-stone and foolproof ways to ensure effective studying, and surprisingly, these are a lot easier and less daunting than having to sit with a textbook in front of you for hours. In this article, I'm going to share and summarise some of the best methods I've found to work (and, as a teacher, these methods made the kids hate me less whenever I told them about upcoming assessments!).

Get enough rest and exercise 1. This is the first and most blatant tip you would get in any article, but this has been proven so many times. Thinking back to my University days, the crunch-cram learning sessions throughout the night for a test the next morning, has never once made me reap the benefits. I've also seen, inside the classroom, students who stress before assessments and don't get enough rest, tend to misread questions or make silly mistakes. Therefor, the best thing you can do is spend your time wisely. In primary school, you should start studying at least a week before your assessment, and spread out the studying evenly. By the time you start studying, your summaries should have already been made, and you should read through them a few times daily, making mnemonics to remember certain keywords. The night before the assessment, you should go to bed early, and ensure you get enough rest.

2. Create your own study-plan This is the best thing you can do to ensure perfect time management and efficiency. In fact, this is probably the most crucial part of your studying. Start by identifying your goals, chapters and learning objectives, and then break them down into daily tasks and goals. When this is done, assign an allocated time and prepare your studying schedule. Upcoming assessments do not mean you have to stop after-school sports and extra-curricular activities. With good time management and an effective study-pan, your routine should stay the same, giving you loads of time to still engage in your hobbies.

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3. Find your optimal learning environment This is extremely important. As our brains are all wired differently, we can't all study in the same locations and environments. Some students might be distracted when they are studying outside, whilst for others, this will be the perfect environment. Move your studying around, and see which environment works for you and distracts you the least, while still making you feel comfortable.

4. Find new learning techniques & self-assessment Flashcards, online quizzes, word searches and puzzles are wonderful ways to keep you engaged, and help you with self-assessment. There are multiple websites online that have already created these resources for you. All you need to do is go and download them, and assess yourself. Some questions might differ from the way you were taught, but this is also good practice for any standardised tests coming your way. Ask a friend, teacher or parent to prepare a 'mock-assessment' for you, or download one from our website here. These will help you to explore different ways in which questions might be asked. It is also imperative to make use of multi-sensory resources. Do not rely on work- or textbooks. Instead, create your own flow-charts, diagrams, summaries and word cards.

5. Ensure you take care of yourself Finally, take care of yourself. Remember, you will still have time to make up any bad scores. Do not beat up yourself if you have not reached your goal, or if you made mistakes during your assessments. Making mistakes is part of being human, and helps us learn and grow. Next time, you will create new ways to achieve your goals. Get enough rest, socialize with your friends and get exercise. These will all contribute to your mental health and wellbeing, which is far more important than any score on a report card.

Developing efficient studying methods do not happen overnight. They require consistency, trial-and-error, and commitment. Spend time working on your studying plan, and ensure you stick to it. Next time you ace your exam, remember to pat yourself on the back.