By Amy Holm, junior
Hi, my name is Amy Holm. I’m a junior transfer student studying the history of medicine. I’ve developed different study strategies over time that I would like to share with you.
1. Time management is hogwash.
This might be surprising to you, but if you concentrate on time management, all you’ll do is feel guilty about the time you’ve “wasted.” Don’t get me wrong, finding hidden time in your day to do your homework is great! If you can concentrate on studying while on a train or bus, more power to you. But if you’re stressing about how little time you have, then get rid of the time management mindset. In fact, try to forget time exists and focus simply on the task you have to accomplish.
2. Multitasking is also hogwash.
Focus on one task at a time and the quality of your work will go WAY up. You’ll get your work done faster and you’ll increase your productivity if you stop multitasking. If you task switch, your productivity goes down 40% according to this Psychology Today article. Start one task and finish it before going on to the next task. Multitasking also encourages forgetfulness, procrastination, and feelings of loss of control. Multitasking causes stress and can cause insomnia by putting your brain on overdrive.
3. The Pomodoro Method
This method is where you do your work in 25 minute intervals and take small breaks in-between. I generally use this method when I’m studying for an exam because only so much information can be absorbed in my brain at one time. My breaks are usually only 5 minutes; enough time to make some tea, use the bathroom, or clean my workspace. Then I go right back to work. But there is a small rule for the Pomodoro method: do not use your breaks to be on your smartphone. Using your smartphone does not represent a true break for your brain. Instead, stretch, meditate, or try one of my tips and then get right back to work!
4. Which is most important task?
Take a piece of paper and list all of the tasks you have to do. Then start categorizing them into four sections:
- Urgent and important.
- Urgent but not important.
- Not urgent, but important
- Not urgent and not important.
This method will help you determine which tasks you should concentrate on first.
5. Procrastination?
Verbalize your excuses and create the 5-minute plan. Only work on a task for 5 minutes and do whatever else you want to do. Usually it’s beginning a task that is the most problematic. Procrastination is where you’re so stressed out over a task that you ignore it completely hoping it will go away. My method is to just dig in to the task because otherwise my stress will become much worse. Once you start, you could very well forget that you were supposed to do it for only 5 minutes and end up completing the task.
6. Sleep
Do not do homework in bed and do not sleep at your desk! Otherwise you are training yourself to be awake in bed and to sleep on hard surfaces. Sleep is a lot more important than most college students realize. Everything you just studied? You won’t retain it without sleep. I would rather go over some material and go to sleep than try to cram everything in my brain and get no sleep. Avoid naps, no caffeine after 3 p.m., stop using technology 30 minutes before bedtime, and avoid oversleeping, too.
7. Caffeine
I also try to avoid caffeine as a way to stay awake. Caffeine can cause dehydration and one of the main symptoms of dehydration is fatigue. Large quantities of caffeine can induce behavioral depression, which results in sleepiness and decreased performance. Caffeine burns calories as it stimulates insulin production, leading to a sudden drop in blood sugar and feelings of lethargy.
8. Learn your learning style.
Some people can only learn when they move! Some are more visual learners; some are audio learners; and some can only really learn by reading. Some people have to have visual and audio to learn; some people can only learn things when they’re alone, while others learn best by group study. Find out what actually works for you and find out the strategies that work best for the way you learn!
9. Trying to concentrate
Keep a concentration score-sheet. Whenever your mind wanders, check a mark on the sheet. This reminds you to get back to work and helps encourage self-observation. Find a location that is made for studying. It needs to be somewhere quiet and well lit. Put your smartphone out of sight and out of mind.
10. Ask for help!
If you do not understand a concept or if you are having trouble figuring out how to complete a task, go to your professor’s office hours; go to the learning commons; get a peer mentor. You can’t do everything yourself and that’s okay! People are there to help you succeed.