Is your study space set up for success?
Studying at home is hard enough. With all the distractions of family life around you, it can be hard to concentrate. With the TV blaring, phone beeping, parents nagging, and siblings interrupting, it can be nearly impossible to get your homework done. Here are some tips for creating a space at home where you can learn effectively.
Turn of the TV. You may truly believe that you can work while rewatching binge-worthy TV shows, but studies show we are not as good at this as we think we are. In his TED Talk, Paolo Cardini, a design engineer, encourages people to “monotask” instead.
Set your phone to “do not disturb”. Phones can be great tools for studying. From calculators to dictionaries, there are tons of apps that can help you study. But they are all useless if you keep getting interrupted by text messages or notifications popping up.
Find a dedicated space for studying. Lying on your bed, sitting on the floor, or camping out in the kitchen may be comfy, but your brain is trained to use those spaces for other things like sleeping, relaxing, or eating. But can also train your brain to kick into study gear if your desk is used primarily for work.
Close the door. If you’re lucky enough to have a study space in a room where you can shut the door, fantastic. Shut the door and shut out distractions. You might even hang a sign on your door letting people know you are focusing.
Communicate with your family. If you have to use a shared space, have a conversation with your family about how important focusing is to you. Maybe even make a sign that says, “Do Not Disturb,” and set it on the table near your study space.
Save snacks for post-session rewards. It’s hard to concentrate on reading if your eyes keep wandering to a bowl of candy. It’s hard to write if you have to keep licking Cheeto dust off your fingers. Instead, try setting mini-goals for yourself, and reward yourself with a snack. Then get right back to work.
Tidy up when you finish. Not only will you be able to find your completed homework to turn in tomorrow, you will set yourself up for success in your next session by leaving your study space tidy and ready for you to get to work.
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