Study Smarter, Not Longer: Making the Most of Your Study Time

Most college students make the mistake of thinking that succeeding in college is all a matter of numbers: the number of books that you read for each class, the number that you receive as your GPA, and most of all, the number of hours that you spend each week studying. But this is actually only half of the story. Sure, you need to put in several hours every week, but it is even more important to make the best use of each of these hours. Here's how to do it:

1. Get Rid of Distractions.

Distractions will destroy your productivity. It is a fact that you will absorb about half as much information if you have a television playing in the background when you study. Find a peaceful place, like a desk in your room or a nook in the library, and learn by yourself.


2. Reduce Noise, and Listen Only to Instrumental Music
Noise is a major distraction while you are studying and can easily break your concentration. If your dorm room or apartment tends to be noisy, don't stay there. Every university has a library. Go to the one on your campus and hit the books all by yourself. If you like to have music on, make sure that you choose music that doesn't have any words. It will be difficult to read with another string of language competing for your brain's attention.

3. Make Flash Cards
Flash cards are a great way to memorize facts or vocabulary if you are in a subject that requires this kind of knowledge.  One nice program I found while searching for an easy way to create flashcards is Flash Card Machine. With Flashcards, You will be able to absorb information about three times faster with this method than by simply reading it over and over again. Once you have some of the cards memorized, take them out of the deck and work on the ones that you have the most trouble with.

4. Take Breaks Every Hour
Your brain needs to take breaks every once in a while to remain ultimate efficiency. It is a good idea to take a five minute break at the end of each hour. During your break, try to stand up and stretch your limbs out a bit. Having a small snack is also a good idea.

5. Limit Your Study Time to Three Hour Blocks
Your brain needs a much longer break once you study for three hours. If you take the time to notice, you'll see that you are much more able to pay attention at the beginning of your learning time than near the end. Just like all of the other parts of your body, your brain needs to rest after heavy exertion. Plan your time to fall into three hour blocks throughout your week. If you need to study more than three hours per day, schedule one period in the morning, and one in the afternoon.

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