6 Effective Study Habits for Students

Anybody can develop effective study habits to make studying more efficient and even enjoyable. A great way to begin is to start small with one or two new habits and work your way up to bigger changes. It’s also important to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself. Learn more about how to develop effective study habits with these six suggestions.

1. Set study goals for each session. These can be time-based or content-based. For example, you might aim to study for two hours or review three chapters of your textbook—or both. Be gentle with yourself if you didn’t get through as much material as you had planned; sometimes studying can take longer than expected. Keep taking well-spaced breaks, and schedule another study session.

2. Minimize distractions. This is crucial to developing effective study habits. Picking a good location to study can be the first step in keeping yourself focused on your work. But you will encounter many types of distractions that can reach you no matter where you choose to work. If you find yourself distracted by your phone, you can take steps to minimize the intrusion. Turning off your notifications, keeping your phone out of sight in your bag, or giving it to a friend to keep you from checking it too often can help you stay focused.

3. Space out your studying. Cramming all of your studying might help you get a better grade on a test, but studies show that spacing your study session out over a longer period of time can help you retain the material you learn. Really holding onto the material you learned (and making exam seasons less stressful) requires consistent and well-spaced study sessions. Instead of saving your studying before a test, briefly review the material you learned once a week. If you are studying for an exam, space out your studying up to several weeks (or even months, depending on the test) leading up to the exam day. This can help you retain the information long term.

4. Reward yourself. Telling yourself you’ll get a small reward if you finish the section you wanted to get through, or perhaps a larger reward if you have a productive day of studying, can be good motivation to get to your goal. Small rewards can be candy, a hot drink from your favorite coffee shop, a quick game of your choice, or a short episode of a TV show. Bigger rewards for a long day of studying or getting done with an exam can include getting your favorite meal, spending some time relaxing with friends, or making time for your favorite activity.

5. Find a good place to study. Finding a good location to study is one of the most important elements of studying well. Look for a place with minimal distractions and an environment where you feel you can focus. A school or public library, a coffee shop, or a quiet corner of your house can all be good places to start, and you can experiment to find the best study environment for you.

6. Take care of yourself. Your brain is a vital organ—take care of it by taking care of yourself. Get regular exercise, eat well, stay hydrated, get good sleep, and take care of your mental well-being. Getting regular and consistent sleep can increase cognitive function, including helping you pay better attention and do better on tests. Try to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, plant sources of proteins, nuts, and unsaturated oils like olive oil into your diet, all of which have been linked to better cognitive performance. Mental health is also important because it helps us deal with stress, improves our relationships with others, allows us to live more meaningfully, and be more productive in our work.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services