Top 5 tips to improve your studying habits

As we’re coming up on our fourth week of classes, you may find yourself becoming overloaded with coursework. You might be struggling to find a balance between work, school, and free time that works for you. For me, I know that my easy weeks have passed and only hard weeks lie ahead.

Therefore, I’ve compiled a short list of tips that have helped me keep up with my coursework and keep myself sane. As this is my eighth term at Mt. Hood, I believe I have a particular expertise in this topic. I hope it helps!

1. Leave. The. Damn. House.

I certainly fantasize about waking up early and having a cup of coffee in my den while I contentedly get to work on studying. But the reality of it is that the idea of studying, or coursework in general, is something that gives me anxiety and stress. If that is a statement you also hold true, then getting yourself out of the house and making the act of studying an excursion rather than a burden can be a huge help in motivating yourself. I often go to places that make me happy – a coffee house or a library. Both places have free WiFi and an ambiance that encourages studying.

2. Break up your day into work/reward blocks.

For some people the reward system for studying may work. It doesn’t for me – I often want the reward immediately, so convincing myself that I have to get through a lot of studying to get to what I want is a challenge. Instead, I convince myself to ‘multitask’ between the activity that brings me enjoyment, and the homework. This can mean 15 minutes on homework, 15 minutes on Sims 4, and so forth. It takes me much longer to finish the task, but I don’t feel as though I’m giving up my free time. WARNING: Movies or TV shows are tricky and I don’t recommend you try to multitask watching them and doing homework if you actually want to get something done.

3. Set a timer.

This is a tip I got from a friend. You set a timer for an amount of time and you do as much work as possible within that, and then you’re done. This really works because it gives you a concrete limit to your torture. You no longer are dealing with the unstable measurement of “when it’s finished,” you’re dealing with a light at the end of the tunnel, so to say.

4. Certain music can increase your focus.

If you’re like me, you can do homework to music with lyrics but it’s just taxing. If you’re like me, you do work better in silence but you can’t stand silence. Don’t fret, I have the solution. I’ve found instrumental and jazz music particularly help increase my focus – especially when reading assigned chapters. If you’re a spotify user, the playlists “Lush Vibes” and “Coffee Table Jazz” are my favorites for studying and I recommend them!

5. Finally, remind yourself why you’re doing this.

I know it’s cheesy and may seem a bit unhelpful, but I’ve found that when I don’t want to do the coursework or I feel down, I remind myself why I’m doing this. I imagine myself at the university of my choice after transferring out of Mt. Hood. I imagine myself walking at graduation and I let myself feel the emotions that those accomplishments will bring me. Reminding myself can change my attitude, and help motivate me.