Let’s talk about studying some hate it some like it but most of us feel like studying is hard. What do we do when something feels hard we start procrastinating and wasting time rather trying to find the root of the problem?
So let’s get started because I am going to make your brain go viral for the right reason for now on.
The truth is you’re not the problem it’s the boring and inefficient way that you have been taught to study. So I am going to guide you on a journey to study smarter, not harder.
First let’s address the elephant in the room hours studied more knowledge. It’s the way you study and how efficient you are at studying. There is that guy in our class who study fewer hours than you but gets better grades than you that means his studying methodology is more efficient. So I am going to guide you through a step-by-step guide on how to study like that cool person in your class by studying smarter, not harder.
01 Cut out sugary snacks
Sugar is like kryptonite for people who study. In simple terms the more sugar you eat the less active you become. Sugar is like a drug it gives you instant energy boost and gratification while having the side effects slowing down your brain making it harder to focus and retain information. Also, I am not making this up scientific studies from UCLA proves that sugar reduces cognitive functions and impairs memory retention. So let’s ditch the sweets and go for brain boosting alternatives like nuts, fish and berries. These healthy snacks will provide you with sustained energy, keeps your brain sharp and helps you stay focused longer without the dreaded sugar crash.
02 Positive thinking matters
Let’s change our mindset to change our grade. Your mindset matters more than you think. Let’s say you sit down to study while thinking it’s going endless and boring it probably will be. On the other hand if you say to yourself it’s going to be quick, easy and productive your brain will respond positively. I am not making these things up about positive thinking Harvard studies have proven that positive thinking can significantly boost performance. To see this in action try repeating affirmations like I can complete this topic in 30 minutes, or I can understand this topic easily when you think positively your brain releases chemicals which reduce stress and help you focus this makes it easy to absorb information faster.
03 The timer trick
The timer trick (nerds call this the Parkinson’s Law). The simple concept is work expands to fill the time available for its completion. So stop wasting endless hours studying inefficiently, instead set a timer for 30 minutes and challenge your self to get much done as possible within that time this technique is inspired by the Pomodoro Technique helps create a sense of urgency and focus when this happens your brain will enter a productive state where distractions are minimized and you work faster.
04 Focus on key content
Focusing on key content. The famous 80/20 rule states that 20% of the content will give you 80% of the results. So identify the most critical topics and focus on those. These are information your teacher repeats often, things that are highlighted in the summary or the sections that frequently appear in exams. When you focus on the key concepts first, you avoid wasting time on irrelevant details, helps you learn faster and more effectively.
05 Reverse learning
Start with the answer. Why spend hours reading the entire text book when you can backward. Start by looking at the questions and answers related to the subject, this strategy will help you understand what the test will focus on and what information is most critical. Also, working from answers backward also strengthens your ability to identify key patterns and connections between concepts, which speeds up comprehension and helps you retain information longer.
06 Tackle your weaknesses head-on
Stop reweaving the topics you already know and focus on areas where you’re struggling. It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone, but real progress happens when you challenge your self. Make a list of topics you find challenging, tackle them head-on. Try using horizontal learning by connecting related concepts, this method deepens your understanding reduces the time needed to grasp complex concepts by creating connections in your brain.
07 Harness the power of AI
AI tool like ChatGPT can revolutionize the way you study. Imagine having a personal tutor available 24/7 to help you understand complex concepts, create summaries, generate quizzes ad even provide practice questions tailored to your learning style. With the right prompts you can condense hours of study into minutes and stay focused on the essentials. AI tools speed up your learning process by breaking down difficult topics into digestible bits and offering you personalized explanations so you don’t waste time being confused.
08 Learn from your mistakes
Don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Keep a dedicated notebook or digital document where you record your mistakes from quizzes, assignments and practice tests review them before every exam to reinforce what you have learned and avoid making the same errors again. Revisiting your mistakes helps your brain identify patterns and gaps making you a faster learner and improving your long term retention.
With these techniques you will spend less time stressing and more time achieving top grades.