How to Improve Study Skills
Improving your study skills will help you succeed, not only in academic, but also in life in general. By improving your study skills, you improve memory and cognitive awareness as well as increase the likelihood you’ll achieve better grades. Making the decision to improve your study skills will greatly influence your life for the better.
It’s important to develop strong study skills in high school so that you can be prepared for any continuing education or training after you graduate. For that repeat the following study habits daily. By repeating them, you will create a new study habit and that will result in improved learning and grades.
1. At the beginning of a term, prepare a Term Calendar. Update it as the term goes on. Make sure you have all the materials with you that you might need; you don’t want to waste time looking for your lucky pen.
2. Whatever area you choose, make sure it’s relatively pleasant and comfortable. Some people need silence to study, while others can’t study without some background music.
3. Develop a calm attitude. Be calm and patient with yourself. Nobody learns anything straight away.
4. Record your school assignments with their due dates and your scheduled tests. Record your planned school activities.
5. Prioritize your time and activity to make studying a high priority. Take the time you need to study every day regardless of outside interferences and distractions.
6. Decide what to study and how long or how many chapters set and stick to deadlines.
7. The problem of when to study is critical. A good rule of thumb is that studying should be carried out only when you are rested, alert, and have planned for it. Last minute studying just before a class is usually a waste of time.
8. Focus on the areas that require the most attention. Study things more if you have a hard time doing them.
9. Set up small rewards for reaching goals. Remember that it takes time to develop a new habit, so set small achievable study goals and reward yourself for reaching then. This helps keep you motivated and feeling positive about making the improvements to your study habits.
10. Review the information you’re studying the same day you’ve learned it. By creating repetition, you strengthen the memory of what you’re studying.
11. Take frequent breaks during your study time. Short bursts of studying are proven to be more effective than hours of cramming. Get up and stretch, clear your mind and relax your muscles before returning to the books.
12. Everybody has thinking skills, but few use them effectively. Effective thinking skills cannot be studied, but must be built up over a period of time. Good thinkers see possibilities where others see only dead-ends. If you’re not a good thinker, start now by developing habits that make you ask yourself questions as you read. Talk to other students who you feel are good thinkers. Ask them what it is they do when they think critically or creatively. Often times, you can pick up valuable insights to help you become a better thinker.