Do those words give you the chills? Send you into panic mode? Make you want to cry?
Fret not, we are here to help with some proven tricks to help you study to the best of your capacity.
We also understand that many of these tips and tricks that you hear can seem too idealistic, given the sheer amount of portion material there is to study and how there is never enough time. So we have made sure to keep these strategies as realistic as possible. At the same time though, you will only be able to follow these if you internalize the fact that prioritizing long term benefits instead of short term comforts is absolutely necessary. So keeping that in mind, let’s look at the 5 most crucial strategies you can reasonably implement in your lifestyle in order to maximize your potential.
Dietary Habits
Many of us tend to rely heavily on snacking and junk food to keep us going in times of stress. And once it becomes a habit, it is incredibly hard to break out of it. So we aren’t suggesting that you need to quit cold turkey and not consume anything junk. But it will certainly help immensely to cut down as much as you can. If you are a chocolate addict, replace it with dark chocolate. The higher the cocoa content the better. Reduce sugary drinks. Increased sugar content increases stress. Don’t skip breakfast no matter what you do. Make sure it’s as high in protein as possible. Make these dietary changes a habit and we guarantee you will start to feel the difference in your energy levels and concentration capacity.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial to retain whatever information you are putting into your brain. Moreover, getting less sleep increases stress levels, which will negatively affect even your normal study hours. Try to sleep during fixed hours, i.e. sleep and wake up at the same time daily so as to set your body clock and optimize sleep quality.
Leisure Activities
Believe it or not, cutting off all leisure activities, is more detrimental in the long run. Isolation is not the answer. Keep some time for activities that make you happy. You need that to keep your motivation levels up. At the same time though, don’t get carried away with this. Set aside some time for this without letting it cut into your requisite study hours, and stick to it. Don’t let the half an hour of TV become 1 then 1. 5 then 2.
Physical Exercise
We know most students dread this part. Physical exercise is not everyone’s cup of tea. But don’t worry, we don’t mean you need to put on your running shoes and go sprint a mile. Physical exercise can even mean simply taking a short walk, or getting up and doing a few stretches. If you’re up for something a bit more, you can simply try to identify your most enjoyable activity. It could be swimming, cycling, yoga, playing football with your friends… anything that gets you up and your muscles moving.
Environment
Keeping your room or your study environment optimized is incredibly useful. This means, declutter. Declutter. As soon as some mess accumulates, take out 5 minutes and clear it up. That process itself helps to clear up your mind and feel calmer. If you make a habit of tidying up, you will instantly start to feel the lift in your mood. If you are willing to go a step further, you can also try aromatherapy by lighting some scented candles. Set some mood lighting. Essentially, set up your environment in such a way that is pleasing to you.
It’s important to remember that it takes at least 18 days to form a new habit, so don’t give up, keep at it and you will certainly start to see results. When it gets hard, when you feel inclined to stay up late or sleep in, when you find yourself reaching for those chips far too often, remind yourself of why you are making that sacrifice. Promise yourself that it’s just a few days more and that it won’t feel like a struggle anymore.