let’s face it: sometimes, there are a ton of things we’d rather do instead of studying. and sometimes, it’s so so easy to succumb to these distractions because… !?!?!? for this next addition to the #studyingwithacdemic masterpost series, here are my personal tips for distraction-free studying.
i’ve always had this super bad habit of leaving things last minute because i… have zero self control. i end up being distracted by tumblr, youtube, online shopping, searching up random things, who even knows?! but recently, i’ve been teaching myself to get better at studying with nO dISTrACTioNS.
i know, it sounds like a distant, far-off dream.
clean up your space. it’s super important to make sure your study space is clutter-free. you don’t have to be super neat, and it doesn’t have to be spotless, but you need to be able to find your stuff and think clearly. whenever i’m feeling super off, i’ll organize my desk a little bit and it’s honestly so refreshing to study at a clean desk!!
kILL YOUR DISTRACTIONS. this is what i do when i realize i am so far down the procrastination pit. do whatever it takes to get rid of whatever has been distracting you. literally leave no options for yourself but to study. here are some ways you can do this:
- turn off yo wifi. unless your assignment requires wifi, the best way to get rid of your online distractions is to simply turn off your wifi! i swear, this one saves the day when i’m “writing” essays.
- get an app. self control is my savior. if you don’t have a mac, cold turkey seems to be the popular one for windows users.
- move. sometimes, if you’re working in your room, it’s just too easy to take a nap or procrastinate. move to a place where someone else can see you and keep tabs on you. “mom, can you please nag me??”
- if your distraction is a person.. yeah, don’t kill them. just politely ask them to stop-doing-the-distracting-thing and if they don’t stop, you may have to move. or get them to move.
time yourself. look at the time. tell yourself: “5 minutes from now i will have finished at least two of these math problems.” and in 5 minutes, if you’re still procrastinating, do pushups or something as punishment. use short spurts like this to keep an eye on yourself!!
take breaks. you’ll burn out easily if you just sit down for eight hours and study. take frequent (every half hour, or every hour) breaks to stretch, drink water, take a breather, and if you didn’t get enough sleep you can even take power naps. this keeps you focused on your task because you know that there’s a break coming up aS LONG AS YOU JUST. DO. IT!
- i know it’s been said before but.. during your break i definitely recommend exercising. exercise is so, so good for you and totally clears up your head. there’s no need to do a super intense crossfit/hiit workout or anything, but i like to do jumping jacks, high knees, wallsit, burpees, pushups, plank, stretching, tuck jumps, and/or yoga.
ask for help. this seems out of place, i know, but i think one of the main reasons i end up distracted is because i’m just confused about what i’m learning - and i don’t want to try and figure it out. if you find yourself getting stuck, instead of chilling out on youtube (“i’ll watch one video. just one. seriously.”), ask for help!!! you can search it up, of course, but i think asking a real person will make sure you actually get the job done.
lighting is important. especially in the night. if you’re studying and it’s dark, and it’s nighttime, and you’re tired and bored, you’re going to think a nap time is in order. not only will lighting affect your sleepiness, it’s also bad for your eyes to study for a longgg time in dim lighting. try to keep your study space bright, cheery, and encouraging!!
set up a plan. setting up a strict (you can make it as strict as you want. if you want to be super specific and have things scheduled to the minute, go for it!!) study schedule will definitely keep you in check. if you’re just doing whatever, whenever, there’s a huge chance you’ll end up doing nothing.
say no to tech. if you can, just try to close your computer and phone and go without them. i can’t avoid tech when i’m studying since i do online school, but a lot of you can totally just use your handy textbook and notes.
don’t give yourself other stuff to do. aka: no multitasking. focus. on. one. thing. at. a. time. i’m sometimes super scrambled up and i’ll try and do my math homework, english essay, and history flashcards simultaneously. if you’ve done this before you’ll know it’s nOT productive, and even more time-consuming than just tackling them all separately.
- this doesn’t just mean “don’t study a ton of topics all at once”, i mean, dOn’T MulTitASk at all. if you’ve got a study snack, or a good book, or anything like that nearby.. just avoid it for now. you can enjoy it later, when everything you need to do is done.
priorities are your friend!! set up a chart with your priorities. (i have one in my printable collection) do the tasks according to your priorities. that way, even if you do end up distracted, you’ll have gotten the important things done before the less important things. (my non-eloquence here is cringeworthy. let’s play a game called “how many times can hannah say thing or things or thingy in one masterpost?”)
sometimes you’re better off alone. i know this sounds like a breakup tip. whoops. what i mean is, although studying with friends or classmates is often suggested (and it’s great, it really is!!) sometimes that’s not the way to go. esPECIALLY if you’re studying with a friend. that snowball can roll down the distraction hill veeery quickly.
enjoy it!! studying is fun! if you actually enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t even be distracted in the first place. love school, love learning, love what you’re doing! ♡
allllrighty, that is it for my distraction-free studying tips!!
i hope that was helpful and if you have any questions, want to talk, want to yell at me for a bad masterpost, want to chat about your day, have any suggestions for future #studyingwithacdemic masterposts, want to request a future masterpost etc. etc. just drop me an ask and i’ll answer asap to the best of my abilities! <3
thanks for reading and have a lovely day, xoxo hannah
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