Hey! What are some of your tips for studying in the days you really cannot focus?
hi there friend! hmm, that’s a good question! here are some suggestions:
remember to drink water and eat a snack. a lot of the time, if you’re feeling badly mentally, it will also manifest in your body in the form of fatigue. likewise, if you’re not feeling one hundred percent physically, you’ll start to lose focus. make sure you’re not hungry or thirsty before a study sesh so that you aren’t distracted by how icky you feel the whole time.
if naps work for you, take a power nap before you start. i can’t nap (i just can’t sleep during the day but i sleep like the dead at night) but if napping helps you, maybe a little sleep will help you feel a little less tired.
go somewhere where you can study well and effectively. for me this is the law library, which is almost deafeningly silent, but it might be a coffee shop or a room in your house for you. make sure you have a space clear from clutter (when things are messy, i always get anxiety) and try to get some natural light in your room. sunlight honestly can solve anything for me lol
depending on if you can study with music, try a classical music playlist (i have made a lot of these) or some playlists on spotify of rain sounds. those really soothe me and help me feel less anxious.
i know a lot of people say you should try getting the hardest things out of the way first, but honestly, i do it the opposite way around so that i feel like i’ve done something and i can build momentum to get to harder subjects i need to study. for example, i’ll send some emails or submit an easy assignment before studying for a difficult test. i write these accomplishments down in a list (you’ve probably seen these lists pretty often during the spring) and that serves as a tangible reminder that i did something that day, be it for myself or for school/work.
i don’t like studying with friends because they can be distracting, so i tend to do things by myself. but if friends or studymates can help you focus and retain info, especially if it’s near test day, you should spend some time (not all the time) with them to solidify information.
finally, if you can’t study at all, do something else you consider productive or important to you. practicing piano and exercising really helps me reset my brain and screw my head on in a way that is more conducive to studying. you shouldn’t be studying when you feel really anxious or nervous; you’ll never be able to retain information like that. some other things you can do to reset your brain might be journaling (one of my best friends does this every day after school to get out all her emotion), cooking or baking something fast, cleaning up your room or house, reading, doing a different assignment from another class, taking a shower or bath, doing some exercise, or playing a musical instrument. however, don’t go on netflix, youtube, or any social media- it’ll never end and you’ll never be focused if you spend time online.
hope that helps!! feel free to ask me anything else about studying!
