Study Hacks for Better Productivity

As a college student, trying to finish assignments after procrastinating can be a challenge. To improve productivity, it’s essential to maximize focus and make studying efficient. Here are some tips that have helped me get through assignments and make study sessions more effective. 

Active Recall

After you spend time studying, close the materials you’re studying from and try to recall the information from memory. This helps me actively retrieve information which I find helps me retain information longer. It’s essentially just self-testing yourself and if you can recall information easily, you have a good indication that you have a good grasp on the material. You can identify for yourself if you have more weaker areas to study more which for me, is more effective than just rereading all your notes.  

Teach the Concepts

Being able to talk about concepts with help from studying materials is the best indicator of understanding the material. Teaching concepts to your friends or even aloud to yourself is a helpful way to study because if you can’t explain something, it’s a sign you need to learn it better.  

DO not Disturb

People tend to forget to put their phone on do not disturb and remove distractions from their environment before they start studying. This leads to being easily distracted and going on TikTok or calling someone for an hour. This happens to me all the time but to actually make the time you set aside to study productive, it’s crucial to remove things that limit your efficiency.  

25-minute intervals

When I break up my studying into 25-minute intervals, I noticed i get the most amount of work done and retain knowledge better. Taking a five-minute break in between the intervals also helps with maintaining focus with limited distractions. For me, shorter bursts of engaged work help with preventing mental fatigue.  

Spacing

One of my favorite tools for studying is Quizlet. It allows for a flashcard feature that uses an algorithm to show you cards based on how well you know them. It can be easy to forget something if you only study for it one time so if you prepare in advance for a test, you can retain more information in smaller cycles over time that increase retention. It also tends to prevent overloading your brain with loads of information, so this way of studying doesn’t overwhelm you and makes you actually store and process information.  

Find a good music playlist

Some people work better when they have music playing in the background of their work. I could never play my everyday playlist while studying but I do play instrumental music. In my experience, music without lyrics tends to help maintain a relaxing environment. Listening to music while studying tends to boost my concentration and block out distracting background noise if I’m in a public place studying, making me more productive. 

Study schedule

Mapping out your study schedule over a week span is one the most useful tools to ensure you get work done and don’t procrastinate. I like to use Google Calendar to block out time for specific assignments or tests to study for. Seeing a visual calendar helps you stay organized and makes you less stressed about deadlines, so do it! 

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