Homework and studying can be pretty hard to get through. We keep things around that are the biggest distractions or forget to feed ourselves and have growling stomachs as we try to read a textbook. However, there are a couple of rules to make studying a whole lot easier. Here are some do’s and don’ts we should definitely keep in mind!
- Don’t have your phone around!
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The smartphone has become one of our most addicting best friends. When we’re trying to study or do homework, we see a notification pop up and we decide a minute of social media won’t kill us, but then the next thing we know, it’s been half an hour and we still haven’t written a single word of our two-page essay (true story). The best thing we can do when we’re trying to be good productive noodles is to leave our phone somewhere we can’t see it. The TV should also be turned off because our eyeballs are traitors and they will do anything to keep the evil of homework away. When we keep our concentration on one thing only, a lot can get done. After all, humans can’t multitask (as much as my sister insists that we can).
- Do a routine
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It’s usually recommended to do homework or study in a peaceful silent environment, which makes sense. People screaming at each other or a loud TV isn’t usually great background noise while trying to understand how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. However, it’s not just the distractions that matter but also trying to keep a routine. For example, sometimes we can’t control our scenery where we have time to be productive, but we can keep the small things consistent. Like maybe you always put classical music while studying or you always light a candle to feel better. Creating a little ritual like that could help your brain realize when it’s time to concentrate.
- Don’t have friends around (unless they’re study buddies)
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Friends are pretty great, but man do they sometimes suck when you’re trying to study. I’ve personally been the annoying friend to talk my mouth off while someone’s clearly trying to get something done. I’ve probably been the reason for a couple of low grades (sorry!), so I know better now than to get into a friend’s homework environment unless I can help. It’s easy to get carried away and talk about something completely different, especially when you’re the only one doing homework. So if you’re going to have a friend around, choose wisely. It should be a study buddy, not a talking buddy.
- Do Feed/Hydrate Yourself
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Forgetting to eat while doing homework and allowing several hours to pass so that your brain and stomach are crying is always a horrible idea. I have done this way too many times, enough that it’s become pretty normal for my mother to scold me like a five-year-old for it. It’s actually a good thing she does this because it helps me improve on those nasty habits. Doing homework and studying is important in school, but we have to remember we can’t be getting the greatest grades when our body is basically dead. Our health is extremely important, so taking breaks every once in a while helps. Especially to keep our brain working well while trying to pass classes.
Everyone has their own study habits and ways of doing homework productively, but sometimes there are a couple of universal do’s and don’ts to be better. Doing homework isn’t exactly fun, but we might as well find ways to do it better, and probably get through it faster.