Best Method to Study Effectively
Well, no matter in which institute you study which teachers are teaching, you self study is a must. Without self-study quenching for success will lead only to nowhere.
Here are a few self-study hacks or you may say smart tips which I followed or came to know and you can implement:-
Study-Bed relation:- I read an article about this which said that when we study on the bed, then our brain gets a signal that we are here to sleep as this is what beds are made for. Instead, we are there to study, so eventually, in that confusion, the sleep signal wins and we feel drowsy.
Power naps:- If you feel lethargic while studying then you can opt for a power nap. It will help you regain your virility. *Pro-tip- If you want to ensure that you don't sleep for more time than required during a power nap, then sleep while holding any object in your hand in such a way that it falls off the bed as and when you lose your grip over it. The moment that object falls is the time to wake up (taking your phone as the object might blow your sleep faster than anything).
SQ3R method
Survey- It refers to skimming through the chapter and noting down the headings, subheadings and images etc
Question- Try to form questions regarding the chapter like what is this chapter about, what do I remember of this chapter. This will be a good way to question yourself and the chapter.
Read- Start reading the chapter and find answers to the questions you formed initially.
Recite- Then after reading try reciting it as in, summarise it in your own words.
Review- Once you finish summarising it in your own words, review the entire material and try questioning yourself on what you learnt
Mind mapping method
Whilst mind mapping, we have a central idea or sub categories which are related to the central idea are drawn from the initial ideas. You will be able to connect and memorise topics better.
Pictorial method
The pictorial method is one of the most effective methods which I have used personally during studying, wherein we go through the sentences of the answer initially and then again read singular sentences and form them in a picture format. Thus, each picture represents a sentence. This is one of the most effective ways of studying.
Spaced practice method
The spaced practice method is a method in which the student studies over a longer period of time. Mostly what students tend to do is study overnight for exams. This makes it very difficult for students to learn everything in a single night, hence, what spaced practice method suggests is that you learn over a longer period of time.
Students who start studying months or weeks before the exam tend to do their best as compared to those who study overnight.
The Feynman technique
The Feynman technique works in a way where you try to explain it in a way you understand it. If you want to learn or understand something, try and explain it..
The pomodoro technique: You study whatever you are studying for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break to stretch, build motivation, etc. What I have divulged is called a pomodoro. Note: Do not use electronics during that 5-minute break as electronics can be extremely addicting. After four pomodoros, you take a half-an-hour break. This study method works the best if you have a plethora of time but have a plethora of tasks to complete. I would say that you should not be use this technique when you have a lot to do in a limited amount of time as the 30-minute break consumes a lot of time.
The priority matrix: You first do the important and urgent tasks. Next, you do the important but not urgent tasks. Then, you do the not important but urgent tasks. Finally, you do tasks that are neither important nor urgent. For me, I usually tackle the not important but urgent tasks rather than the important but not urgent tasks first. This may or may not work for some of you, but it works for me. Tasks that are due in a short while but are not important can be stressful. To reduce unnecessary stress, I do the only urgent tasks right after the urgent and important tasks.
Tackling the hard stuff: This method may not work for me, but some people are more focused at the beginning of their study sessions. They start to wear out as time flies. Tackling the hard stuff means that by the time you are worn out, the hard stuff will be tackled, and all that is left is to wreck those easy tasks.
Knowing your daily routine: In order for you to have a clear idea or goal of what you are doing with whatever you are doing, schedule out your daily routine. Stick to it. You do not necessarily have to be exact with the timing and stuff like that, but use your daily routine as a guide to help you be efficient and to effectively study.
Download the “Self-Control” app: If it is necessary to do some of your tasks on a laptop or any electronic device, you first should go to the self-control app. So, there is a blacklist. You edit the blacklist and type in the URLs of the websites that distract and interject you from doing your tasks efficiently. Set the self-control time for as little or as long as you desire. That way, you are and will stay focused.
Cool Strategy: Since the Pomodoro technique and tackling the hard stuff never seems to work for me, I instead write a bunch of quotes during 5-minute breaks. I eat a lot of snacks. I do the urgent and important tasks and hard stuff first. If I am wearing out, I jump back to the easy stuff. That way, unnecessary stress is reduced.
Please share.