Boom Panes!

Getting Motivated To Study

Step 1: Prepare Your Study Space

          Find a quiet space with few distractions. This could be a library, a cafe, a room in your house, or anywhere else that is free from excess noise and interruptions. Avoid places where you're likely to run into your friends.

          Stock up on study supplies. Make sure you have all the pens, pencils, paper, highlighters, and Post-Its you need. You don't want to interrupt your study time to get more.

          Keep a small stash of water and snacks by your side. People are more productive when they're hydrated and taking steady sips of water will help stave off thirst. Small snacks like peanuts, granola bars, or fruit will help keep you energized.

          Avoid fast food and pastries. This includes pizza, hamburgers, nachos, doughnuts, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and croissants. These foods will give you a short energy rush that quickly turns into sleepiness.

Step 2: Remove Your Distractions

          Wear comfortable clothing. Little things like having to pull up your trousers can eat away at your concentration. Wear clothes that are familiar, fit loosely, and don't constrict you.

          If you have long hair, tie it back so that it doesn't fall into your eyes.

          Put your cellphone on silent. You do not want to be taking calls from friends and family members when you're trying to study. Let them know in advance that you need time to study, if you think they'll be concerned. Better yet, just place it on silent and keep it somewhere out of view so you won't be tempted to keep taking a sneak peek.

          If possible, turn off your computer. Unless you absolutely need it for studying, turn the computer off. Likewise, stay away from public computers. It's a minefield of potential distractions. It's all too easy to tell yourself "I just want to check my e-mail" or "Let me just look at this bit of celebrity gossip." Before you know it, you've wasted a whole hour.

          If you do need to use the computer as a research tool, consider printing out the information once you get it so that you're not tempted to open up another browser window and check your Facebook status. If you're really tempted to go on social sites, why not deactivate for a little while?

         If you need to use the computer solely as a word processor, think about temporarily turning off your Internet access.

Step 3: Set Study Goals

          Set concrete goals for your study session. Think in specific, achievable goals instead of vague generalities. Instead of telling yourself, "I have to get good at math," think of a specific goal such as, "I will learn how to graph a quadratic equation." Achieving this goal will make you feel accomplished at the end of your study session.

         Reward yourself when you complete your goal. Think of a small way to reward yourself when you've met your goal. If you're in the middle of a study session, you can take a quick walk, eat a granola bar, or listen to a favorite song. If you've finished your study session, then feel free to have some fun by playing games, talking to friends, or watching a video.

         If you decide to reward yourself with a quick break from studying, remember that you will eventually have to get back to work. Set a time limit for your break and don't listen to the voice in your head saying, "Just a few more minutes."

         Think of what you will achieve by studying. In order to keep up a positive attitude, try to visualize the good things that will come to you by studying. Imagine getting a good score on a test, receiving praise from your teacher, or the good college you might be planning to attend. Although studying is sometimes boring and hard, thinking of the end result will keep you pushing ahead.

Step 4: Prepare Yourself

         Make a study schedule. Set aside a specific block of time for studying for each day that you need it rather than telling yourself vaguely, "I'll have to study sometime this week." Planning it out will make it easier to stick to your resolution.

          Do not procrastinate. Don't wait until the last minute to study for a big exam or read a 90-page chapter. If it is assigned Monday and due Friday, start on Monday and finish early in the week so you don't have to worry about it at the last minute.

Step 5: Get Started

          Just get started! Sometimes that can be the hardest part. If your study schedule looks too daunting, set a smaller goal. Consider reading half of the chapter today and half tomorrow. Just do one or two problems from the workbook. Remember that it is always better to do a little now than end up doing nothing at all.

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