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Exams, assignments, quizzes, and presentations all have one thing in common; they all take work to do. For most people, there is no way to escape from studies. While studying can be quite stressful and draining, it can be even more difficult if you haven't done it in a while. If you are returning to study, starting a short course to up-skill yourself or just interested in continuous learning, then this article is for you. We hope you enjoy these study tips and can apply them to your studies.

5 Study Tips For Success:

Make a planner:

People often find it challenging to figure out where to start. I understand that most people are also working while completing courses and need time for things like family, shopping, cleaning and just relaxing. So make sure that once you start a course, you finish it, allocate some time throughout the week to sit down and do some studying. It doesn't need to be massive blocks of time, but just an hour here and there will make sure that you are working towards the end goal.

This structured plan towards completing courses is what most people use to organise a healthy work/study/life balance. Sitting down for hours to study can reduce the effectiveness of what you are learning and what you retain. By giving yourself plenty of time to process information as well as enjoy other parts of your life, you will be more likely to keep up with your study and finish your course.

Arrange your workstation:

The place where you study has a significant impact on your productivity level and determination towards your studies. Usually, most experts recommend not studying in your bedroom, the place where you sleep can work against you. Seeing your bed relaxes the mind and can distract you from studying, it will tempt you to rest or maybe take a short nap.

Instead chose a place where you focus on your study without distraction such as your kitchen table or library. If you are one of those people that needs to be around a little bit of noise to focus try out a coffee shop or the ground floor of a library.

Set up an area with good lighting, all the stuff you will need to study such as a laptop, charger, pens, paper and highlighters. Make sure you have water and snacks with you to keep yourself energised and limit the number of times you have to leave your table. If you are like me and have to check my phone every 3 minutes, make sure your phone is on silent and put away.

Maintain your life:

Some of these study tips may seem very obvious for success, such as this one. You would be surprised by how many people burn out on studying because they forget they have a life outside of the study. When you are trying to complete a course, you may try and do as much as possible, to begin with, but then peter out and give up. By taking it one step at a time and making time for other things in life, you can complete a course while still enjoying all the content. Take breaks, talk to others, join networking groups, complete recommended reading and remind yourself why you have started the course in the first place.

These study tips will help you keep motivation up for as long as possible.

Learn to avoid procrastination:

Procrastination is the great downfall for many, and it is the reason why you need a proper plan as mentioned above. Procrastination is often a result of having difficulties with a task or struggling to find the motivation to push through sections that may be a little dry or boring. Procrastination comes in many forms from scrolling through Facebook, watching tv, cleaning and just prioritising things that maybe are not as important. You might not even realise how much of your time you waste procrastinating. There is no perfect way to avoid procrastination, but there are a few tricks, such as:

• Make lists of what you want to achieve and when
• Put your phone away
• Remove distractions
• Have a study partner
• Reward yourself for achieving goals

Use learning tricks and strategies:

Everyone has a different way of learning and memorising. Some students prefer making notes, use flashcards, and other methods. However, it depends on your learning capability to choose a way which suits best for your study style. You can get a friend or family member to test you, pretend like it's your job, get a study buddy, watch videos to find out more on topics you are struggling with. Moreover, regardless of which strategy you select, you should not forget to quiz yourself about previous learning, not just what you just learnt then. It will help you analyse how much you remember and if there is a need to revise.

Conclusion:

You will be able to utilise all these study tips as long as you stay motivated. Don't forget to get out there and find more study tips that will help you. Your well being should be your top priority so that you remain productive and study in the best possible way. Moreover, it is normal if your study plan does not work 100% as per your expectations. As long as you are continually working towards a goal, you will succeed. You should always make a realistic plan which aligns with your capabilities.

Furthermore, do not let others demotivate you. What matters is that you are happy with your progress. Take these study tips and apply them to your studies! Focus on your studies and good luck!

You can utilise these tips for any of the courses available on the WithYouWithMe Portal. These courses are on a wide range of topics and are given FREE to all ex-military.