Do you lock yourself at Weldon for hours and hours and feel like you accomplished absolutely nothing when you leave? CSA has a few tips on how to achieve maximum productivity with minimum effort wasted.
1. Avoid Electronic Devices
A “let me check my phone to see what time it is” will turn into an hours worth of scrolling through @CSAwestern’s Instagram feed. You’ll end up forgetting the main reason why you went on your phone in the first place. Step number one of studying is to turn off your phone.
2. Power Naps
Although some people may disagree with taking naps, POWER naps are really helpful. No information will sink into your brain if you study while being tired, you’ll end up wasting your time. Might as well use that time wisely and take a 20 minute power nap. You’ll feel good as new in no time.
3. Take Breaks in Intervals
If you set a goal of studying for an hour and then a 15-minute break, you’ll have something to look forward to while you’re studying!
4. Switch up the Environment Once in a While
It gets boring having to study in your room or at the library and seeing the same scenery every single day for hours at a time. Go out and find new study places! Finding a new secret study spot gives the motivation to get out of bed and get your day started.
5. Don’t Skip Meals
You never want to be hangry when studying. Eat breakfast before you hit the books and always grab a snack or bring a lunch with you so you don’t have to leave and find something to eat. Always be prepared!
6. Get Your Priorities Straight
Do what is most important first and be realistic – you might tell yourself that you need to study for an exam, write a paper and complete a lab, but what are the odds that you really get the chance to do everything? Focus on one thing at a time and accomplish it with dedication!
7. To-do List
We already have so much going on in our brain and having to remember everything is really taxing. You never want to feel like you’re forgetting to do something. It’s even worse when someone asks you to finish something and you didn’t know that it was due. Write everything down, anything and everything!
8. Formula Sheet
For courses in which you have to remember a bunch of formulas, write them all on a single sheet. This way you don’t have to scramble through 600 pages of your textbook to look for the equations you need.
9. Become the Teacher
Grab a friend and explain what they need to know for their upcoming test or exam. They don’t even have to be listening. This is for you to test your own knowledge and discover what you need to keep working on!
10. Isolate Yourself
This tip may lead to a little bit of FOMO, however, when you get that 100 on your exam, it will all be worth it! Being around friends is always distracting. You go in with the intention of studying and getting work done but a few hours later, you come out and the only thing you learned is your friend’s entire family tree.
A big part that contributes to procrastination is underestimating how hard is it to “just get your books out and study.” You just have to push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.