Have you ever wondered how some of your friends keep getting top grades though they don’t really look like they study hard?
Well, it could be because they’re secretly a genius and one study session the night before the exam is all it takes.
However, if you’re a regular person like me, a certified non-genius,
you might have also wondered how good life would have been if you were born gifted.
You could do whatever you wanted all year and still pass with flying colors!
It’s hard not to feel a little envious of these people sometimes because they seem to have an “unfair advantage.”
But, if you really dig deep into their life and daily routine, you might find that they aren’t any more special than you and I.
And the reason they do so good in exams is because they have a solid study habit.
But how do you build good study habits when you always struggle with life’s many responsibilities and distractions?
Today, I’m here to help you with just that!
But before we get into the details of study habits and how to build one, let’s take a moment to learn about habits, in general.
What Are Habits Anyway?
You must have heard the phrase, "Humans are creatures of habit."
Just think about it, and you'll know how accurate that observation is.
According to researchers, almost 40% to 95% of our total behavior pattern is driven by habits,
which are subconscious acts that we tend to repeat in certain situations.
So, the reasoning is simple: if you can develop good habits, they'll lead you to live a productive and satisfying life.
Bad habits (think excess junk food or too much TV), on the other hand, can hinder career plans and ruin your health.
That's why it's crucial to develop good habits for anything you do in life, no matter how small or insignificant they seem.
After all, the habits we follow make us who we are.
It's our regular study habits, such as sticking to a routine,
keeping weekly and monthly study targets, and taking regular tests, that help us excel.
How, then, can you build good study habits?
Here's a short, five-step formula that will help.
The Five Steps To Building Good Study Habits
5. Settle On The Habit
The very first step to developing good study habits is to decide on the habits themselves.
Would you like to study early in the morning or are you a late night person?
Maybe you’re trying out the Pomodoro technique and want to go even deeper into the principle.
Whatever study habit you’re trying to develop, make sure it is repeatable because that's where the second step leads us to.
4. Repeat Regularly
The very definition of a habit tells you that these are behaviors we tend to repeat.
So, it's a no-brainer that once you’re sure of which habits you'd like to develop, you need to repeat them regularly.
For instance, if you're trying to study from six to eight every morning,
then you need to repeat that behavior regularly for at least two months before it becomes a habit.
Here it's important to note that the time required for building up habits depends on the habits you're trying to cultivate.
The more complex the habit, the more time you'll need to make it second nature.
3. Monitor Over The Long Term
Though this is the third step in building good study habits, it needs to be carried out in tandem with the second step.
Habits can be sneaky and tend to slip away if we become a bit too relaxed.
That's why you need to closely monitor behaviors over the long run and ensure that you don't cheat.
And one of the easiest ways to do that is to make sure that the routine doesn't become a hassle.
2. Make It Convenient
Because let's face it: we always like to take the easy way out.
So, the best way to make your study habits stick is to make it convenient for yourself to practice those habits.
For instance, if you're trying to wake up early to study, set a loud alarm on your phone.
Create a study room free from distractions, if you have the convenience.
Another good study habit that you can work on is regular exercise.
Believe it or not, working out regularly helps the brain to retain coursework better.
To make it easy, you can consider setting up a home gym and working out before sitting down to study.
1. Reward To Reinforce
Finally, don't forget to reward yourself.
It's an established fact that habits are best developed when you reward yourself for accomplishing them.
However, there's a bit of a catch: your reward can't just be anything.
To build successful study habits, your reward must be something that reinforces the habit itself.
For instance, after successfully waking up early for a few days,
you shouldn't reward yourself by sleeping till noon for the next few.
Instead, it's better if you get a fancy alarm clock
that ensures you wake up early and don't have to face your phone first thing in the morning.
This way, your reward reinforces your habit and helps to make it permanent.
Good habits can do so much more than earn you good grades!
They can lead you towards a path of a more calm and fulfilling life.
So, start implementing these tips now and see how your grades change for the better.
I wish you all the success!