Truth be told, studying can be daunting, especially if you are doing it in a less-likable environment. In order to be creative and productive with your study work, it is important to find a favorable study space.
Whether you are preparing for exams or just getting ahead with your studies, you will have an easy time studying when you have the best study place. Below are tips for creating a productive study space at the comfort of your home.
Choose an Appropriate Spot
There are a few places that encourage productive studying. They can be at the library, in the laboratory (for science and technical subjects), a coffee shop, on a bench away from the crowd, or most commonly, in your bedroom.
Out of all the locations, the highest chance wherein you can get creative with your study space is in your own home, particularly your room. You need to choose a spot where you can easily concentrate and be productive.
Since you will be spending most of your time there, make sure that it is a conducive environment. If you are a lone studier, opt for a spot that is quiet and free from distractions.
However, if you concentrate better where there is activity; make sure that your chosen spot has manageable distractions. This is also an ideal time to choose the décor, feng shui, and other factors that matter to you.
Create a To-do List
Setting up goals for the day can help you stay motivated until you are done with your studies. You can create a list of things that you want to achieve for the day, starting from the most important to the least important.
Be realistic with your goals and do not overload your list for the day. Tick off the set tasks after completing them.
Tidy up Your Study Space
One way to get productive with your studies is by keeping your study area clean and organized. Take some time to identify and remove any unnecessary materials that can distract you while studying.
Stock up all the important supplies in one stop so you can find them with ease. You can also make use of organizers, drawers, and boxes to keep things tidy at all times.
Recreate your Study Space
Once you have identified your ideal learning space, it is now time to recreate it to make it more conducive for your learning. There are moments when you may recall things where you first learned them. This is known as context-dependent.
For instance, if you learnt a particular topic in the classroom at night, then you can choose to study it at night in your study space. This way, you will have more chances of triggering your memory.
However, if it is hard to pull off a similar study environment , you can try to incorporate visual cues that will still invoke the same atmosphere.
Strategize According to Convenience
Make your space as convenient as possible. Comfort is encouraged but only on the level of ergonomics. This means that your chair is comfortable to sit, your table is at the right level, your attire doesn’t cause you to perspire, room temperature is cool enough, and so on.
However, you should ensure that you don’t get too comfortable to the level that you just want to relax all the time. If the space becomes too comfortable, you are likely to get distracted and you may not achieve your study goals.
Aside from ergonomics, convenience in a study space also refers to the reachability of the items needed. Textbooks, paper, pens, and other helpful materials must be easily accessible as much as possible.
You can also keep a snack or drink at easy reach, but ensure that it doesn’t become a bother. The last thing you want is to cause a mess or spillage on your learning materials. Besides, this can cause a short circuit or encourage insects to crawl up.
Ensure the Right Lighting
The right lighting is necessary when you study. During the day, you can utilize sunlight as your light source.
In most cases, direct sunlight exposure can be uncomfortable when you study. Luckily, you can tweak by using tinted windows, blinds, and more.
If you prefer to study at night, make sure your position is not against your room’s light. If that is unavoidable, then a lampshade is needed.
Make sure that you select the appropriate wattage for the light bulb of your lampshade to give you the appropriate brightness. Warm white colors are highly recommended.
Have Some Positive Visuals
A houseplant, a motivational poster, a picture frame of your loved ones – all of these don’t classify as learning materials but they can be very valuable for your study space.
Taking a glance at these things in the middle of your cramming sessions can revitalize your spirits and make you absorb the learning better.
You can also get creative and personalize your space with artwork or any other décor that you enjoy.
Just ensure to choose something that gives you positivity. Have them placed at your study space within your field of vision, but a bit farther from the working space.
Stay Away From Distractions
Distractions hamper your chances of absorbing what you have learned. It is easy to stay away from distractions at first. However, as studying becomes exhausting, you are likely to be tempted to grab your phone or computer and get to social media.
If you are doing studies like coding, then a computer may be part of your study space. In this case, try to resist the urge of opening unnecessary tabs. You can put digital notes on your desktop screen about the things you need to do or have a calendar of activities you need to accomplish beside your computer.
This should also be the case if you use your smartphone for research purposes. Also, set aside your video game joysticks as they can tempt you during study time.
Use an Ambient Noise Machine
Do you get more productive where there is a bit of noise? If so, then you should consider using an ambient noise machine. An ambient noise machine can produce background sounds that will calm you and help you concentrate better.
There is no denying that listening to music can be relaxing. However, music can take almost half of your concentration away when you are studying. You might find yourself singing along or paying attention to the lyrics rather than your notes.
In this case, it is recommendable to choose instrumental songs such as classical music or slow jazz. If possible, you can eliminate music completely and just settle for ambient noise.
Make It Exclusive
Make your study area exclusively for learning. Do not eat your food there, watch movies nor play video games. Don’t settle there for relaxation or chat with others about things that are not studying-related. The exclusivity adds meaning to your study space and will reinforce the idea that the area demands your focus and commitment to learning.
Conclusion
The aforementioned tips will help you create an ideal study space that will motivate you to learn and study more. You will be detached from unnecessary things and have your concentration sharpened. Just ensure that you remain disciplined in your study habits and you will see results.
For more related articles, please do check out these:
Amazing Tips for Encouraging Positive Attitude Among Students
How to Make Effective Notes Matching Your Learning Preference
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