Tips to Set up Your Study Ritual

Are you a morning person, or do you study best at night? Can you study anywhere, or do you have a specific study space where you can concentrate the best? Every student has their own comfort zone to study, which enhances their learning outcomes. Building a study ritual based on your best-suited spot of learning can bring consistency, a good rhythm to your study schedule and an effective way to deal with procrastination if you are prone to it. Regardless of how you work in your habits of study ritual- having coffee before a long night of cramming or working out to recharge yourself before an intense study session- the basis for the ritual essentially revolves around planning, preparing and studying your subjects.

Here are some things you need to take into consideration while you create a study ritual:

Plan ahead

The first thing you need to take into account is how to fit your study routine among other commitments: hobbies, household chores and extracurricular activities.  Once you’ve identified and divided your day, you can allocate and plan the type of study you are doing at these times. Are you pre-reading for an assignment, writing an essay or revising yesterday’s portions? Make sure your study times are conducive to the type of study you require and have your study plan made in advance.

Prepare your study space

Can you study in clutter, among a pile of books and notes, or do you prefer a tidy, minimalist space to be productive? You can probably work or study anywhere without being distracted if a disorganised space doesn’t bother you, which is amazing! 

For the rest of you who need your study space to be receptive and inspiring, make sure you tidy your space before you sit down to study, not during study sessions. Also, try to make your study space distinctly welcoming and snug. Ensure that there is sufficient lighting and airflow in the room and that your desk is comfortable. Finally, set the mood of your study area so that it suits you instead of being aesthetic to visitors. 

Find a way to limit distractions

This is one of the essential yet challenging steps that you need to take care of while setting up a study ritual. Distractions are inevitable, especially when you study using multiple sources. Not to mention the external distractions and noise that are difficult to avoid. Here are some things you can do to help reduce distractions when you’re studying:

• Find a way to reduce external noise with some noise-cancelling headphones. 
• Create a study playlist of some good-quality music that helps you focus. Recent research states that playing music while studying can improve your concentration. 
• Activate the flight mode on your phone to prevent games and other features from distracting you. 
• Let your family and friends know your study timings, so they don’t disturb or interrupt your studies.

Clear your mind 

After an eventful day in school, your mind must be filled with thoughts about a great game or a sensational conversation with your friends. Sitting down to study while your head is filled with such thoughts will divert your attention. 

Here are some things you can do to help get into the study zone:

• Listen to your study music playlist.
• Have a short meditation session. 
• Do a short yoga routine or go for a brief walk.
• Spend time amidst nature. 
• Write down the thoughts on a piece of paper or a diary.

Now that you know the steps you need to take before setting up a study ritual, follow through with these for a few days and let us know your experience in the comments below.