Tips #2: Time And Place

I always wondered last year, when should I study, how long? Now, everyone is different; some people work better in the morning, some people hit it off at noon, but some others are night owls. If you are like me, whose mornings are a burden yet the night beckons me to sleep, then choose the evening to study. Yet again, that’s just ME. You have your own special time when your brain is most alert.

Try to have a regular study schedule. I set a time for myself to study after dinner at 7 pm and the earliest I stop is 11.30 pm. However, I often get the timing all wrong, but as the saying goes, “It’s not how many hours you put in; it’s how much you put into those hours that count.” Try to study at the same place, preferably in a well-lit room far away from distractions.

I find that studying too long for extended periods of time does no good because your brain needs rest after awhile. I usually do four 30-minute sessions every night, with 10-minute or so intervals in between. Or rather, that was the original plan but my breaks usually lasted too long, oh well. Have everything you need ready when you study. If your mind is wandering, go to the next task. Usually when I find that my brain is not working, I just use the time to make notes. I spent many, many months just making Sejarah notes, but it paid off!

Always make a schedule, or a plan of some sort. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Oh and get the book “Study Smarter Not Harder” by Kevin Paul.