Sarah Bowmar here to bring you my favorite study tips that I have used for the majority of the life post high school. For background and context to know I am not blowing smoke, I graduated with my undergrad in marketing in three years, graduated with my MBA in 11 months, I am a certified personal trainer, a certified fitness nutrition specialist, and am a prenatal and postpartum certified fitness trainer. I also just finished a 250 hour course on infant sleep in less than 3 months (that is usually an average of a two year course), am currently finishing two certifications on gentle discipline and potty learning, and am also working on a Montessori (0-3 year) diploma program. I absolutely love the new paths my passions have taken me but it has definitely required quite a bit of studying which has sparked a ton of questions about my study habits.
I wanted to get all of my study tips out there in the world to hopefully help as many people as I can with their own studies whether you are in school or continuing your education after school! Keep in mind, at the time of writing this, I have an 18 month old and am 39 weeks pregnant. I only study / work on assignments when she goes to bed at night or during her nap. I truly like having very focused time to work on my studies and trying to do a few minutes a time or being distracted is not a conducive way to study.
Top Study Tips:
- Set Timer On Phone
- When I am studying, I have to set timers on my phone. Right now I am doing 60 minutes at a time and then giving myself a 20 minute break. This time frame may not work for you but it’s what works for me. I then will either eat during the 20 minute break, play a game on my phone, get up and walk around, go to the bathroom, etc. I do not take my breaks in the same area that I am studying either to truly give my brain an actual break
- Music and Environemnt
- I find listening to music really helps me focus, primarily binary beats. There are a ton of playlists on YouTube, Spotify, etc that have binary beats for focusing that I would recommend checking out. I also highly suggest having a clean work environment that is conducive to YOU to ensure you aren’t getting distracted
- Set Up Time Lapse
- I know this seems so silly but if you find yourself constantly getting distracted during studying (either by your phone, etc), set up your phone in time lapse mode and film yourself. You will be shocked at how much more productive you become while studying
- Walking Desk
- If you can, it may be a good idea to have a walking desk or a walking pad under your standing desk to get some movement in while studying. If you are trying to write and not take notes on a laptop, it might be more difficult but if you are watching a class or zoom, a walking desk and getting some movement in is an amazing way to remain focused
- Time Chunking
- One of the best tips I could give anyone who is trying to not only study but finish tasks, is time chunking. I have an entire blog breakdown on the concept here
- Aim to Teach It
- One of the best aspects of the certifications I am working on right now is that I can talk to Josh about what I am learning as it is extremely applicable to how old Oakley is. It also allows me to know if I actually understand what I am learning- if you can explain something simply to someone, you understand it. If not, you are just memorizing information and not actually absorbing it
- SHARP
- One of our most popular supplements is our nootropic which will help with focusing in the short term. If you are studying in the morning, we have a stimulant based SHARP but if you are studying closer to bed, we have a stimulant free (caffeine free) version of SHARP as well
I hope my tips helped! I am all for better learning and better material absorption!
Thank you for sharing! Your story and everything you scare is very much appreciated