Is there a winning formula to study effectively? - Part 2
Hanno Schoeman and Villene van der Westhuizen • September 4, 2020
If only students spent half as much time studying, as they thought they were, then almost no student would struggle to achieve higher marks. Improving your marks is not as hard as most students think. It is not about how much time you spend studying and not achieving the desired result. Some students are at the top of their grade without spending hours studying for a subject. What can be done to achieve better results? Study effectively.
Most students think that spending hours studying will help them achieve higher marks. If you go out and investigate this, you will find that numerous students do this and do not necessarily achieve the desired results. Part of this problem with a lot of the students is that even when they say they are “studying” most are not. They most probably are studying whilst talking to friends or watching a movie, to name some examples. So that leaves you questioning whether they are spending that much time studying.
You can spend hours on end studying, but if you are not 100% focused on studying, you are missing the point. It is extremely difficult to switch your focus between different tasks. Some might say that they do achieve results by listening to music and studying, but how do you get your focus back after having discussions with a friend. You need to understand that your brain will choose what it wants more. One can mention multiple examples, but at the end of the day, it is all about focus. In other words, you need to study where and when you do not have any other distractions.
To enable yourself to focus try the following steps.
- You need to be consistent and develop a habit of studying at the same time every day. In other words, you need to train your brain to get focused at the same time every day. It might take some time to get used to it and it will help you from the start of an academic year. It might take you up to three weeks to develop this habit. The best is to study even if you do not have any upcoming tests. Naturally, you need to revise the work you have learnt that day at school in the afternoon.
- You need to study and learn to work faster with more accuracy. You need to keep your brain interested in what you are doing. You can for example make flashcards and try to get through them as fast and as accurately as possible. It will also help if you work on studying from the first day of school. By doing this you break the work down into more manageable pieces to study. By the time you write exams or a test you will be fully prepared for all your subjects and it will take less time to revise your work.
- It is important to study somewhere where there aren’t any distractions. Your bedroom isn’t always the best place to study since you might have a few things that might distract you. If you have a study in your house this might be an ideal place to study. Most people do not have this luxury and it might work if you remove anything in your bedroom that might distract you. It is also important to switch off every distraction, for example, your computer or cellphone.
- The last important thing is to study with questions. This all depends on the subject you are studying. An effective way is to set yourself a hard to answer questions and answer them. It will be ideal if it is a broad question that covers a variety of aspects.
By making the above mention guidelines an everyday habit, you should be able to improve your results. Getting focused and prepared for studying is important but it must not be something that you should stress about.
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As the preliminary and final examinations approach, both students and parents or guardians often experience heightened anxiety and stress. This guide provides practical strategies to help parents and guardians support their children through this critical phase of their academic journey. 1. Foster Effective Organization Create an environment conducive to studying by providing a quiet, well-lit study space equipped with essential stationery. Collaborate with your child to develop a structured study timetable to set clear expectations and promote disciplined preparation. Encourage the use of resources such as past question papers, which serve as valuable tools for revision and practice. 2. Maintain Daily Check-Ins Schedule regular, intentional conversations, such as during dinner, to discuss your child’s progress. Inquire about their experience with the day’s examination paper, adherence to their study schedule, and their feelings about upcoming tests. These check-ins foster open communication and allow you to gauge their emotional and academic state. 3. Minimize Distractions Help your child stay focused by keeping electronic devices like phones, tablets, and gaming consoles out of reach during study sessions. Set boundaries on screen time and social media access to prevent procrastination. While challenging, limiting Wi-Fi access during study hours can significantly enhance productivity. 4. Support Emotional Awareness Encourage your child to identify and articulate their emotions, such as anxiety, stress, or fatigue . Recognizing these feelings is the first step toward addressing them effectively. Discuss coping strategies to help them navigate emotional challenges during this period. 5. Teach Self-Regulation Techniques Guide your child in practicing self-regulation to manage stress. Techniques include: Breathing Exercises : Inhale deeply for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and repeat. Sensory Focus : Identify five things they can see or hear to ground themselves in the moment. Tactile Stimulation : Hold a cold object to shift focus and reduce anxiety. These methods can help your child regain calm and focus during stressful moments. 6. Promote a Balanced Routine Prolonged study sessions late into the night can lead to burnout. Monitor your child’s study habits and encourage breaks to maintain balance. Plan activities such as outings with friends, a family meal, or short recreational periods with access to devices. Engaging in non-academic activities, like helping prepare dinner, can provide a refreshing change of focus. 7. Prioritize Self-Care Support your child’s well-being by ensuring they: Eat nutritious, regular meals. Get at least eight hours of sleep by limiting screen time before bed. Engage in physical activities such as walking, jogging, yoga, dancing, or gym workouts. These practices help alleviate stress and anxiety, which are common during examination periods. 8. Practice Empathy and Patience The examination period can be emotionally taxing for both students and parents. Approach your child with empathy, actively listening and offering guidance without criticism. This fosters a supportive environment, bolstering their mental health and sense of inclusion. By implementing these strategies, parents and guardians can play a pivotal role in helping their children navigate the challenges of examinations with confidence and resilience. Good luck to all the Grade 12 students with the upcoming examinations - you most certainly can do it!
