When it comes to studying, the place where you study is important as the perfect study environment affects memory retention, focus, creativity, etc. Students can all attest to this, as we have all tried to study at various places such as cafes or libraries.
While you can’t control the environment in public places, you can certainly create a conducive area for studying at home by following a few simple tips.
Studying at home is not only convenient but it can also help you save money on transport or expensive food and beverages!
These tips will help you get the best study space at home. Let’s take a look at what you can do.
1) Designate a Study Area
First things first, you need to find a spot where you can do your tasks without any distractions. If you have a designated study space, your brain will learn over time that this is the area where you go to learn.
As soon as you go there, you will automatically enter the ‘study mode’, which is valuable if you are preparing for important exams such as O/N/A Levels.
Set your desk towards the wall or a direction where there aren’t any distractions in your line of sight. This will make studying easier.
Make sure your study area makes you feel comfortable as well. For example, if a good comfortable chair will help you focus better, invest in a good chair.
2) Get Dressed
When we go out, we get dressed to look our best. However, when we are at home, we tend to stay in our pajamas all day long. This is not a healthy habit, particularly when you need to study.
Get out of bed and change out of your pajamas instead of lounging on your bed when you are revising. Our brain will pick up the cue that it is time to study and not time to laze around!
3) Let the Sunlight in
There are many health benefits when it comes to exposing ourselves to natural lighting. Our skin absorbs vitamin D which is a critical nutrient. It helps us to focus better and be more productive.
Excellent lighting can make a big difference for your study area so open your windows to let the sunlight in! If you don’t get a lot of sunlight in your room, find some table lamps and mirrors to brighten up the place.
However, make sure that you don’t use artificial lighting that is too bright. Otherwise, you will end up having a headache that will disturb your routine.
4) Music – To Listen or Not?
Some students listen to music as they revise to block out external noises. This does help some of them stay focused, however, at times it is distracting since your mind can wander off.
If you start to pay more attention to the lyrics instead of your revision, it will be counterproductive. Therefore, we suggest that you can get an ambient noise machine.
If you have to listen to music, we recommend that you find some good instrumental music so that you won’t be distracted by the lyrics.
5) Go Green
Houseplants not only improve indoor air quality but also cheer you up. It is also the rave right now! Many Singaporeans have now adopted the new skill of having “green fingers”.
Having a green, cheerful succulent on your student desk will add some color and life to the study spot. You will be able to study in a better, relaxed, and peaceful way.
Of course, this is just a suggestion for those of you who love your plants!
6) Say No to Phones
When you are studying, you have to remove distractions. The biggest distraction is your phone. We are all guilty of constantly checking our social media accounts.
“We suggest that you turn your smartphone off, or switch to airplane mode at least. If you switch it off, it will be mentally liberating”, says Elijah Schmaltz, a writer at Paperell.
We know it can be so difficult to switch off our phones! If you do need to keep your phone near you, do lower down the notifications volume and resist the urge to be on your social media accounts.
7) Keep the Space Positive
Not everyone is born to be academically inclined so some of us really dread revisions whenever exams are around the corner.
Therefore, what you have to do is to have a positive attitude while studying. Putting up your favorite quotes on the walls, creating a list of your goals, and tape it to the desk so that you would know what you are hoping to accomplish from your study sessions.
Once you finish a task, reward yourself. It can be anything you like – from a chocolate bar to 5 minutes of reading your favourite book or TV program.
Conclusion
The environment where you study affects your progress. If you are in a conducive space, it will optimize your focus and enhance your abilities. It is always nice to have a great study space at home, instead of heading out to the library or the nearest Starbucks where you probably have to spend on transport or drinks.
After creating a conducive study space with the help of our tips, it will become the favorite part of your home. However, remember to take a break from studying by meeting your friends, have a good rewarding meal, or watch your favourite show. You deserve it!
