Unlock Your Brain Power: How to Optimize Study Habits and Environment
Date: 3rd Feb 2025
Simple Strategies for Smarter Studying and Better Focus
So many articles, research papers, and websites provide tips and tricks for an ideal study environment, helping you understand and memorize better. I’m here to give you my guide on the ideal environment to improve your understanding and boost your brain capacity, hopefully to the max. As a dental student struggling with this, I found the topic very interesting while doing my research and found out amazing and simple changes that anyone can do to become more efficient and productive with studying or work. Let’s get right into it, shall we?
Follow this Guide
Don’t worry too much about doing everything on this list, everyone has their way and can adjust the points accordingly. I hope this helps you!
Avoid long continuous sessions
Studies suggest interleaving, which means switching between subject topics every 30-40 minutes and taking a break between sessions, is important to avoid 3-hour-long continuous sessions or longer on the same topic, as your brain can only process so much. The Pomodoro method has been extremely effective in allowing me to continue studying even if I really don’t want to. Originally, this method suggested 25-minute study sessions and 5-minute breaks between each, until after four or so sessions, when the break was extended to a time such as 15 minutes. I recommend reading about it and trying it yourself, as it worked wonders for me personally! I adjust the time periods to my attention span and how much I can handle that day, do the same, and you will hopefully see incredible results.
Use Recall Study Techniques
These can be in the form of flashcards, test questions-if done properly, and others. Instead of reading through the chapter you highlighted or your notes, which fools you into thinking you understand the material (fallacy of familiarity), recalling information with flashcards or writing down key points from your memory after finishing a topic is much more efficient.
Don't cram unless you have to
Cramming is not effective unless it’s a few hours before your exam. Instead, using repeated recollection strategies (eg, flashcards) every night can be much faster and more efficient. I cannot stress enough how much more effective my study sessions have become from just using flashcards, especially for materials like Pathology 2, which are highly dense subjects, mostly memorization-focused.
Correct your back posture
Bad posture causes fatigue, neck and brain strain, and many more symptoms most of us are unfortunately familiar with, decreasing focus, comfort, and efficiency. Ideally, your back should be leaned against the back of the chair in a straight manner allowing your vertebrae to be on top of one another. To avoid leaning forward, make sure your screen or material is at eye level. For your back to rest properly, consider adding a cushion/pillow/rolled-up-blanket behind your back.
Correct Lower Body Posture
Try to maintain your knees and hips on the same level with your feet surface pressed on the floor for a better spinal position. Avoid dangling your feet or doing weird cross-over legs for too long to avoid harming your back. Sometimes I don’t apply this myself to be honest, so this is what I’m currently focusing on, hopefully fixing, to avoid long-term problems.
Stretch in between study sessions
Make sure to stretch your back, arms, hands, and lower body to reduce negative effects on your body in the long run. This applies to what was mentioned above about breaks between study session. Personally, I have found that stretching and walking in those five minutes work the best and don’t exit me out of my study focused zone.
Use motivation strategies to keep going when necessary
Allow yourself to rest because rest is just as important as being productive, it’s also a form of productivity if done properly. Allow your body and mind to recharge and store information properly. Getting out of the slump of no motivation can be hard when you’re overwhelmed but I know you’re doing your best and I’m proud of you! You got this, don’t worry!
In Conclusion
Apply these strategies one at a time and don’t give up on yourself. When you’re on the verge of a mental breakdown or feel extreme stress, console a family member or friend and heal your mental state for better academic performance and increased happiness. The fact that you’re looking for advice means that you want to improve, so that’s amazing! It shows that you try developing a growth mindset because you know slumps, difficulties, and struggles are temporary. If I can do this, you can do it too.
