5 Ways To Get In The Zone

Now that I’m back in grad school after *cough* years off, I originally had a hard time getting back in the swing of studying (add a nice long commute to that, it took some practice). Grad school comes with more work, long Harvard Business Review Articles, group projects and papers, shorter time to complete work, on top of being a working professional. I needed to reawaken my study strategies and kick them into high gear fast! I’ve always been a planner so I knew I wouldn’t have a hard time planning out my weeks.

1. Every Sunday, (preferably before the boozy brunch), take out time to plan your week. I know I need at least 5 hours per week outside of class, to complete the assignments and I would need to make sure I absorbed all the material. I work best in the early to mid-afternoon. So, I know to schedule my study time at least twice per week between 2 and 7 pm.

2. Change your location. I personally don’t have an office or quiet space at home. I don’t like to study at the house because home is where I relax and unwind. I also don’t like to study in libraries, it’s way too quiet and spooky. So, I venture to various coffee shops in the area (Shout out to my new favorite spot, the Capital One Café in Brickell with Pete’s Coffee!). I like being able to zone out amid the coffee drinkers and movement. It’s my sort of organized chaos.

3. Listen to study mood boosting music. What usually helps me is classical music, soft ballads, or piano based music. Thanks to Spotify, I don’t have to worry about creating new playlists.

4. Take breaks. It’s literally science that humans cannot focus for more than 30 minutes at one time. It’s a fact. So after about 45 minutes, I’ll take a 15 minute break and stretch, walk around, or check social. The key is to stay on track, even if you must use a timer.

5. Lastly, stick with one topic per study session. It’s also science that humans cannot successfully multitask. Don’t argue with me, it’s science. The brain cannot handle two tasks that require high brain function at once. We just can’t. If you think you can’t, you’re not, your brain is just successfully quickly switching thought processes.

These tips have successfully helped me get back into the habit of studying! What other tips have helped you?

#College #Study #Zone