5 Study Hacks That Are Proven by Science

November 1, 2020

Studying hard helps you gain helpful knowledge, develop your skills, and prepare you for your future. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a genius to get good grades. Aside from working hard and giving your best, a few effective study tricks can give you an edge and help you ace your tests and submit projects you can be proud of. 

Here are some study hacks backed by scientific research that you can take advantage of:

1. Space out your sessions

Pulling all-nighter study marathons isn’t a good idea since your mind starts to wander when you stick to a single task too long. To help you stay focused and motivated, cut down your study sessions and take breaks when you need to.

Retaining the information you learned into long-term memory requires you to review it again after your break. According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, since what you learned declines quickly, you will need to do the space learning method, or short bursts of study sessions with shorter breaks. It involves repeating learned information at specific intervals. 

It’s ideal to have 15-20 minute study sessions with two 10-minute breaks between the sessions. To train your memory, work to recall learned information with more and more time in between. This will help you internalize your knowledge and retain it for much longer.

2. Sleep after your study session

Cramming and pulling an all-nighter before a big exam often fails, so you must have ample time to rest and sleep to stay focused. Without enough energy, you stand a greater chance of forgetting the learned information.

Simply put, the longer you stay awake, the more you forget. After a big study session, take some time to have a restful sleep. This will help your brain process information, acquire better time to sink it all in your mind, and boost your memory. 

3. Exercise

Regular exercise does not only boost your physical health. It is also beneficial for your mental well-being as it reduces your stress levels, increases your focus, and enhances your memory. 

As a student, you may have only limited time to accomplish your other tasks. Adding a quick walking session to your routine or taking a walk before you start an intense study session can dramatically improve your brain performance. It stimulates your thinking, increases your blood flow and oxygen levels, and boosts the efficiency of learning.

4. Study in different rooms

Studying in one location makes you stay consistent, which is good. However, your mind creates an association with the environment. Therefore, it’s best to alternate between different locations.

To slow down forgetting and help your brain access more information under various conditions, move to different rooms. You can review somewhere else once you have studied one round of material in your room.

5. Pretend that you are the teacher

Teaching through studying is one of the best study hacks. This approach determines if you truly understand what you are studying. After all, if you can’t teach something clearly, you don’t fully understand it. This trick helps you organize your thoughts concisely. 

The best way to do this method is to partner with a friend and take turns teaching each other. You can even have an audience and pretend to conduct physics tutoring or chemistry tutoring sessions.

Conclusion

Retaining lots of information is challenging, but by following these simple study hacks, you have better chances of boosting your knowledge. You can also enrol in a tutoring academy to help you get top ranks in your class.

Unleash your full potential by enrolling in our academy. We offer primary tutoring in Penrith and other areas in Australia. Book your trial today!