There are the right ways and the wrong ways to study, for sure! Going to college can drive you absolutely insane if your work is always on your mind. Always bugging you in the back of your mind. You have to go write a paper, study for a test etc. That can ruin your life, right? Let me share with you how to study efficiently with tight time management, so going to college is just one thing that you do and will enhance and complement all the other things you do in your life. YAY!!

1. First thing is to answer the question, what do you want? Why? Think about it long and hard. Make sure you decide that what you want in college is reasonable and achievable in your life. Taking a complete full load and more, may ruin your relationships or your job or hurt your parenting skills. Make sure going to college fits in your life. Make sure you’re going to pace yourself for the distance. My quite amazing story is that it took me 27 years to get my bachelors degree. I had five children during that time and plenty of drama like an ex-husband being killed in a motorcycle accident, dad passing away, sister passing away, two divorces, etc. Make sure your goal is something that is going to work in your life long-term.
2. Understands your body clock. Or your bio-rhythms. Is morning your best time to study? When I was doing my doctorate I studied three hours a day, seven days a week, for seven years. From 7 AM to 10 AM. It was the best! It gave me all the time I needed to get everything done every single day. When study time was over I could rest and play with my kids', grandkids or go to the pool or do my private practice. Before you commit, re-think what your goals are. Do you really want to go to college, How much will reasonably fit in your life?
3. During your study time, decide if you want to accomplish a specific task within your time period of study, such as do certain research, or write a few pages of your paper, or study how to format in APA, or get your files organized, etc. Or if you just want to do as much as you can within that period of time, you just go, and go until your time is over. Either way, it may all come out in the wash.
4. At the end of your study make sure that you make a list of what you want to do the next time you sit down to study. That way you know where you are. It’s like a Rubik's cube. You’re in it and maneuvering it but if you put it down and come back you won’t know where you are. That’s how it is when you study for hours. At the end of your study make sure that you take notes where you are so you can rock ‘n’ roll the next day
5. Make sure you study in the same place every day. With no distractions far away from all the people and all the noise. Your body will get used to studying and when you sit your butt down you will be ready to go day after day.

Can you study when you’re depressed? Can you study when you’re distracted? Yes if you’ve pre-planned your study time you just know that’s what you’re going to do for that period of time and your body clock will get used to it. You know it will be over soon, so you can be depressed later. Also when you’re studying for long hours make sure you vary you’re right and left brain activity, if you’re studying for math take a break and write a creative story, if you were studying something that’s creative, on your break add some numbers together. It’s kind of cool how that works. Of course move your body when you take breaks to take walks around the block or do jumping jacks

How do we study for a test? How do we make the best use of our time? When you are in your class listen to your professor. Listen with 100% of you. Be completely present. Feel what they’re saying, listen, pay attention. When you’re done with class you’ve got it in your mind and you don’t really need to go home and study much.

These are simple tips but hold yourself accountable, very tightly, don’t budge. Let everyone you know, know that you are studying. They know not to bug you or interrupt you unless there is blood or smoke involved! Stick to your guns, do it!

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I would Love to hear your comments on todays topic!  How this information has helped you?

Talk soon Dar-lings!