Staying motivated to learn

Have you ever sat down to study and felt like your mind just kept wandering? Ever read a whole chapter but felt like you didn’t retain a single bit of information? You’re not alone. Motivating yourself to do work in your down time can be tough. But if you don’t study, you can’t meet your learning goals. So we’ve compiled some tips to get your study mojo going.

Prepare the perfect study space

You’ll need somewhere free from distractions so you can focus on the subject at hand. Choose wherever works best for you: maybe it’s a library, your dining room, or your bedroom. Just make sure it’s a space where you won’t get distracted easily and you have the greatest chance to be alone.

Make sure you’ll have all the study tools you’ll need as well. This could be anything! Post-its, highlighters, special paper you like looking at, a stress ball to squeeze as you memorize the periodic table, whatever! Just keep it close.

Avoid coffee and fatty/sugary foods

It’s a pretty common misconception that coffee and other caffeinated drinks will help keep you alert and on task. Actually, these drinks tend to be counter-productive because although they give you a short burst of energy, they also give you a bigger energy crash.

Fatty and sugary snacks are just as bad. The best thing you can do is keep yourself hydrated with water and healthy snacks like veggies, crackers, fruit, etc.

Eliminate distractions

First thing’s first: turn off your cell phone! It’s a number one distraction. Give yourself an hour or two that’s iMessage free. It’ll keep you on task more easily.

But we’re great at creating distractions for ourselves, so don’t expect your cellphone to be the only thing that distracts you. Look at all the little things that make your blood boil: are you wearing pants with a waistband that’s too tight? Take ‘em off and pick something that won’t irritate you instead.

Answer the ‘why’ question

Why do you want to study? Do you want a better grade? Are you heading overseas and want to get a head start on the local language? Do you hope to get into a specific secondary program but need to bump up your chemistry grade by 20%? There are dozens of reasons to study, but you need to know why you want to study for yourself. Knowing why helps you set appropriate study goals and keeps you motivated when you’re less interested in studying.

Get help

You don’t have to study on your own, in fact enlisting someone else’s help can be really motivating. Try a study buddy, or connect with a tutor online through Skooli to make your studying a more interactive and engaging experience.