Stay Motivated to Study

You turned on your favorite playlist, prepped your study materials, and gave it your very all—for 30 minutes. Although you got started, you can’t seem to muster up the motivation to continue studying. You can stay motivated in your studies by creating a contract, taking your studies out-of-the-box, and getting rid of distractions.

Steps

Generating a Study Contract

  1. Set a goal. To generate lasting motivations, clearly define your goals for studying. If you are clear on what you’re trying to get done, you’re more likely to actually do it. Take a moment to write out your study goals. Be as specific as possible.[1]
    • Use the SMART goals method of establishing goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. With this in mind, you might set a goal to read, take notes, and build a study guide for a chapter over the weekend.
    • Think about setting up a study schedule which can include your goals and also include scheduled breaks. You might keep to this schedule by setting alarms on your phone or getting a family member or study buddy to check in on you.
    • Another possibility for goal-setting might be creating a plan for a longer-term goal, such as studying to get into graduate school or med school. Such a goal may involve more time, but still has the same basic components.
  2. Add attractive rewards. Once your goals are defined, set up rewards to incentivize your study time. This works best by breaking your larger goals down into feasible parts. Then, reward yourself with something you find motivating.[2]
    • For example, using the above example, you might reward yourself with an hour break to spend with friends after completing the reading portion of your goal.
  3. Sign your name. The simple act of signing your name on a contract empowers you to fulfill it. This happens because your signature is associated with your identity as a person. Sign your contract to demonstrate that you understand the terms and plan to honor them.[3]
  4. Post it in view while studying. Further stimulate yourself to uphold your contract by placing it in view of your study area. You might merely place it in a pocket of a folder or binder, or pin it on a bulletin board above your desk. Having this visual reminder will likely entice you to see your goals through.[4]
  5. Persist with your plan even if you get discouraged. Once you have developed your study contract, do your best to stick with it. When you're studying difficult subjects, you may get discouraged if you don't understand the concepts or if it seems like too much to take in.[5]
    • At these times, take a break and do something enjoyable like watching a movie. Then, pick up where you left off in your study plan.
    • It may also help to get assistance from an instructor, a peer, or a tutor, if needed.

Making It Interesting

  1. Act it out. Role-playing your study content may motivate you to keep studying. Plus, role-playing may offer a richer understanding of the subject matter as opposed to simply reading or memorizing key dates or terms.[6]
    • Exercise your creativity and devise a way to act out your studies. Invite some peers to join you—just remember to stay on task.
    • For instance, if you are learning about war in history, you might act out one of the key battles.
  2. Draw pictures. Your instructor might advise against doodling during class, but this activity might help you outside of the classroom. Drawing out your subject matter may actually lead to retaining more information. Plus, doodling as you read makes the task more enjoyable.[7]
  3. Create a song. Another way to add interest to your study time is by singing about the subject matter. You might generate a sing-song rhyme to explain the rules of language arts or mathematics. Or, you might take your studies further and develop a jingle when learning about persuasive arguments in speech.[8]
  4. Watch relevant YouTube videos on the subject. You probably watch YouTube videos to learn new skills or to have a laugh. You can also take advantage of this sort of media for your study time. Doing so can make your learning more engaging. Plus, you might even find a new way of viewing the subject matter.[9]

Removing Distractions

  1. Put yourself in the right frame of mind. Before you get started do whatever you need to do to help yourself relax and clear your head. You might try some stretches or light exercise, breathing techniques, meditate for a few minutes, or just queue up a playlist of music that helps you study. During this time you might also go over in your head what your intentions are for this study session.
  2. Set limits with friends. If your friends are hassling you about hanging out, it will be hard to stick to your study plans. Set Boundaries with People with your pals about when and for how long you’ll be studying, and don’t let up.[10]
    • For instance, you might say, “Sorry, guys, but I really have to study my French words tonight. I won’t be able to talk or hang out. I will make time for you on tomorrow.
    • If they try to persuade you to skip out on studying, say, “Studying is my top priority right now. I hope you understand.”
  3. Place your phone on “do not disturb” mode. If your phone has a “do not disturb” mode, set it during your study time. This helps you stay motivated in your studies by silencing any non-emergency calls and select notifications.
    • If your phone doesn’t need to be on to take important calls, turn it off. The less distractions you have, the better.[11]
  4. Go to a study-based environment. If your dorm room or bedroom doesn’t lend to effective study habits due to distractions, it may be a good idea to move to a new environment. Being in the right environment means you’ll have less distractions and will be more motivated to stick to your study regimen.[12]
    • Try a local library or coffee shop. Bring along headphones and tune into a classical music station to sound out others around you.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://lifehacker.com/5958782/four-strategies-that-build-lasting-motivation-and-how-to-use-them-to-achieve-your-goals
  2. ↑ http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_heart/html/pdfs/Articles/English/change_management/managing_change_reward_yourself_celebrating_behavioral_change.pdf
  3. ↑ http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.111.1994&rep=rep1&type=pdf
  4. ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/3039060/the-new-habit-challenge-trick-yourself-into-accomplishing-your-goals
  5. ↑ http://counselling.athabascau.ca/exam_anxiety.php
  6. ↑ https://otis.coe.uky.edu/ccsso/cssapmodules/sbp/sbp/Role%20PlaySimulation.html
  7. ↑ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/education/2014/07/keep-calm-and-doodle-on/
  8. ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/blog/using-music-strategies-language-arts-classroom-heather-wolpert-gawron
  9. ↑ https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/effective-educational-videos/
  10. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/lib/10-way-to-build-and-preserve-better-boundaries/
  11. ↑ http://www4.semo.edu/gjohnson/study%20tips/study_tips.htm
  12. ↑ https://www.wgu.edu/blogpost/improve-online-study-environment#

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