3 min read.

Bad habits die hard. 

But we all know that good habits can benefit us in everyday life. 

Here are 7 essential study tips and habits to improve your work so that you come out on top, courtesy of UK Guarantor.

Because you want to be the best at what you do, right? Apply these 7 tips and watch your work and work ethic improve immediately!

1)Find appropriate study space that isn’t just your bedroom!

To get the best results out of studying or working, you want to find a place that inspires focus. Avoid places that you associate with relaxation or leisure—i.e, your bedroom (you wonder why you feel drowsy when working on your laptop when sitting on your bed?). An ideal study space will be somewhere that makes you feel comfortable and inspired but isn’t comfortable enough for you to have that “30 minute” (3 hour) nap. Instead, aim to work where others are working, such as libraries, coffee shops, or study halls. Try to find quiet zones if noise easily distracts you!

2)Choose Print over screens.

Do you find that despite reading numerous articles on your laptop or tablet, the information just doesn’t seem to sink in? Studies have shown that the print equivalent of information, oppose to digital versions, can help with retaining information that you read and keep you more focused while doing so. We understand that not all articles and journals are ready on print and that printed material can be expensive; however, it’s worth looking for a print equivalent in the library or asking friends if they have printed versions of the texts that you need.

3)Try Music (without lyrics).

Of course, this is no definitive guide and you should do what works for you. But some studies have found that listening to relaxing music with a slower pace and without lyrics can help you focus more than fast-paced lyrical music. Perhaps instead of the top 40 or the indie playlist, try some classical music, Lofi, or whale noises next time you study and see whether your focus improves!

4)Breaks and rewards.                                                                                         

Getting caught up in the rut of studying is tiresome, frustrating, and downright agitating at times. If you don’t feel like throwing your laptop or books out the window at some point, you’re not getting the full uni experience. Moderation, as with everything, is key here. Allow yourself to have rewards and breaks. Make sure that you’re rewarding yourself AFTER you’ve accomplished some work, though, not before! Also, it’s important as a university student to read for pleasure–it can be easy to hate reading if all you are focusing on is theory with millions of references to everything, so make sure you set some time aside to read that novel that you want to read too.

5)Planning and realistic goals.  

 In line with taking breaks and rewarding yourself, make sure to structure how you want to work or study. Set yourself a target of working for 30 minutes to an hour, followed by a break. Additionally, don’t burden yourself with unrealistic goals—you’re not going to get a decent essay done if you start writing 3 hours before the deadline! So make sure you have a rough plan of attack and schedule when you start studying!

6)Put down your phone!

No doubt you’ve looked at your phone in the past… 30 seconds. Yep, we’re all addicted, we get it. But sometimes you have to do you and realise that your phone is only dragging you down when it comes to working well. Unless you’re expecting an urgent call (being summoned to Maccies isn’t urgent, no), it’s best to put your phone on do not disturb for a while. Honestly, try it—you might actually enjoy having an hour break from the unrelenting tech! Equally, don’t sign into social media if you’re working on a laptop or tablet, and mute group chats if there’s a debate going on!

7)Eat/sleep well.

Do you really need those four cans of Red Bull to wash down those caffeine pills? Honestly, I once drank a stein of coffee and pulled an all nighter when finishing a dissertation—it was a bad move, wouldn’t recommend it! So, if you want to maximise your efficiency and enhance the quality of work, remember to get good rest and eat well. After all, if you’re feeling jittery and sluggish, it’s likely that your work will reflect that!