�ԹϹ���

Pregaming Your Studies: Maximize Your Study Time

When it comes to athletes, no matter what sport they play, none of them get on the field, track, or ice completely cold. They do so much to prepare to lock in, such as getting treatments, having tape applied, and physically warming up, just to name a few.

Just as an athlete would never go into a game cold, students should take time to “pregame” and fully prepare to maximize their learning. But what would be the studying equivalent of an athlete’s pregame routine, like a heat pack, getting ankles taped, and a light jog? Let’s talk about it!

Environment Preparation

The place you physically choose to study is a foundational choice for a student’s pregame. Some students love to study at their desks at home. Others may prefer a place away from home, like the campus library or even a local cafe. No matter the location, it should be a place where you can focus and be physically away from distractions, such as a TV or other people who might call for your attention. 

Once you find a space for your study session, prepare it by clearing the desk or table you plan to sit at. Gather all of the supplies needed throughout the session- this means notebooks, laptop, laptop charger, headphones, and filling a water bottle. Create a space that invites your focus.

The environment also includes the technology being used. Put phones away or set them to Do Not Disturb to help eliminate distractions. Most work may require access to a laptop, so putting that away may not be possible. Students can always choose to close tabs that may not be related or necessary to their study session. If music is essential for a study session, put together a playlist that supports focus. This can be as simple as choosing instrumental music rather than music with lyrics, which may become distracting.

Priming The Mind

Picture it: You have just decluttered the entire desk. Notes and presentations have been pulled up, and your favorite movie score is playing. As soon as you sit down, your brain recalls every single thing that you need to do: a pile of dishes to clean. Groceries you need to buy for dinner tomorrow. It’s your turn to clean the bathroom, and you can’t remember if you have enough cleaner. The mental clutter feels never-ending. 

Physical clutter and preparation are only part of the battle. Preparing and decluttering mentally are just as important and can sometimes be more difficult challenges for many students. Life doesn’t just stop when you are in school. Those non-academic tasks are important, but they also have a time and a place. A helpful suggestion is to keep a small notepad, or even just a sticky note, as a “parking lot”. Parking those thoughts on paper will help you get them out of your mind and remember what you need to do later.

Part of the mental clutter can include planning your study session and setting those clear boundaries in advance. Decide what classes will be the focus, what topics within those classes, and how long you will spend on each class/topic. Allow yourself time between classes and topics to take a short 5-10-minute break.

The Underrated Secret Weapon

Now that you have a study plan and steps to prepare mentally for your studies, what else can be done? One thing that is severely underrated is physical preparation.

Studies show that moderate exercise before a study session can improve the brain’s executive function. Executive function involves attention span and working memory. So a simple 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise (as simple as a walk, jog, or bike at a conversational pace) can improve a student’s overall effectiveness in their study session.

Another part of physical preparation is ensuring your body is fueled for your study session. Make sure to eat, drink water, and schedule in stretch breaks. Stretch breaks are suggested to be about 10-15 minutes long for every 30-45 minutes you study. Properly fueling your body and taking breaks will help your brain work at its best.

So, just like an athlete who prepares for a big game before stepping onto the field, students should take the time to prepare for an effective study session. Take the time to pregame your next study session, and you may be surprised by how much more focused, productive, and effective your time can be!

Reference

Ludyga, Sebastian, et al. “Acute effects of moderate aerobic exercise on specific aspects of executive function in different age and fitness groups: A meta‐analysis.” Psychophysiology, vol. 53, no. 11, 24 Aug. 2016, pp. 1611–1626, https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12736.