Collaborative Post
Studying for exams can be tough especially if you don’t have a quiet space without distractions to allow you to really focus. Whether you’re an adult doing online studies, or a parent helping your children prepare for their exams, here’s how to create a great study space.
Remove Distractions
Clear the workspace of distractions. Phones should be on silent or do not disturb mode and put somewhere out of sight, so notifications don’t cause a distraction.
Be wary of the internet being a distraction. There are apps that you can use to stop certain websites from being accessed while studying. Tabs needed for research are fine, of course.
Snacks can help with studies but avoid messy foods. If the keyboard is getting full of crumbs that are going to be distracting. Take a proper study break for food, or at least choose snacks foods that you can eat with one hand without creating much mess.
Try to find somewhere quiet to work, like the library. If you’re working at home or in student accommodation, go into a room where you can shut the door on the rest of the household. Make sure any other people you live with understand that the closed door means you’re working.
Essential Study Items
Have everything you need within reach before work starts, so you don’t waste time looking for that one notebook that already has notes in.
Make sure the space is as comfortable for long periods and will provide proper support for your back. Set up your desk in an ergonomic way. An external mouse is more ergonomic than a laptop trackpad, for example, and the screen should be at about eye level.
Have any textbooks you’ll need in easy reach and make sure you have stationery to make notes. Highlighters and sticky notes can be useful for this. Keep any subject-specific items you might need with easy reach as well, such as a calculator.
Make sure the study space is well lit. If you’re going to be looking at a screen in poor light for ages, it can cause eye strain, and you will find it harder to stay alert in low light. Natural light is best, so position your desk near the window. If you can’t get much natural light into the new study area, then invest in a quality desk lamp. You want the space to be well-lit, but not too bright, for the optimal lighting conditions for concentration.
If you’re easily distracted by noise, then buy some decent noise-cancelling headphones. You can listen to music or ambient noise if you find that helps you to concentrate, or just wear them to block out noise from your family or housemates. If you don’t have somewhere to work where you can shut the door on the rest of the household, then wearing your headphones is also a good visual sign that should be left alone to study. Just don’t let listening to music or podcasts be a distraction.
