Morning Study
Wake Up And Learn
Some people prefer morning study while other prefer studying in the evening. There's no universal best choice, but let's find out what is best for you.
For me, as a dedicated early riser, to wake up early to study was the obvious choice. Depending on if I started classes at around 8 or around 10, I would have a bit different morning routines of course. And I didn't study every morning, but I had my reasons when I did so. Here's why:
- I reviewed previous material to be able to digest new information.
- I prepared myself for the upcoming classes during the day. So when a new topic was mentioned I didn't feel completely lost.
- I made sure I was really awake once classes started.
- It meant I had more time in the evenings to spend with friends.
- I set myself up for success by accomplishing something right off the bat.
- I wasn't distracted as easy as in the evening, meaning that I got more done in less time. Why? No good things on TV and all friends were asleep so I could study in peace.
So usually I spent about 30-45 minutes studying in the morning. Long enough to get some value out of it but short enough to not grow sick of learning before classes even started!
The fact is that there's actually a good benefit for those of you having a tendency to sleep late and miss classes. If you are studying in the morning, you're already up so there's no chance you'll miss a morning class or, even more important, a morning exam.
All of the above are good reasons why I would study in the morning, but still we haven't got into the absolute best reason for morning study. Here it is...
The #1 Reason To Study In The Morning
YOUR MIND IS FRESH
That's right. In the morning, most people have a very relaxed, curious and open mind. This is ideal for learning. Use that special morning vibe for something that will benefit you greatly.
In the evening your mind has been bombarded with so much information of different types - facts, ads, opinions - so it becomes much harder to get anything to stick. It's almost like the mind has become slightly careful with, and resistant to, new information.
Get The Best Conditions For Morning Study
To optimize your study time in the morning, I suggest the following tips (I know you've probably heard most of them before, but that doesn't make them less true...):
- Keep it bright - Preferably sit by a window and try to get some sunlight.
- No TV - Do not have the TV on in the background. I know how incredibly tempting this is but please try to resist. At least morning TV is not as good as in the evenings...
- Music if you want to - This one is totally up to, whatever makes you perform better.
- Eat something first - Get something basic into your system so you have enough energy to focus.
- Set a simple goal - If you have 30 minutes, then decide what you want to get done during that time. Perhaps read X number of pages, understand material Y or solve problem Z.
If you try studying under these conditions and wake up early enough to give yourself some time for a morning study session, then you might just see your grades go up this semester.
Seriously. I know, it's pretty hard to keep it consistent, but start with at least 2 times per week and I bet you'll save several hours worth of studying late evenings. Now that's for sure worth the effort!
Early Riser > Morning Routine > Morning Study
Thanks for reading! By Matthew M. McEwan
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