Unlock Academic Success: 3 Secret Study Tips You Need to Know

It doesn’t matter whether you are a school or a college student or someone who just wants to pass an upcoming competitive exam, we all just want good grades now, don’t we? Sometimes even after studying very hard, you can see that your results are reaching nowhere. This is when you require to upgrade your learning methods to a smarter and more effective way. If you are wondering how do you do that, then we have just the right 3 secret study tips that will help play a key role in the strategy that you will use to learn. And yes, a strategic plan can definitely give you better results in fewer hours than what a full day of working hard won’t.

Secret Study Tip 1: The Pomodoro Technique

The first secret out of the three secret study tips is the Pomodoro technique which is one of the best ways to effectively manage your time. You can do this by thinking of time as tomatoes rather than hours. While it may seem silly, there are millions of people around the world who have claimed their lives have changed completely.

Explanation of the Pomodoro Technique

Well, then Pomodoro technique is one of the study hacks for students where you manage your time by working for 25-minute intervals with focus and which is also called the Pomodoro, and then taking a five-minute break.

Why does this method actually work? Because mainly it helps boost motivation and promotes accountability. This is exactly why a lot of procrastinators and perfectionists find it way too useful. It is easier to commit yourself for like 25 minutes rather than to work continuously without any breaks.

Benefits of the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique does help to improve study habits which is one of the greatest benefits you get. However, there are also a few other benefits of the Pomodoro technique which can be provided as follows:

Improved focus and productivity

Distractions and interruptions are two things that no matter what we cannot get rid of. In such cases, you might want to try and increase your focus. Well, how does the Pomodoro technique help with this? With Pomodoro, once you complete your task with complete focus, you get a break where you get to do other stuff you might have otherwise not had time to complete.

Reduced burnout

With small breaks being available in between tasks, it is easier to find time to refresh yourself. These breaks could be used for short walks or even for recharging yourself. You can also immerse yourself in watching a funny video or just doing quick exercises.

How to Implement the Pomodoro Technique

Well, then how to apply this hack to your daily life? Here’s a step-by-step tutorial that will help you understand how to follow the Pomodoro technique.

• Step 1: Get your to-do list and a time ready
• Step 2: Set your timer to 25 minutes and try to focus on a single task till the time the alarm starts ringing
• Step 3: When your session comes to an end, mark one of the Pomodoro off and record what have you completed within this time frame from your to-do list
• Step 4: Now you can enjoy a small five-minute break
• Step 5: Once you complete four Pomodoro, you can take a big restorative break for almost about 15 to 20 minutes.

While this is the standard method of sticking to 25 minutes of the task, you can also modify the timing based on how long you want to commit yourself.

Secret Study Tip 2: Active Recall

Whether you need to learn math, science, history, or geography studying is quite a long process, and going through notes all over again before the test could be overwhelming. This could also cause us to forget what we knew. However, by applying one of the 3 secret study tips it is possible to boost study efficiency. Here’s how Active recall works.

Explanation of Active Recall

Active recall is a proven method to improve study habits where instead of just passively repeating the information, you try to stimulate your brain while retrieving the information. This helps you to remember much more easily, especially when there is an exam or a quick quiz you want to take part in. No matter how you are doing this, this technique helps you to rephrase the information and then check whether you have got it right.

Benefits of Active Recall

Active recall is mainly based on the concept of retrieval practice. The more frequently you try to retrieve the information the better you remember it. Here are a few of the benefits of the active recall method:

Enhanced memory retention

Active recall is such a method that helps you retain your information better than what your other study method helps you with. It forces you to retrieve the data from your memory which helps the neural pathways to be responsible for storing the information. With active recall, it is more likely that you will remember the data for a longer time.

Better understanding of the material

Instead of just memorizing the information, this method helps you to understand how the data fits into a larger context. This also encourages you to think creatively about how the data can be used in other such circumstances.

How to Practice Active Recall

While there are multiple ways you can implement the method of active recall here are a few fun and proven ways to utilize it better:

• Using flashcards
• Generating questions on your own from the notes
• Using old quizzes or practice papers
• Trying to teach someone else
• Simply just try to write what you know down on paper.

Secret Study Tip 3: Spaced Repetition

If you want one of those study tips for exams that will assure you good marks without having to waste time and with minimal stress, then spaced repetition technique is the best one for you.

Explanation of Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition is a study method that is quite different from your traditional study technique and is a form of active recall method. This however is conducted across multiple study sessions. The spaced part in your spaced retention technique indicated the gaps of time between the study sessions. While you may review the data you have learned right after school, you may also recall it after a few days or a few weeks later. This way you tend to keep on recollecting while remembering it for a longer time.

Benefits of Spaced Repetition

With spaced retention you get a lot of benefits and two of them could be provided as follows:

Long-term retention of information

When you retain information for a longer time you tend to boost your overall exam performance and hence improve your knowledge.

Efficient use of study time

Spending less time studying and getting good results is one of the main benefits of this method. It also devices better and smarter revision strategies.

How to Use Spaced Repetition

To start with spaced repetition you can follow the steps given below:

• Get a pack of flashcards
• On one side you write the question and on the other, you write down the answer
• After you have made the flashcards test them yourself
• Again after 2 or 3 days do the same and then start doing this more frequently

That’s it now your brain can easily recall the information. While it might be hard in the initial few days to remember the right answers, as you keep on going you get to retain it better.

Conclusion

The desire that you want to get good results needs to include both hard work and smart work. The strategic planning of the tasks along with small steps at a single time can help you achieve great things. Especially with the above 3 secret study tips you are sure to identify your own favorite method of learning. Once you start putting in your hard work it is for sure that good results will follow you eventually.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)