Frequent Mistakes In Study Habits
On numerous occasions, the lack of commitment in the study of our children is dictated by a strong demotivation, related in part to some frequent errors in study habits. What are these mistakes?
Identifying the weakness of their abilities when they engage in study can make the difference between leaving school early and successfully passing the academic phase with which they are interfacing. How can we help them regain their enthusiasm for studying?
Generally, this discouragement is closely related to the lack of adequate study techniques that guarantee autonomy and efficiency. In other words: studying makes them bored because they don’t know how to do it. Let us therefore analyze the frequent errors in the study habits of our children. A little self-criticism is always good and is the first step to advance and improve.
9 frequent mistakes in study habits
1. Lack of planning of study sessions
It is important to make a timetable with the schedules of extracurricular activities and to organize the time that we will dedicate in the afternoon to each subject.
Intense last minute studies are not a good idea at all. They cause fatigue and generate anxiety. If our stomach hurts before an exam, it means that we are not approaching the subject in the right way.
2. Studying with music or radio, one of the frequent mistakes in study habits
Depending on the subject to be studied, you will need a certain degree of concentration. If we put the music on, there is a good chance that our attention will go to the lyrics of the song we are listening to. Instead, we can use instrumental music only for those activities that require less concentration, but always in the background.
3. Messy study area
Nobody would like to study in a workplace full of paper and various objects. It is important to keep the study area tidy and clean, this, in fact, must invite us to sit down and study; in addition, we must have everything we need at hand: highlighters, pencils, eraser, ruler, blank sheets …
4. The bed is not a place to study
If we are preparing an exam among the toughest and therefore it will take us some time, we must certainly be comfortable. However, the bed is not the right place to study. We will probably want to take a nap. A comfortable chair and a well-lit study area are more than enough.
5. Not knowing the topics that will be asked in the exam
If we have not established the weekly study schedule and have accumulated the topics to study, the day will come when we will have to start studying and we will not have the material organized.
Due to the rush of anxiety of the last hour, we will not be able to concentrate and will abandon our mission before sitting in the chair. A well-made outline and studying the notes every day can help us prevent this unpleasant situation.
6. Store the content
Sometimes we will have no other remedy than to “roll up our sleeves” and start studying, but we will all agree that it looks really boring. Don’t forget, however, that we can always use information and communication technologies (ICT) to make our study session more enjoyable. Concept maps, YouTube videos… it all counts if it helps us learn the lesson.
7. Too many distractions amid frequent errors in study habits
Using ICT, as we said, is a great idea, but you have to know how to control yourself. If we leave Instagram on our mobile and Facebook on our computer open, we will engage in conversations with colleagues rather than studying. During study hours, we must avoid all non-class chats.
8. Not taking a break to regain strength is one of the worst study habits
Study marathons are not productive. Generally, we can maintain a good degree of concentration for up to 50 or 60 minutes. We recommend that you start studying a topic that is easy for you, such as a kind of warm-up, and take a break every hour to air out the room, eat something and clear your mind.
9. Studying in the living room or kitchen among the frequent mistakes in study habits
We will not be able to concentrate if our brother is watching television, our mother is talking on the phone or the dog is barking. We must have a permanent and personal place where we can study in peace, isolated from noise and distractions.
Conclusions on study habits
If you have felt identified with these frequent mistakes in study habits, you have already managed to take the first step towards success. As it is often said “recognizing it is the first step”.
Now that you know what not to do during your study hours, we hope that the path that remains for you will be less steep. Motivation and perseverance are the key to success.
