Tip #1 for Successful Studying

I am excited to kick off this week with the first of my 6 Tips for Successful Studying!

Tip #1 RELAX! 

When you are stressed your brain can’t tell the difference between a Mack truck coming at you or a piece of paper in front of you called an exam.  Your brain reacts the same way – it freezes!   Especially us adults – who, when we’re trying to learn, our brains kick in with something like “Oh no! This is learning. This is going to be tough!” and we freeze - making it almost impossible to learn and retain new information.  

Being relaxed when in learning mode is so important that several universities have done studies on it.  They found that when teaching a class on something basic like a 2nd language (nothing too difficult) they could, at the very least, double the ability of people to learn and retain new information. The ONLY difference was to have the students relaxed (friendly, inviting atmosphere, use of color, no stress, fun, engaging, study groups etc)  Being relaxed is considered one of the most important ‘keys to learning’.  

There are a lot of tips on relaxing techniques while studying.  One of the most important is to have a study area that is quiet, organized, and without distractions (turn your phone off and put it away to avoid temptation.)  Make the area your “zen-zone”; a place you love to be, where you can relax and learn.  If you can’t find a space at home, go to your local library or coffee shop. 

Stay tuned for Tip #2!