Focus Your Studying

In order to ace your tests and succeed in school, you obviously need to study. Studying can sometimes be a grind, so in order to be both efficient and effective with your time, you need to be ultra-focused in your study habits.  Unfocused studying can be nearly as bad as no studying at all.  Here are some best practices for how to stay focused while studying:

1. Find a quiet study environment: It's hard to concentrate and absorb your study materials if there's loud music, a television, or talking friends and family in the background.
2. Establish a clean workspace: It may be hard to believe, but having a clean desk is a simple way to get yourself comfortable and into a good frame of mind for studying.
3. Avoid the computer and cell phone: You will learn at a faster pace when you can focus for a reasonable period of time without distraction.  Don't break up your thinking by continually checking your text messages or status updates on your favorite social network.
4. Take periodic breaks: You can only focus for so long.  Every hour or so (or whenever your body needs it), take a short break.  Do something fun, eat a snack, take a walk, socialize with friends, or catch up on your social networking and text messages.  Consider it a reward for studying well done.  Of course, be reasonable about the time you spend on break.  You'll find that when you keep break time activities distinct from your studies, you'll be much more productive overall.
5. Know when to call it a night: Don't take this as an excuse to give up too early!  But when you've been at it for a good clip and are starting to lose steam, call it quits for now.  Get some rest or do something different, and come back to your studies when you've got your energy back and are ready to focus again.