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BEADED SNAKES: THE BEST DIY FIDGET TOYS WE’VE FOUND

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BEADED SNAKES: THE BEST DIY FIDGET TOYS WE’VE FOUND

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Do your kids like having something to fidget with as much as mine do? If so, making your own homemade DIY fidget toys is a fun family activity for a rainy afternoon or a day of summer camp at home. And if you already have kids' crafting supplies, there's a decent chance you might already have everything you need to make DIY fidget toys with household items. If not, the supplies you'll need should be inexpensive and easy to get.

As the popularity of fidget spinners in recent years shows, many kids enjoy having something to play with in their hands - not just those with ADHD, on the autism spectrum, etc. And making your own DIY fidget toys can be a great afternoon activity when we're all stuck at home this summer.

DIY fidget toys for ADHD and DIY sensory toys for autism have been staples on many families' back-to-school lists for a long time:

Not only are they fun to play with, they're also fun to make.

And twirling the beads in your fingers, rubbing it against your skin, or sliding them on the strings, do wonders to help overstimulated kiddos calm themselves and focus their attention when they need to.

Why ALL kids can benefit from fidget toys:

Moreover, with all the disruptions to learning in recent months, kids' stress levels are through the roof. Which makes DIY fidget toys for anxiety a great stress-reliever for littles as school approaches again, and DIY fidget toys for school a must-have item on your kiddos' supply lists.

Plus, lacing pony beads onto cord, string, or plastic lace is a great way for all kids to work on fine motor skills and concentration, while learning about colors and patterns.

After a week of "camp" at my mama's house, my two girls have had lots of rainy afternoons to go crazy with all the and plastic lacing odds and ends I'd collected. And hands-down, their FAVORITE fidget toys from all their beading adventures have been the beaded "slither snakes" and the beaded "slider snakes."

So I thought I'd share step-by-step instructions for how to make a beaded snake with you here, including ✅ several (free!) downloadable patterns for beaded snakes.

Back-to-school time will be here before you know it. And along with crayons, pencils, and glue sticks, have you thought about fun DIY fidget toys? They're a great way to help keep kids calm, focused, and ready to learn! Click To Tweet

What you'll need:

Must-have supplies:

An assortment of ✅ . These beads usually come in plastic, and are great for even novice beaders because of their large holes. You can find them at discount department stores, craft-supply stores, or online. But to be honest, I've collected most of ours from thrift stores and consignment sales.

Some kind of ✅ craft-quality cord or string (non-elastic) that won't fray easily when you repeatedly thread it through other items. (Embroidery floss could work if you use a plastic needle , but otherwise the ends will fray too easily as you work with it. And regular sewing thread isn't heavy-duty enough.)

Scissors (for cutting your cord/string) and a ruler (for measuring out how much string/cord you'll need) are also helpful.

Optional, but nice to have:

, which is much easier for some kids to handle than regular string when it comes to beading projects. While it won't work with the "slider" snakes, it can make stringing the "slither" snakes much easier for little hands. You can find this at crafting stores or online, and sometimes at thrift stores (especially those focused on crafting supplies).

and/or lobster-claw clasps . These make your snakes easier to attach to a backpack, so they're ready to go for school. While you could use lanyard clips, I personally don't like these for something you'll be clipping onto a backpack, as they aren't as strong. You can find these at craft-supply stores, but you can get a lot more bang for your buck if you order them in bulk online.

Large-eye blunt needles (plastic if you have younger kids). If you're using string or cord, these can really help kids with less-developed motor skills be able to complete beading projects more easily.

How to Make a Baby Slider Snake

This is a good first project for anyone who's never done a beading project before. You'll get to practice all the basic techniques you'll use for the larger beaded slither snake and beaded slider snake as you make it.

Why do I call it a "slider snake"? Because you can slide the beads back and forth when you're done.

You can therefore use these beads for counting as well - whether for basic single-digit math practice, or anything else you'd like your kids to count or track.

For those of you who want to teach your children to count prayers or blessings, this project can also double as a first set of prayer-counting or blessing-counting beads.

Supplies you'll need for a baby slider snake

10-15 pony beads in whatever colors you choose - I decided to make this one in a rainbow pattern.

Approx. 2 ft (24 in/60 cm) cord or string.

Something to use as an anchor - a keychain ring (split ring), lanyard clip, lobster-claw clasp, etc. In a pinch you could even use a large button or the eye of a safety pin. I used a small split ring on this one.

Step-by-step Beaded Baby Slider Snake instructions:

First you need to make a lark's head knot:

Fold your cord in half to make a loop at the middle of your cord, and use a lark's head knot to secure your cord to your anchor.

To make a lark's head knot, push the loop through the center of your split ring or other anchor object.

Pull it down to make a large loop over the tail-ends of your string.

Pull the tail-ends through the loop, and pull tight.

Now you're ready to start beading!

1. Lay out your beads in order. (If you have a piece of felt or a to put them on, that will keep them from rolling around. Otherwise, this is a good project for a corner of floor by a window, which is where the girls and I worked at my mama's house.)

2. Lay out the two tail-ends of your anchored cord so it's easy to tell which end is on your left, and which end is on your right. Pick up your first bead, and slide the right-side tail through the hole first, pushing it through from right side to left side. Then slide the left-side tail THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (in other words, into the side that the other tail just came out of, and out of the side that the other tail started on). By now, the piece of cord that was on the right side at first should be sticking out the left side of the bead, and the piece of cord that started on the left side should be sticking out the right side of the bead.

3. Pull the two ends of cord tight so the bead slides up next to the anchor. Pick up your next bead and put the new right-side tail through the bead from right to left, then the new left-side tail through in the opposite direction (left to right). Pull tight again.

4. Repeat with all remaining beads in your pattern.

Once you've added all your beads, you need to know how to finish your slider snake:

If you want to be able to slide the rows on your snake back and forth, then you need to leave a little extra space at the end of your snake, before you knot off your cords.

You can use whatever kind of knot you like, so long as it stays tight. For beaded projects where I want to leave that extra space for sliding, I find it easiest to wrap the two cords around my finger, take the loop off my finger, push the ends through the loop, and then pull them tight - so that the knot is secure, but there's still some distance between the knot and your final beaded row.

How to make a full-sized slider snake

These are the two full-sized slider snakes that Kimmie made for herself and Essie. Sliding rows of 3 beads back and forth, one row at a time, is oddly satisfying - making these beaded snakes the perfect DIY fidget toys for adults and kids alike. The basic techniques are the same as what I described above for the baby slider snake; you'll just need more beads.

These bigger slider snakes have 23 rows/65 beads total. You can make them with blocks of color, as you see here - or with a single stripe down the back - or with alternating skinny stripes - or whatever you like. (Note that two of your beads should be a different color, for the eyes.)

For plenty of fun pattern ideas for these beaded snakes, as well as printable patterns you can CUSTOMIZE to make your own color combinations, ✅ click here to access my FREE beaded snake pattern files !

And unlike the baby slider snake, you can get away without an anchor keyring or clip on this snake. If you decide to skip the anchor, then start at the tail end of the snake instead of the head.

Supplies you'll need for a full-sized slider snake

65 pony beads total - 2 for eyes, and 63 in whatever other color combination you choose.

Approx. 5-6 ft (60-72 in/120-150 cm) cord or string.

OPTIONAL: Something to use as an anchor - a keychain ring (split ring), lanyard clip, lobster-claw clasp, etc. If you don't have (or want to use) something for an anchor, just start making the snake at the tail-end instead of the head-end.

Step-by-step Beaded Slider Snake instructions:

If you're using something as an anchor, secure your cord to it using a lark's head knot, as described above.

Starting at the head end, lay out your beads, in order from head to tail, as follows:

Row 1: 2 beads

Row 2: 3 beads

Row 3: 3 beads - 1st and 3rd (eyes) different color than center bead

Rows 4-21: 3 beads each

Row 22: 2 beads

Row 23: 1 bead

Add beads one row at a time, just as for the baby slider snake. Instead of putting one bead in each row, you'll put the right-hand tail through ALL the beads in each row, then put the left-hand tail through ALL the beads in the row, then pull strings so row is snug against the previous row, then repeat until you've added all rows.

Finish off with a space at the end (approx 1 in between last row of beads and knot), as shown above under baby slider snake.

If you're NOT using something as an anchor, lay out your beads with the tail end (1 bead) first and add rows in the opposite order. Finish off the same way as for the other slider snakes.

How to make a full-sized slither snake

Unlike the slider snakes described above, the rows on slither snakes don't slide back and forth; they're fixed. That makes these snakes perfect for twirling the beads between your fingers, rolling your hands across the rows (great for a mini-massage if your hand hurts from too much writing!), or slithering across your arm or leg.

Also, because these beads DON'T slide up and down by rows, this project is perfect for some plastic lacing or other plastic beading string, if you have some. Using plastic lacing is much easier for littler hands and less-experienced beaders, as the beads won't slide around so much while you're trying to form the rows.

Supplies you'll need for a full-sized slither snake

65 pony beads total - 2 for eyes, and 63 in whatever other color combination you choose

Approx. 5-6 ft (60-72 in/120-150 cm) plastic lacing /plastic beading cord (regular cord or string, or even fishing line, will also work, but will be harder for little hands to manage successfully)

OPTIONAL: Something to use as an anchor - a keychain ring (split ring), lanyard clip, lobster-claw clasp, etc. If you don't have (or want to use) something for an anchor, just start making the snake at the tail-end instead of the head-end.

Step-by-step Beaded Slither Snake instructions:

If you're using something as an anchor, secure your cord to it using a lark's head knot, as described above.

Starting at the head end, lay out your beads, in order from head to tail, as follows:

Row 1: 2 beads

Row 2: 3 beads

Row 3: 3 beads - 1st and 3rd (eyes) different color than center bead

Rows 4-21: 3 beads each

Row 22: 2 beads

Row 23: 1 bead

Add beads one row at a time, just as for the baby slider snake. Instead of putting one bead in each row, you'll put the right-hand tail through ALL the beads in each row, then put the left-hand tail through ALL the beads in the row, then pull strings so row is snug against the previous row, then repeat until you've added all rows.

After you've added your final row of beads, tie several overhand knots, close to the last row of beads, to secure them. Trim tails as desired.

If you're NOT using something as an anchor, lay out your beads with the tail end (1 bead) first, and add rows in the opposite order. Finish off with several overhand knots tied snugly against the last row of beads.

Have you and your kids made fidget toys for school before? What are your family's favorite DIY fidget toys? Let us know in the comments!

And don't forget, you can download your FREE DIY fidget snake pattern files by filling out this form:

If you liked these step-by-step directions for the best DIY fidget toys we've found, please share by pinning this image!
NOTE: This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission from any purchases made through affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. For more information, please read the full disclosure/privacy policy.

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The Best DIY Fidget Toys (Easy To Make!) - Super Mom Hacks

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DIY fidget toys are fun to make, and will help kids stay calm and focused when school starts. These cute beaded snakes are my kids' fave, and easy to make.

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Are you a Fidgeter? Make this Fidget Paper Clip Craft!

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Are you a Fidgeter? Make this Fidget Paper Clip Craft!

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Last year I spent an evening with Debra (from FindingDebra.com) and her daughter before Debra and I flew to Quebec City, Canada to attend a blogging conference. It was an absolute blast! Since I don't have girls, I soaked up every minute of my time with Debra's daughter. She gave me a tour of their house, we put puzzles together, played games and she gave me a fidget paper clip craft!

** Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Fidget Paper Clip Craft Tutorial -
Supplies:

Directions:

1. Open the Perler bead package.

2. Select 6 - 10 (or more, depending on the size of the paper clip) perler beads.

3. Slip the beads onto the paper clip.

4. That's it! Carry them in your pocket and use them to fidget with when you're feeling anxious.

The Fidget Paper Clip Craft is cheap and easy but also incredibly useful! Plus, you can make the craft in under two minutes - probably more like 30 seconds. Once made, use it to relieve anxiety or just to keep your hands busy.

As opposed to regular fidget spinners, the Fidget Paper Clip Craft is basically silent. Kids and adults alike can use these DIY fidget toys to help with attention and sensory needs in the classroom, at work or at home.

This craft would be great for keeping the kids busy during Spring Break, over the summer and so many other times of year. I think it'd be great fun to have the kids make heart-shaped Fidget Paper Clips for Valentine's Day gifts, too.

Will you make the Fidget Paper Clip Craft?

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Are you a Fidgeter? Make this Fidget Paper Clip Craft!

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Kids and adults alike can use this Fidget Paper Clip Craft to help with attention and sensory needs in the classroom, at work or at home.

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The Wheel of Life is a simple yet powerful tool for visualizing all areas of your life at once to see where you most need improvement. It only takes a minute to complete and it's totally free!

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The Ultimate

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The Wheel of Life is a simple but powerful tool that helps you visualize all the important areas of your life at once. It is often used by life coaches and career coaches to give their clients a "bird's eye" view of their lives. By looking at a visual representation of all the areas of your life at once, the wheel helps you to better understand which of your life areas are flourishing and which ones need the most work.

How do I use the Wheel of Life?

The online assessment tool is simple to use. Just click the button to start your wheel and the interactive system will guide you through the process of rating each area of your life, one at a time. When you are done, you can print your wheel, save it as a PDF, or share it with your friends on Facebook and other social media.

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This free assessment has been brought to you by the hard working folks at Noomii.com, the web's largest directory of life coaches and business coaches.

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How balanced is your life? Get your free online assessment at wheeloflife.noomii.com

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The Wheel of Life is a simple yet powerful tool for visualizing all areas of your life at once to see where you most need improvement. It only takes a minute to complete and it's totally free!

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If you've been given a beta-testing code by CardGames.io please enter it below and click the Enter button.

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Welcome to the Matrix.

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About Us

CardGames.io is a game site focused on classic card and board games. Our goal is to make great versions of the games you already know and love in real life. We try very hard to make the games simple and easy to use, and hope you enjoy playing them as much as we enjoy making them 🙂.

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Play classic card games like Hearts, Spades, Solitaire, Free Cell and Euchre for free. No sign-up or download necessary!

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MyStudyLife | Free Student Planner & Study App

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Transform your study habits and get better grades with MyStudyLife’s game-changing student planner. Get organized, improve time management and achieve success.

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15 Time Management Skills You'll Need in 2022

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15 Time Management Skills You'll Need in 2022

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15 Time Management Skills You’ll Need in 2022

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Want to learn new time management skills? We put together a list of 15 time management skills that you can start building today!

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Table of contents
12 essential time management tips 1. Focus on your goals 2. Structure your time 3. Schedule time blocks 4. Discover your power hours 5. Focus sprints 6. Prioritize your tasks 7. Plan your week and days 8. Learn to say no 9. Nourish your brain 10. Stop waiting for inspiration or motivation 11. Don't multitask 12. Schedule when you check your messages

12 essential time management tips

1. Focus on your goals

Goals are one of the most important things we overlook in managing our time. It's not uncommon to lose sight of long-term goals amid the frantic demand of urgent and daily tasks. You may find it hard to focus on the most important matters at hand, or to even identify what on your long list of tasks is the most important.

Feeling overwhelmed is a good cue to review your task list. Ask yourself: Will spending time on this bring me closer to achieving my goals?

Pro tip: Make sure your goals are SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, and T ime-based. Vague or unrealistic goals are difficult to track and often lead to incompletion.

2. Structure your time

It's all too easy to float from task to task, meeting to meeting, and passively let others structure your time for you. Being intentional about how you spend time is the most impactful way to develop good time management skills. Establishing a habit of structuring your time doesn't just help you make progress toward your long-term goals; it can also help you reduce distractions and improve focus.

While working at home, it's important to take into account differing schedules when structuring your time. Communicate to your roommates when you don't want to be disturbed, when you plan to use a public space, or when you may make disruptive noise. Proactively setting expectations for how you want to interact during business hours is respectful and reduces the potential for conflict.

3. Schedule time blocks

Blocking out your time is an effective way to make sure you get to different kinds of work-particularly non-urgent, long-term, important tasks that require focus and deep work. This kind of work is usually put on the back burner when urgent tasks demand your attention.

By blocking out time to work on specific activities, you ensure that you make progress. Additionally, by limiting the work time, you reduce the odds of task burnout.

Pro tip: If you have a shared calendar at work, add your time blocks to keep coworkers from scheduling meetings during that period.

4. Discover your power hours

Power hours are when you have the most energy and when you get your best work done. If you call yourself a night owl or a lark, you may already have a sense of when your power hours are. If you're not sure, track your time to find out when you are most productive.

Pro tip: Schedule your most important tasks and tasks that require deep focus during your power hours. During less energetic times of the day, schedule more mundane tasks that require less focus.

5. Focus sprints

It's not always easy to start a task or to get into a deep workflow. When you're struggling with task initiation or focus, the Pomodoro method is an effective way to keep procrastination at bay. Schedule short bursts of time (usually 15- to 30-minute intervals) when you focus on a single task, really pushing yourself. Then, reward yourself with a five-minute break in between sprints.

When preparing for a focus sprint, set yourself up in a distraction-free space. Clear your workspace from everything except what you need to do your focus work. Enable your devices' to do-not-disturb functions. And definitely steer clear of setting up near chatty housemates.

Pro tip: You can make your sprints as long-or as short-as you like. Five- and 10-minute sprints with one-minute breaks may be a better match for your personal pace.

6. Prioritize your tasks

Our task lists can quickly get out of hand. Humans are very good at generating ideas and imagining ideal outcomes. Ideas are infinite, but time is finite-no one can do it all. Pretending you can will put your stress levels through the roof.

One of the most effective prioritization tools is the Eisenhower matrix. Even if you don't use the diagram to map out task priorities, the terminology and framework are useful for assessing the value of your tasks.

Urgent: Tasks that demand your immediate attention.

Important: High-value, high-impact tasks that further your goals. These aren't always urgent, but there are serious consequences if they're not done.

The Eisenhower matrix has four quadrants to organize your tasks into. Use this framework to understand the level of priority you should give to anything on your task list.

Urgent and important: Do these tasks first.

Important but NOT urgent: Do these tasks next.

Urgent and NOT important: Do these tasks later or delegate to someone else.

NOT urgent and NOT important: Don't do it! Delete this task from your list.

Pro tip: You don't need to do everything. Saving time by deleting tasks that don't serve your goals is fine, particularly if you created those tasks for yourself.

7. Plan your week and days

Set your intentions and priorities at the same time each day and each week. Planning your schedule gives you a better picture of what's to come and enables you to prepare for the immediate future. Regularly checking in on your priorities keeps you in line with your goals and allows you to adapt to any new changes.

8. Learn to say no

Your time is finite. Boundaries are essential, even when you work. You may feel like you're expected to say yes to every request that comes your way-but most assuredly, you're not. It's essential to be assertive, recognize your limits, and not over-commit to obligations you can't keep. Failing to follow through on your commitments erodes trust in your relationships.

9. Nourish your brain

We often take our brainpower for granted. Focus is not merely the product of willpower and determination. Our brain has to be in good, functioning form. Taking breaks, getting enough sleep, eating balanced meals, regular exercise, and socializing all promote optimum executive function.

If you've ever been "hangry" or grouchy after a poor night's sleep, you know that you're not operating at 100% capacity. When you're primed for irritability, you're likely to cause conflict in your relationships both at work and at home. Pushing yourself while you are not at your best is a recipe for low-quality work and emotional distress.

10. Stop waiting for inspiration or motivation

If you wait for these to strike you before beginning any tasks, you will cross nothing off your task list. The trick is to set a bite-sized goal to get you started. Use focus sprints to tackle onerous tasks you've been putting off. The act of starting them-even for just five minutes-can spur your motivation and inspiration.

11. Don't multitask

Multitasking is a trap with diminishing returns. Constant interruptions erode your ability to maintain focus, slowing down your ability to complete tasks. Instead of switching from task to task, note the tasks that crop up and schedule a time to do them. It can be especially difficult to avoid multitasking when you're not the only one in your household working from home, but enforcing your boundaries will pay off in the long run.

12. Schedule when you check your messages

You may think it's good form to check every email, look at every direct message on social media, or answer all phone calls as they come in. However, much like multitasking, these unpredictable, intermittent distractions impair your ability to do deep work. Block out time to catch up with your correspondence instead.

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You don't have to be a project manager to manage your time or tasks well. It's a soft skill everyone wrestles with (and a skill most of us could use some help improving). There are telltale signs that you need to improve your time management skills and habits: You can't seem to stick with your long-term goals.

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Staying on top of schoolwork can be tough.

Whether you're in high school, or an adult going back to college, balancing coursework with other responsibilities can be challenging. If you're teetering on the edge of burnout, here are some study tips that are scientifically proven to help you succeed!

2023 Ultimate Study Tips Guide

In this guide, we explore scientifically-proven study techniques from scientific journals and some of the world's best resources like Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Cornell.

In a hurry? Skip ahead to the section that interests you most.

This comprehensive guide covers everything from studying for exams to the best study apps. So, let's get started!

Part 1 - How to Prepare for Success

1. Set a Schedule

"Oh, I'll get to it soon" isn't a valid study strategy. Rather, you have to be intentional about planning set study sessions.

On your calendar, mark out chunks of time that you can devote to your studies. You should aim to schedule some study time each day, but other commitments may necessitate that some sessions are longer than others.

Harder classes require more study time. So, too, do classes that are worth several credits. For each credit hour that you're taking, consider devoting one to three hours to studying each week.

2. Study at Your Own Pace

Do you digest content quickly, or do you need time to let the material sink in? Only you know what pace is best for you.

There's no right (or wrong) study pace. So, don't try matching someone else's speed.

Instead, through trial and error, find what works for you. Just remember that slower studying will require that you devote more time to your schoolwork.

3. Get Some Rest

Exhaustion helps no one perform their best. Your body needs rest; getting enough sleep is crucial for memory function.

This is one reason that scheduling study time is so important: It reduces the temptation to stay up all night cramming for a big test. Instead, you should aim for seven or more hours of sleep the night before an exam.

Limit pre-studying naps to 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Upon waking, do a few stretches or light exercises to prepare your body and brain for work.

4. Silence Your Cell Phone

Interruptions from your phone are notorious for breaking your concentration. If you pull away to check a notification, you'll have to refocus your brain before diving back into your studies.

Consider turning off your phone's sounds or putting your device into do not disturb mode before you start. You can also download apps to temporarily block your access to social media.

If you're still tempted to check your device, simply power it off until you're finished studying.

5. Relax

Research shows that stress makes it harder to learn and to retain information.

Stress-busting ideas include:

Taking deep breaths

Writing down a list of tasks you need to tackle

Doing light exercise

Try to clear your head before you begin studying.

Part 2 - Create Your Perfect Study Space

1. Pick a Good Place to Study

There's a delicate balance when it comes to the best study spot: You need a place that's comfortable without being so relaxing that you end up falling asleep. For some people, that means working at a desk. Others do better on the couch or at the kitchen table. Your bed, on the other hand, may be too comfy.

Surrounding yourself with peace and quiet helps you focus. If your kids are being loud or there's construction going on outside your window, you might need to relocate to an upstairs bedroom, a quiet cafe or your local library.

2. Choose Your Music Wisely

Noise-canceling headphones can also help limit distractions.

It's better to listen to quiet music than loud tunes. Some people do best with instrumental music playing in the background.

Songs with lyrics may pull your attention away from your textbooks. However, some folks can handle listening to songs with words, so you may want to experiment and see what works for you.

Just remember that there's no pressure to listen to any music. If you do your best work in silence, then feel free to turn your music player off.

3. Turn Off Netflix

If song lyrics are distracting, just imagine what an attention sucker the television can be! Serious studying requires that you turn off the TV.

The same goes for listening to radio deejays. Hearing voices in the background takes your brainpower off of your studies.

4. Use Background Sounds

Turning off the television, talk radio and your favorite pop song doesn't mean that you have to study in total silence. Soft background sounds are a great alternative.

Some people enjoy listening to nature sounds, such as ocean waves or cracks of thunder. Others prefer the whir of a fan.

5. Snack on Brain Food

A growling stomach can pull your mind from your studies, so feel free to snack as you work. Keep your snacks within arm's reach, so you don't have to leave your books to find food.

Fuel your next study session with some of the following items:

Lean deli meat

Nuts

Grapes or apple slices

Dark chocolate

Go for snacks that will power your brain and keep you alert. Steer clear of items that are high in sugar, fat and processed carbs.

Part 3 - Pick a Study Method That Works for You

Mindlessly reading through your notes or textbooks isn't an effective method of studying; it doesn't help you process the information. Instead, you should use a proven study strategy that will help you think through the material and retain the information.

Strategy #1 - SQ3R Method

With the SQ3R approach to reading, you'll learn to think critically about a text.

There are five steps:

Survey: Skim through the assigned material. Focus on headings, words in bold print and any diagrams.

Question: Ask yourself questions related to the topic.

Read: Read the text carefully. As you go, look for answers to your questions.

Recite: Tell yourself the answers to your questions. Write notes about them, even.

Review: Go over the material again by rereading the text and reading your notes aloud.

Strategy #2 - PQ4R Method

PQ4R is another study strategy that can help you digest the information you read.

This approach has six steps:

Preview: Skim the material. Read the titles, headings and other highlighted text.

Question: Think through questions that pertain to the material.

Read: As you work through the material, try to find answers to your questions.

Reflect: Consider whether you have any unanswered questions or new questions.

Recite: Speak aloud about the things you just read.

Review: Look over the material one more time.

Strategy #3 - THIEVES Method

The THIEVES approach can help you prepare to read for information.

There are seven pre-reading steps:

Title: Read the title.

Headings: Look through the headings.

Introduction: Skim the intro.

Every first sentence in a section: Take a look at how each section begins.

Visuals and vocabulary: Look at the pictures and the words in bold print.

End questions: Review the questions at the end of the chapter.

Summary: Read the overview of the text.

Ask yourself thought-provoking questions as you work through these steps. After completing them, read the text.

Studying Online

Although these three study strategies can be useful in any setting, studying online has its own set of challenges.

Dr. Tony Bates has written a thoughtful and thorough guide to studying online, A Student Guide to Studying Online. Not only does he highlight the importance of paying attention to course design, but he also offers helpful tips on how to choose the best online program and manage your course load.

Part 4 - Effective Study Skills

1. Highlight Key Concepts

Looking for the most important information as you read helps you stay engaged with the material. This can help keep your mind from wandering as you read.

As you find important details, mark them with a highlighter, or underline them. It can also be effective to jot notes along the edges of the text. Write on removable sticky notes if the book doesn't belong to you.

When you're preparing for a test, begin your studies by reviewing your highlighted sections and the notes you wrote down.

2. Summarize Important Details

One good way to get information to stick in your brain is to tell it again in your own words. Writing out a summary can be especially effective. You can organize your summaries in paragraph form or in outline form.

Keep in mind that you shouldn't include every bit of information in a summary. Stick to the key points.

Consider using different colors on your paper. Research shows that information presented in color is more memorable than things written in plain type. You could use colored pens or go over your words with highlighters.

After writing about what you read, reinforce the information yet again by reading aloud what you wrote on your paper.

3. Create Your Own Flashcards

For an easy way to quiz yourself, prepare notecards that feature a keyword on one side and important facts or definitions about that topic on the reverse.

Writing out the cards will help you learn the information. Quizzing yourself on the cards will continue that reinforcement.

The great thing about flashcards is that they're easily portable. Slip them in your bag, so you can pull them out whenever you have a spare minute. This is a fantastic way to squeeze in extra practice time outside of your regularly scheduled study sessions.

As an alternative to paper flashcards, you can also use a computer program or a smartphone app to make digital flashcards that you can click through again and again.

4. Improve Recall with Association

Sometimes your brain could use an extra hand to help you hold onto the information that you're studying. Creating imaginary pictures, crafting word puzzles or doing other mental exercises can help make your material easier to remember.

Try improving recall with the following ideas:

Sing the information to a catchy tune.

Think of a mnemonic phrase in which the words start with the same letters as the words that you need to remember.

Draw a picture that helps you make a humorous connection between the new information and the things that you already know.

Envision what it would be like to experience your topic in person. Imagine the sights, sounds, smells and more.

Think up rhymes or tongue twisters that can help the information stick in your brain.

Visualize the details with a web-style mind map that illustrates the relationships between concepts.

5. Absorb Information in Smaller Chunks

Think about how you memorize a phone number: You divide the 10-digit number into three smaller groups. It's easier to get these three chunks to stick in your mind than it is to remember the whole thing as a single string of information.

You can use this strategy when studying by breaking a list down into smaller parts. Work on memorizing each part as its own group.

6. Make Your Own Study Sheet

Condensing your most important notes onto one page is an excellent way to keep priority information at your fingertips. The more you look over this sheet and read it aloud, the better that you'll know the material.

Furthermore, the act of typing or writing out the information will help you memorize the details. Using different colors or lettering styles can help you picture the information later.

Just like flashcards, a study sheet is portable. You can pull it out of your bag whenever you have a spare minute.

7. Be the Teacher

To teach information to others, you first have to understand it yourself. Therefore, when you're trying to learn something new, challenge yourself to consider how you'd teach it to someone else. Wrestling with this concept will help you gain a better understanding of the topic.

In fact, you can even recruit a friend, a family member or a study group member to listen to your mini-lesson. Reciting your presentation aloud to someone else will help the details stick in your mind, and your audience may be able to point out gaps in your knowledge.

8. Know When to Call It a Day

Yes, you really can get too much of a good thing. Although your studies are important, they shouldn't be the only thing in your life. It's also important to have a social life, get plenty of exercise, and take care of your non-school responsibilities.

Studies show that too much time with your nose in the books can elevate your stress level, which can have a negative effect on your school performance and your personal relationships.

Too much studying may also keep you from getting enough exercise. This could lower your bone density or increase your percentage of body fat.

Part 5 - How to Study More Efficiently

1. Take Regular Breaks

Study sessions will be more productive if you allow yourself to take planned breaks. Consider a schedule of 50 minutes spent working followed by a 10-minute break.

Your downtime provides a good chance to stand up and stretch your legs. You can also use this as an opportunity to check your phone or respond to emails. When your 10 minutes are up, however, it's time to get back to work.

At the end of a long study session, try to allow yourself a longer break - half an hour, perhaps - before you move on to other responsibilities.

2. Take Notes in Class

The things that your teacher talks about in class are most likely topics that he or she feels are quite important to your studies. So, it's a good idea to become a thorough note-taker.

The following tips can help you become an efficient, effective note-taker:

Stick to the main points.

Use shorthand when possible.

If you don't have time to write all the details, jot down a keyword or a name. After class, you can use your textbook to elaborate on these items.

For consistency, use the same organizational system each time you take notes.

Consider writing your notes by hand, which can help you remember the information better. However, typing may help you be faster or more organized.

Recording important points is effective because it forces you to pay attention to what's being said during a lecture.

3. Exercise First

Would you believe that exercise has the potential to grow your brain? Scientists have shown this to be true!

In fact, exercise is most effective at generating new brain cells when it's immediately followed by learning new information.

There are short-term benefits to exercising before studying as well. Physical activity helps wake you up so you feel alert and ready when you sit down with your books.

4. Review and Revise Your Notes at Home

If your notes are incomplete - for example, you wrote down dates with no additional information - take time after class to fill in the missing details. You may also want to swap notes with a classmate so you can catch things that you missed during the lecture.

Rewrite your notes if you need to clean them up

Rewriting will help you retain the information

Add helpful diagrams or pictures

Read through them again within one day

If you find that there are concepts in your notes that you don't understand, ask your professor for help. You may be able to set up a meeting or communicate through email.

After rewriting your notes, put them to good use by reading through them again within the next 24 hours. You can use them as a reference when you create study sheets or flashcards.

5. Start with Your Toughest Assignments

Let's face it: There are some subjects that you like more than others. If you want to do things the smart way, save your least challenging tasks for the end of your studies. Get the hardest things done first.

If you save the toughest tasks for last, you'll have them hanging over your head for the whole study session. That can cost you unnecessary mental energy.

Furthermore, if you end with your favorite assignments, it will give you a more positive feeling about your academic pursuits. You'll be more likely to approach your next study session with a good attitude.

6. Focus on Key Vocabulary

To really understand a subject, you have to know the words that relate to it. Vocabulary words are often written in textbooks in bold print. As you scan the text, write these words down in a list.

Look them up in a dictionary or in the glossary at the back of the book. To help you become familiar with the terms, you could make a study sheet with the definitions or make flashcards.

7. Join a Study Group

Studying doesn't always have to be an individual activity.

Benefits of a study group include:

Explaining the material to one another

Being able to ask questions about things you don't understand

Quizzing each other or playing review games

Learning the material more quickly than you might on your own

Developing soft skills that will be useful in your career, such as teamwork and problem solving

Having fun as you study

Gather a few classmates to form a study group.

Part 6 - How to Study for Tests

1. Study for Understanding, Not Just for the Test

Cramming the night before a big test usually involves trying to memorize information long enough to be able to regurgitate it the next morning. Although that might help you get a decent grade or your test, it won't help you really learn the material.

Within a day or two, you'll have forgotten most of what you studied. You'll have missed the goal of your classes: mastery of the subject matter.

Instead, commit yourself to long-term learning by studying throughout the semester.

2. Begin Studying at Least One Week in Advance

Of course, you may need to put in extra time before a big test, but you shouldn't put this off until the night before.

Instead, in the week leading up to the exam, block off a daily time segment for test preparation. Regular studying will help you really learn the material.

3. Spend at Least One Hour per Day Studying

One week out from a big test, study for an hour per night. If you have two big tests coming up, increase your daily study time, and divide it between the two subjects.

The day before the exam, spend as much time as possible studying - all day, even.

4. Re-write Class Notes

After each class, you should have fleshed out your notes and rewritten them in a neat, organized format. Now, it's time to take your re-done notes and write them once again.

This time, however, your goal is to condense them down to only the most important material. Ideally, you want your rewritten notes to fit on just one or two sheets of paper.

These sheets should be your main study resource during test preparation.

5. Create a Study Outline

Early in the week, make a long outline that includes many of the details from your notes. Rewrite it a few days later, but cut the material in half.

Shortly before the test, write it one more time; include only the most important information. Quiz yourself on the missing details.

6. Make Your Own Flashcards

Another way to quiz yourself is to make flashcards that you can use for practice written tests.

First, read the term on the front side. Encourage yourself to write out the definition or details of that term. Compare your written answer with what's on the back of the card.

This can be extra helpful when prepping for an entrance exam like the GRE, though there are a growing number of schools that don't require GRE scores for admission.

7. Do Sample Problems and Essays from Your Textbook

There are additional things you can do to practice test-taking. For example, crack open your book, and solve problems like the ones you expect to see on the test.

Write out the answers to essay questions as well. There may be suggested essay topics in your textbook.

Part 7 - Memory Improvement Techniques

1. Study Right Before Bed

Although you shouldn't pull all-nighters, studying right before bedtime can be a great idea.

Sleep helps cement information in your brain. Studies show that you're more likely to recall information 24 hours later if you went to bed shortly after learning it.

Right before bed, read through your study sheet, quiz yourself on flashcards or recite lists of information.

2. Study Small Chunks at a Time

If you want to remember information over the long haul, don't try to cram it all in during one sitting.

Instead, use an approach called spaced repetition:

Break the information into parts

Learn one new part at a time over the course of days or weeks

Review your earlier acquisitions each time you study

The brain stores information that it thinks is important. So, when you regularly go over a topic at set intervals over time, it strengthens your memory of it.

3. Tell a Story

Sometimes, you just need to make information silly in order to help it stick in your brain.

To remember a list of items or the particular order of events, make up a humorous story that links those things or words together. It doesn't necessarily need to make sense; it just needs to be memorable.

4. Change Study Locations Often

Studying the same information in multiple places helps the details stick in your mind better.

Consider some of the following locations:

Your desk at home

A coffee shop

The library

Your backyard

A park

It's best to switch between several different study spots instead of always hitting the books in the same place.

5. Swap Topics Regularly

Keeping your brain trained on the same information for long periods of time isn't beneficial. It's smarter to jump from one subject to another a few times during a long study session.

Along those same lines, you should study the same material in multiple ways. Research shows that using varied study methods for the same topic helps you perform better on tests.

6. Quiz Yourself

Challenge yourself to see what you can remember. Quizzing yourself is like practicing for the test, and it's one of the most effective methods of memory retention.

If it's hard to remember the information at first, don't worry; the struggle makes it more likely that you'll remember it in the end.

7. Go Old-school: Use a Pen and Paper

The act of writing answers helps you remember the information. Here are some ways to use writing while studying:

Recopy your notes

Write the answers to flashcards

Make a study sheet

Practice writing essay answers

Writing by hand is best because it requires your attention and focus.

8. See It & Hear It

Say information out loud, and you'll be more likely to remember it. You're engaging your eyes as you read the words, your mouth as you say them, and your ears as you hear yourself.

Scientists call the benefit of speaking information aloud production effect.

Part 8 - Top 10 Study Hacks Backed by Science

1. Grab a Coffee

Drinking coffee (or your preferred high-octane beverage) while you study may help keep you alert so you don't doze off mid-session. There's even evidence that caffeine can improve your memory skills.

However, avoid sugary beverages. These could cause your energy level to crash in a few hours.

2. Reward Yourself

Studies show that giving yourself a reward for doing your work helps you enjoy the effort more.

Do it right away; don't wait until the test is over to celebrate. For example, after finishing a three-hour study session, treat yourself to an ice cream cone or a relaxing bath.

3. Study with Others

Working with a study group holds you accountable so it's harder to procrastinate on your work.

When you study together, you can fill in gaps in one another's understanding, and you can quiz each other on the material.

Besides, studying with a group can be fun!

4. Meditate

It may be hard to imagine adding anything else to your packed schedule, but dedicating time to mindfulness practices can really pay off.

Studies show that people who meditate may perform better on tests, and they are generally more attentive.

Mindfulness apps can help you get started with this practice.

5. Hit the Gym

To boost the blood flow to your brain, do half an hour of cardio exercise before sitting down to study.

Aerobic exercise gives your brain a major dose of oxygen and other important nutrients, which may help you think clearly, remember facts and do your best work.

6. Play Some Music

Listening to tunes can help you focus. Studies show that the best study music is anything that features a rhythmic beat.

It's smart to choose a style that you like. If you like classical, that's fine, but you could also go for electronica or modern piano solos.

7. Grab Some Walnuts

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps your brain do its best work.

Good sources include:

Fish: cod liver oil, salmon and mackerel

Flaxseed

Walnuts

Vegetables: spinach and Brussels sprouts

To calm your pre-test jitters, eat a mix of omega-3 and omega-6 foods.

8. Take Regular Breaks

Your brain needs some downtime. Don't try to push through for hours on end. Every hour, take a break for several minutes.

Breaks are good for your mental health. They also improve your attention span, your creativity and your productivity.

During a break, it's best to move around and exercise a bit.

9. Get Some Sleep

Although studying is important, it can't come at the expense of your rest. Sleep gives your brain a chance to process the information that you've learned that day.

If you don't get enough sleep, you'll have a hard time focusing and remembering information.

Even during busy test weeks, try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

10. Eliminate Distractions

It's hard to get much studying done when you're busy scrolling Instagram. Put away your phone and computer while studying, or at least block your social media apps.

Turn off the television while you work, too.

If you're studying in a noisy area, put on headphones that can help block the distracting sounds.

Part 9 - The Best Study Apps

1. iStudiez Pro Legend

Scheduling study time is a must, and iStudiez Pro Legend lets you put study sessions, classes and assignments on your calendar. Color coding the entries can help you stay organized.

For each class, you can enter meeting times and homework assignments, and you can keep track of your grades.

2. Dragon Anywhere

Instead of writing notes in the margins of your textbooks, you can use Dragon Anywhere's voice dictation feature to record your thoughts and insights.

Just be sure to rewrite your dictated notes in your own handwriting later for maximum learning!

3. Evernote

When you're in school, you have a lot of responsibilities to juggle, but Evernote can help you organize them.

You can add notes and documents to store them in one digital spot, and tagging them will help you quickly pull up all files for a class or a topic.

4. Quizlet Go

Make digital flashcards that you can practice on your mobile device with Quizlet Go.

This means that you can pull out your phone for a quick study session whenever you have a couple of minutes of downtime. You don't even need internet access to practice these flashcards.

5. My Study Life

Enter your upcoming tests and assignments into My Study Life, and the app will send you reminder messages.

The app has a calendar so you can keep track of your class schedule. It can even notify you when it's time to go to class.

6. Exam Countdown Lite

You should start studying for tests at least a week in advance. Input the dates for your exams and assignments into Exam Countdown Lite so you'll have a visual reminder of when you should begin your test prep.

The app can send you notifications as well.

7. Flashcards+

With Chegg's Flashcards+, you can make your own digital flashcards or use ones designed by others.

Because you can add images to your cards, you can quiz yourself on the names of famous artworks, important historical artifacts or parts of a scientific diagram.

8. XMind

Organize information into categories by creating a visual mind map on XMind. This can help you classify facts and figures so you see how they relate to one another.

This visual representation can also help you recall the information later.

9. ScannerPro

Do you have piles of handwritten notes everywhere? Once you have written them out, consider scanning them into digital form. ScannerPro lets you use your phone as a scanner.

You can store your scanned files in this app or transfer them to Evernote or another organization system.

Part 10 - Study Skills Worksheets

Could you use more help to develop your study skills? Rutgers University has dozens of study skills worksheets online.

These documents are packed with tips that can help you become a better student. The checklists and charts can help you evaluate your current strengths and organize your work.

Part 11 - Key Takeaways

You're a busy person, so you need to make the most of every study session.

By now, you should understand the basics of effective studies:

Schedule study time

Study regularly

Minimize distractions

Read for information

Write the important stuff down

Use creative memory tricks

Quiz yourself

Be good to your body and your brain

Put these study tips to good use, and you'll soon learn that you've learned how to study smarter.

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25 Scientifically Proven Tips for Effective Studying [2023 Edition]

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Take the guesswork out of studying with our 2023 Ultimate Study Tips Guide. Use scientifically proven how to study methods to up your game!

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So, you're trying to hit the books...but does it feel like they're hitting back?

Maybe you're studying for a major exam but just can't seem to retain any information. Or perhaps you have a ten-page paper due tomorrow and just can't get motivated to sit down at the keyboard.

If you're experiencing a mental block, caused by a lack of focus or low energy, don't be discouraged. Hitting a wall happens to everyone.
Don't Do This:
Many of the things people do to support their focus and energy end up backfiring. Nicotine, caffeine, and sugar-laden, fat-filled treats provide a quick high probably by increasing dopamine levels, soon followed by a low as dopamine production plummets, which might have negative long-term effects. Avoid the quick fix of consuming junk food and energy drinks, which only provide a temporary boost in energy.
Do This Instead:
If you struggle with attention and concentration, eating a proper diet built on high-quality protein, omega-3 and other healthy fats, and high fiber) can help your focus, energy and other higher brain functions. It's especially important to eat protein with each meal and snack, which helps to stabilize your brain energy levels and maintain focus. Eating the right foods can help you have more energy, a better mood, and more mental sharpness, which is a recipe for success in every area of your life.

The next time you feel yourself dragging during a study session, dump your coffee or energy drink, toss your sugary snacks, and pick up one of these foods to get the natural lift in energy you need:
1. Well-balanced Snack
For an energy enhancing snack, eat two slices of lean deli turkey and a dozen grapes. This well-balanced snack is high in protein and antioxidants and should tide you over until your next meal.
2. Eat More Edamame
Replace finger foods like Skittles or M&Ms with shelled edamame (which is roughly the same size as those candies). Edamame is high in protein and fiber and is the perfect low-calorie snack for when you get the munchies.
3. Dip Your Apples
As a healthy alternative to eating chips and dip, slice up an apple and dip the wedges into almond butter for an appetizing anytime snack. For variety, use any organic, sugar-free nut butter as a great-tasting, protein-packed dip.
4. The Smooth Way to Study
Instead of sipping on coffee or a sugary soda, make a brain-healthy smoothie that can provide essential nutrients while curbing your hunger. With a variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from, there are countless possibilities for customizing a healthy smoothie. Add a scoop of protein powder to turn your smoothie into a meal. Here are recipes for two delicious smoothies: Cherry Mint Blast Smoothie and Vanilla Tahini Protein Shake.
5. Pack a Snack
If you're heading off to the library to do research for a paper or to join a study group, bring along some healthy snacks so that you won't be tempted to seek out a vending machine. Emergency rations can be a lifesaver if your blood sugar drops and you get a snack attack. Examples of healthy snacks are low-sugar dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, and cherries), vegetables (baby carrots, celery, and snap peas), and nuts (almonds and walnuts).
6. Disguise Healthy Snacks
If you have kids who naturally gravitate toward chips, cookies and candy bars for their after-school snack, it's time to reclaim their taste buds. Even the pickiest eaters are more willing to try new foods when they're disguised as something fun. Here's how you can create a tasty penguin snack.
7. Go Nuts Over This Snack
Almonds and cashews are an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber that can help balance blood sugar levels. They're also packed with magnesium, a mineral that plays a key role in converting food into energy. Walnuts have more plant omega-3 fats than other commonly consumed nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and pistachios.
8. An Egg-cellent Source of Protein
One of the few foods considered to be a complete protein, eggs contain all nine essential amino acids that the body can't create on its own, and a really impressive total amino acid profile. Additionally, eggs are full of vitamins needed for the body to produce energy, such as thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and B12. That gold yolk color also provides carotenoids that help the eyes keep working and very likely also help with mental processing.
9. Eat Like a Bird
Protein-rich foods like seeds and nuts take longer to digest, which may help satiate your hunger until your next meal. A handful of tasty pumpkin seeds contains more protein per ounce than almonds.
10. Healthy Chocolate Bars
For some people, eating a chocolate bar is a near-euphoric experience. Chocolate has no end of blissful, health-promoting properties that support a positive mood and the ability to think clearly and focus. Unfortunately, most chocolate bars are burdened with harmful ingredients like sugar (lots!), dairy and synthetic flavors that virtually cancel out chocolate's powerful health benefits. Instead of chewing on a sugary candy bar, reach for a nutritious chocolate bar instead-one that will sustain your energy rather than making it crash after a brief spike.

BrainMD offers two delicious chocolate bars that are sugar, dairy and gluten free: Brain in Love and Brain on Joy (which has plant-source omega-3 DHA in it and tastes great). Stock up so that you'll never be tempted to eat an unhealthy chocolate bar.

In addition to healthy snacks, supplements can also help support attention and mental stamina.

Focus and Energy

It's not uncommon for people to have periods where they feel tired or unfocused. BrainMD's Focus & Energy was designed to gently prevent fatigue without lowering blood sugar, to promote mental sharpness, and to improve your mental productivity by performing at a higher level particularly under stress. This supplement features an incredible array of "adaptogens," traditional plant concentrates proven to improve mental performance when under stress.

Unlike many other dietary supplements claiming to provide adaptogens, Focus & Energy provides concentrates that are clinically proven from clinical trials. Its high potency green tea extract is very high in EGCG and other polyphenol antioxidants and was chosen specifically to intensify oxygen and nutrient delivery to the brain. Then there are three other highly concentrated adaptogens, and choline to make the attention neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic medicinal revered over thousands of years for its mental sharpening benefits. BrainMD chose the Sensoril® standardized concentrate because of the multiple clinical trials that establish its use. Rhodiola thrives in the most extreme Siberian climates and is a favorite in the East. This concentrate is doubly standardized and clinically validated. Asian ( Panax) ginseng leads all other ginsengs for its almost immediate mental focus benefits, and this concentrate is loaded with 15% brain-active ginsenosides.

If you're looking for a natural energizer and mental sharpening supplement, one that likely will also improve your physical endurance, Focus & Energy is your best option. And unlike the energy rush you can get from your stimulant of choice (coffee, diet soda, caffeine pills), there's no dramatic drop in mood and energy with this nutritional supplement. This formula, like all of BrainMD's other supplement products, is safe, natural and non-habit forming.

At BrainMD, we've dedicated our 60-plus years of combined dietary supplement experience of providing the highest purity ingredients for the focus and energy you need when studying. Give Focus & Energy a try - we even carry a 7-day trial kit. For our full list of supplements, visit us at BrainMD.

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Top 10 Healthy Snacks for Studying and Staying Focused | BrainMD

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So, you're trying to hit the books...but does it feel like they're hitting back? Maybe you're studying for a major exam but just can't seem to retain any information. Or perhaps you have a ten-page paper due tomorrow and just can't get motivated to sit down at the keyboard.

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Do you ever feel like your study habits simply aren't cutting it? Do you wonder what you could be doing to perform better in class and on exams? Many students realize that their high school study habits aren't very effective in college. This is understandable, as college is quite different from high school. The professors are less personally involved, classes are bigger, exams are worth more, reading is more intense, and classes are much more rigorous. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you; it just means you need to learn some more effective study skills. Fortunately, there are many active, effective study strategies that are shown to be effective in college classes.

This handout offers several tips on effective studying. Implementing these tips into your regular study routine will help you to efficiently and effectively learn course material. Experiment with them and find some that work for you.

Reading is not studying

Simply reading and re-reading texts or notes is not actively engaging in the material. It is simply re-reading your notes. Only 'doing' the readings for class is not studying. It is simply doing the reading for class. Re-reading leads to quick forgetting.

Think of reading as an important part of pre-studying, but learning information requires actively engaging in the material (Edwards, 2014). Active engagement is the process of constructing meaning from text that involves making connections to lectures, forming examples, and regulating your own learning (Davis, 2007). Active studying does not mean highlighting or underlining text, re-reading, or rote memorization. Though these activities may help to keep you engaged in the task, they are not considered active studying techniques and are weakly related to improved learning (Mackenzie, 1994).

Ideas for active studying include:

Create a study guide by topic. Formulate questions and problems and write complete answers. Create your own quiz.

Become a teacher. Say the information aloud in your own words as if you are the instructor and teaching the concepts to a class.

Derive examples that relate to your own experiences.

Create concept maps or diagrams that explain the material.

Develop symbols that represent concepts.

For non-technical classes (e.g., English, History, Psychology), figure out the big ideas so you can explain, contrast, and re-evaluate them.

For technical classes, work the problems and explain the steps and why they work.

Study in terms of question, evidence, and conclusion: What is the question posed by the instructor/author? What is the evidence that they present? What is the conclusion?

Organization and planning will help you to actively study for your courses. When studying for a test, organize your materials first and then begin your active reviewing by topic (Newport, 2007). Often professors provide subtopics on the syllabi. Use them as a guide to help organize your materials. For example, gather all of the materials for one topic (e.g., PowerPoint notes, text book notes, articles, homework, etc.) and put them together in a pile. Label each pile with the topic and study by topics.

For more information on the principle behind active studying, check out our tipsheet on metacognition.

Understand the Study Cycle

The Study Cycle, developed by Frank Christ, breaks down the different parts of studying: previewing, attending class, reviewing, studying, and checking your understanding. Although each step may seem obvious at a glance, all too often students try to take shortcuts and miss opportunities for good learning. For example, you may skip a reading before class because the professor covers the same material in class; doing so misses a key opportunity to learn in different modes (reading and listening) and to benefit from the repetition and distributed practice (see #3 below) that you'll get from both reading ahead and attending class. Understanding the importance of all stages of this cycle will help make sure you don't miss opportunities to learn effectively.

Spacing out is good

One of the most impactful learning strategies is "distributed practice"-spacing out your studying over several short periods of time over several days and weeks (Newport, 2007). The most effective practice is to work a short time on each class every day. The total amount of time spent studying will be the same (or less) than one or two marathon library sessions, but you will learn the information more deeply and retain much more for the long term-which will help get you an A on the final. The important thing is how you use your study time, not how long you study. Long study sessions lead to a lack of concentration and thus a lack of learning and retention.

In order to spread out studying over short periods of time across several days and weeks, you need control over your schedule. Keeping a list of tasks to complete on a daily basis will help you to include regular active studying sessions for each class. Try to do something for each class each day. Be specific and realistic regarding how long you plan to spend on each task-you should not have more tasks on your list than you can reasonably complete during the day.

For example, you may do a few problems per day in math rather than all of them the hour before class. In history, you can spend 15-20 minutes each day actively studying your class notes. Thus, your studying time may still be the same length, but rather than only preparing for one class, you will be preparing for all of your classes in short stretches. This will help focus, stay on top of your work, and retain information.

In addition to learning the material more deeply, spacing out your work helps stave off procrastination. Rather than having to face the dreaded project for four hours on Monday, you can face the dreaded project for 30 minutes each day. The shorter, more consistent time to work on a dreaded project is likely to be more acceptable and less likely to be delayed to the last minute. Finally, if you have to memorize material for class (names, dates, formulas), it is best to make flashcards for this material and review periodically throughout the day rather than one long, memorization session (Wissman and Rawson, 2012). See our handout on memorization strategies to learn more.

It's good to be intense

Not all studying is equal. You will accomplish more if you study intensively. Intensive study sessions are short and will allow you to get work done with minimal wasted effort. Shorter, intensive study times are more effective than drawn out studying.

In fact, one of the most impactful study strategies is distributing studying over multiple sessions (Newport, 2007). Intensive study sessions can last 30 or 45-minute sessions and include active studying strategies. For example, self-testing is an active study strategy that improves the intensity of studying and efficiency of learning. However, planning to spend hours on end self-testing is likely to cause you to become distracted and lose your attention.

On the other hand, if you plan to quiz yourself on the course material for 45 minutes and then take a break, you are much more likely to maintain your attention and retain the information. Furthermore, the shorter, more intense sessions will likely put the pressure on that is needed to prevent procrastination.

Silence isn't golden

Know where you study best. The silence of a library may not be the best place for you. It's important to consider what noise environment works best for you. You might find that you concentrate better with some background noise. Some people find that listening to classical music while studying helps them concentrate, while others find this highly distracting. The point is that the silence of the library may be just as distracting (or more) than the noise of a gymnasium. Thus, if silence is distracting, but you prefer to study in the library, try the first or second floors where there is more background 'buzz.'

Keep in mind that active studying is rarely silent as it often requires saying the material aloud.

Problems are your friend

Working and re-working problems is important for technical courses (e.g., math, economics). Be able to explain the steps of the problems and why they work.

In technical courses, it is usually more important to work problems than read the text (Newport, 2007). In class, write down in detail the practice problems demonstrated by the professor. Annotate each step and ask questions if you are confused. At the very least, record the question and the answer (even if you miss the steps).

When preparing for tests, put together a large list of problems from the course materials and lectures. Work the problems and explain the steps and why they work (Carrier, 2003).

Reconsider multitasking

A significant amount of research indicates that multi-tasking does not improve efficiency and actually negatively affects results (Junco, 2012).

In order to study smarter, not harder, you will need to eliminate distractions during your study sessions. Social media, web browsing, game playing, texting, etc. will severely affect the intensity of your study sessions if you allow them! Research is clear that multi-tasking (e.g., responding to texts, while studying), increases the amount of time needed to learn material and decreases the quality of the learning (Junco, 2012).

Eliminating the distractions will allow you to fully engage during your study sessions. If you don't need your computer for homework, then don't use it. Use apps to help you set limits on the amount of time you can spend at certain sites during the day. Turn your phone off. Reward intensive studying with a social-media break (but make sure you time your break!) See our handout on managing technology for more tips and strategies.

Switch up your setting

Find several places to study in and around campus and change up your space if you find that it is no longer a working space for you.

Know when and where you study best. It may be that your focus at 10:00 PM. is not as sharp as at 10:00 AM. Perhaps you are more productive at a coffee shop with background noise, or in the study lounge in your residence hall. Perhaps when you study on your bed, you fall asleep.

Have a variety of places in and around campus that are good study environments for you. That way wherever you are, you can find your perfect study spot. After a while, you might find that your spot is too comfortable and no longer is a good place to study, so it's time to hop to a new spot!

Become a teacher

Try to explain the material in your own words, as if you are the teacher. You can do this in a study group, with a study partner, or on your own. Saying the material aloud will point out where you are confused and need more information and will help you retain the information. As you are explaining the material, use examples and make connections between concepts (just as a teacher does). It is okay (even encouraged) to do this with your notes in your hands. At first you may need to rely on your notes to explain the material, but eventually you'll be able to teach it without your notes.

Creating a quiz for yourself will help you to think like your professor. What does your professor want you to know? Quizzing yourself is a highly effective study technique. Make a study guide and carry it with you so you can review the questions and answers periodically throughout the day and across several days. Identify the questions that you don't know and quiz yourself on only those questions. Say your answers aloud. This will help you to retain the information and make corrections where they are needed. For technical courses, do the sample problems and explain how you got from the question to the answer. Re-do the problems that give you trouble. Learning the material in this way actively engages your brain and will significantly improve your memory (Craik, 1975).

Take control of your calendar

Controlling your schedule and your distractions will help you to accomplish your goals.

If you are in control of your calendar, you will be able to complete your assignments and stay on top of your coursework. The following are steps to getting control of your calendar:

1. On the same day each week, (perhaps Sunday nights or Saturday mornings) plan out your schedule for the week.

2. Go through each class and write down what you'd like to get completed for each class that week.

3. Look at your calendar and determine how many hours you have to complete your work.

4. Determine whether your list can be completed in the amount of time that you have available. (You may want to put the amount of time expected to complete each assignment.) Make adjustments as needed. For example, if you find that it will take more hours to complete your work than you have available, you will likely need to triage your readings. Completing all of the readings is a luxury. You will need to make decisions about your readings based on what is covered in class. You should read and take notes on all of the assignments from the favored class source (the one that is used a lot in the class). This may be the textbook or a reading that directly addresses the topic for the day. You can likely skim supplemental readings.

5. Pencil into your calendar when you plan to get assignments completed.

6. Before going to bed each night, make your plan for the next day. Waking up with a plan will make you more productive.

See our handout on calendars and college for more tips on using calendars as time management.

Use downtime to your advantage

Beware of 'easy' weeks. This is the calm before the storm. Lighter work weeks are a great time to get ahead on work or to start long projects. Use the extra hours to get ahead on assignments or start big projects or papers. You should plan to work on every class every week even if you don't have anything due. In fact, it is preferable to do some work for each of your classes every day. Spending 30 minutes per class each day will add up to three hours per week, but spreading this time out over six days is more effective than cramming it all in during one long three-hour session. If you have completed all of the work for a particular class, then use the 30 minutes to get ahead or start a longer project.

Use all your resources

Remember that you can make an appointment with an academic coach to work on implementing any of the strategies suggested in this handout.

Works consulted

Carrier, L. M. (2003). College students' choices of study strategies. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 96(1), 54-56.

Craik, F. I., & Tulving, E. (1975). Depth of processing and the retention of words in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104(3), 268.

Davis, S. G., & Gray, E. S. (2007). Going beyond test-taking strategies: Building self-regulated students and teachers. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 1(1), 31-47.

Edwards, A. J., Weinstein, C. E., Goetz, E. T., & Alexander, P. A. (2014). Learning and study strategies: Issues in assessment, instruction, and evaluation. Elsevier.

Junco, R., & Cotten, S. R. (2012). No A 4 U: The relationship between multitasking and academic performance. Computers & Education, 59(2), 505-514.

Mackenzie, A. M. (1994). Examination preparation, anxiety and examination performance in a group of adult students. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 13(5), 373-388.

McGuire, S.Y. & McGuire, S. (2016). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate in Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Newport, C. (2006). How to become a straight-a student: the unconventional strategies real college students use to score high while studying less. Three Rivers Press.

Paul, K. (1996). Study smarter, not harder. Self Counsel Press.

Robinson, A. (1993). What smart students know: maximum grades, optimum learning, minimum time. Crown trade paperbacks.

Wissman, K. T., Rawson, K. A., & Pyc, M. A. (2012). How and when do students use flashcards? Memory, 20, 568-579.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 License.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

If you enjoy using our handouts, we appreciate contributions of acknowledgement.
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Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder - Learning Center

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Do you ever feel like your study habits simply aren't cutting it? Do you wonder what you could be doing to perform better in class and on exams? Many students realize that their high school study habits aren't very effective ... Read more

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Noisli offers a variety of background sounds that you can turn on to improve your focus while studying. Mix and match different combinations to find out what works best for you!

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Home > Tutoring

Welcome to the Fall 2020 semester. The Betty J. Evans Tutoring Center will offer virtual tutoring sessions via Teams in addition to face-to-face tutoring within the Southworth Library Learning Commons. Please check back regularly for scheduling updates.
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Log in to Teams using your SUNY Canton e-mail address and password, or navigate to Teams using the app menu in the web-based version of SUNY Canton e-mail. Select "Join or Create Team" and enter the code for the desired lab as indicated below.

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You can use Roosearch, the library's integrated search tool, to find out if we have the book you need in print or as an e-textbook. Using the Course Reserves search, look up your course by typing its number (e.g. MATH 121), the name of your professor, or the title of the course (e.g. College Algebra). If needed, you can use the facets that appear on the left to narrow your search.

If the book is available in print, you will see "Available at SUNY Canton Library Reserves - Circulation Desk" on the item record:

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Only SUNY Canton students and faculty may borrow textbooks from the reserves collection. You'll need to know the complete title of the textbook. Give this information to staff at the front desk, along with your student ID, to borrow a textbook.

How long can I borrow a textbook from the reserves collection?

Reserves textbooks are available for checkout for two hours at a time. Reserves textbooks must not leave the library and cannot be borrowed overnight.

What happens if I decide to keep a reserves textbook past the due date?

If you borrow a reserves textbook past the due date, your borrowing privileges may be blocked (you will not be able to borrow any more library materials) until you return the book. If you frequently keep books past the due date or remove them from the library, you may lose your reserves borrowing privileges permanently.

It's important that you don't allow anyone else to use your ID or account because you are liable for any items checked out in your name. If a library item is not returned, you will be charged the full replacement value of the item plus a processing fee.

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The reserves librarian selects books for purchase based on many factors, including the course enrollment, modality, and textbook cost. If you feel the library should purchase your course's textbook, please submit a request through our purchase request form here.

Can I donate my textbook to the library?

Yes! The library welcomes all donations of textbooks. Many of the books in the current collection are donations from your classmates and professors. If you'd like to donate a textbook, please drop it off at the circulation desk. Note that donated textbooks become property of Southworth Library. Thank you!

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You can use Roosearch, the library's integrated search tool, to find out if we have the book you need in print or as an e-textbook. Using the Course Reserves search, look up your course by typing its number (e.g. MATH 121), the name of your professor, or the title of the course (e.g.

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As Northern New York's premier college for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and professional certificate programs, SUNY Canton delivers quality hands-on programs in digital design, engineering technology, health, management and public service.

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Study with StudyMD on YouTube. There are various study sessions to choose from, some with breaks and some continuous, that help create a real "studying" environment right online. Lo-fi music is also played during the study sessions.

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Study with Lofi Girl on YouTube. There are several study sessions to choose from that help create a real "studying" environment right online. Lo-fi music is played during the study sessions, and there are multiple styles and playlists to choose from.

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🎶 | study - chill - sleep - repeat 🎧 | Listen on Spotify, Apple music and more → https://bit.ly/lofigirl-playlists 💬 | Join the Lofi Girl community → https://bit.ly/lofigirl-discord → https://bit.ly/lofigirl-reddit 🌎 | Lofi Girl on all social media → https://bit.ly/lofigirl-sociaI

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Personalize a café setting right on your device to help give you a coffee shop-type of atmosphere to study in. Login to Spotify to listen to the playlists provided on the site, or you can mute their playlist and listen to your own music.

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A virtual cafe just for you. We’ve got music, drinks, and more. Take a seat and stay awhile!

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From the creator of Lofi Girl on YouTube, visit the Lofi Café and choose from a variety of lo-fi music radio stations! Each station has a .gif that plays on the screen while the music plays. Downsize and listen to just the music, or keep the .gif playing on your device as a background to your study area.

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Lofi music streams for studying, working, and relaxing.

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From fireplaces to waterfalls, Life At offers a variety of studying environments to choose from.

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Virtual study/work spaces around the world. Life at. Studyhack, studygram, study, college, Lifeat, tiktok, virtual space, study and chill, Pomorodo timer, find my college, virtual tour, college tour, touring school, productivity.

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Study Efficiently Using the Pomodoro Technique

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If you find yourself struggling to finish assignments before the deadline or getting to exams wishing you had found the time to study more you are not alone. Many students struggle with managing time for their studies, and in today’s interconnected busy world it is no wonder.

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Course details

Find time for fitness. Learn simple yoga and stretching exercises you can do at your desk. The instructors at Desk Yogi have adapted traditional yoga poses into exercises that are suitable for the office. Follow along and learn basic stretches, bends, and exercises that help you improve your posture, strengthen your muscles and joints, increase blood flow, and keep you feeling strong and energetic throughout the day. This simple daily investment in your body-a program you can complete on your lunch break-will carry your through the work week and beyond.

Note: This course was created and produced by Desk Yogi.

Earn a sharable certificate

Share what you've learned, and be a standout professional in your desired industry with a certificate showcasing your knowledge gained from the course.

Certificate of Completion

Showcase on your LinkedIn profile under "Licenses and Certificate" section

Download or print out as PDF to share with others

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Instructor

Desk Yogi is a wellness platform providing training on yoga, fitness, mindfulness, healthy eating, and more.

Desk Yogi founder Jacqui Burge has been studying, practicing, and teaching yoga for over twenty years. She also had a desk job at Lynda.com, a fast-growing company with 500+ employees. As her corporate demands grew, she found it hard to attend lunchtime yoga classes or make it to the gym. To get her equilibrium back, and to inspire others in similar situations, Jacqui started streaming live 10-minute wellness breaks for fellow employees. Word got out, and soon staff from all over the globe were logging on to her video lessons to grab a moment of meditation and movement in the middle of their day.

In less than a month, the twice-a-week sessions reached 120 attendees with a waiting list to join. Shocked at the popularity, Jacqui realized companies everywhere could offer her short wellness videos-on-demand during the long work day.

In 2015, from this basic knowledge, the idea for Desk Yogi was born. With former colleagues from Lynda.com and a team of experts in health, fitness and meditation, together they developed the content and functionality of desk-yogi.com, providing an integrated portal to deliver a simple wellness solution.

Today, Desk Yogi is used by corporations, small businesses, and individuals around the world, providing a comprehensive wellness platform built around state-of-the-art instructional videos on topics including yoga, fitness, mindfulness, meditation and stress reduction, healthy eating, workplace ergonomics, and productivity to all employees in any workspace, at their pace, no matter their fitness level.

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Chair Work: Yoga Fitness and Stretching at Your Desk Online Class | LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com

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Find time for fitness. Learn simple yoga and stretching exercises you can do at your desk. The instructors at Desk Yogi have adapted traditional yoga poses into exercises that are suitable for the office.

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5-Minute Meditation You Can Do Anywhere | Goodful

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These fun and effective ideas will help when anxiety is getting the best of you.

I don't know about you, but even in normal, not particularly chaotic times, I know when I'm stressed-my shoulders tense up and fuse with my ears, my digestion gets wonky, and according to my boyfriend and kids, I become especially delightful to be around. Stress looks different for different people, but it's usually some version of your brain and body crankily pushing back against all you're trying to manage.

The question is, what can we do to relieve stress, especially if we're stuck inside? Because not to stress you out further, but both chronic and acute stress can have negative impacts on our health, and can lead us to engage in less-than-wise escapist habits.

"When we think about the body on stress, it's really fuel for the fight-or-flight response," says Debra Kissen, Ph.D., the co-chair of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America's education committee and co-author of Rewire Your Anxious Brain For Teens. This is helpful when we have to get in gear to, say, lift a car off a small child or flee an ax-wielding horror movie villain. "It's just that when our brain continues to feel that we're in danger when we're not, that stress starts to create all kinds of physical and emotional problems." Add anxiety -dread and worry about what may happen next-and that doesn't help our stress levels.

But which stress-relief activity will depend on what you're experiencing it at that moment, says Kissen. Are you climbing out of your skin, or is your mind racing? Do you have physical pain, or are feeling overwhelmed? "Having a toolbox of different techniques ready to go when you realize you're stressed is really important," she says.

That's why we asked the experts for their best stress-relieving activities that you can have at the ready, even if you can't get outside.

2 Do something tactile

Getting out of your head and into your senses (in this case, your sense of touch) can bring you back to the here and now, says Kissen. Whether that's popping bubble wrap, sorting your change jar to cash in at the bank, or making homemade slime with the littles, it brings you back into your body. Or you can try this quickie exercise. "Ask yourself: What's one thing I can smell, one thing I can taste, one thing I can touch, etc.," says Kissen. "Activating all the senses is a good grounded technique."

3 Give yourself a massage

4 Point your brain at a problem

If the stress is more mental than physical and you feel your mind looping around itself, give yourself a discrete task, such as organizing your shoes or doing a word puzzle. "When you're stressed, your brain may be saying, 'we've got a problem to solve' so it keeps spinning. That's a good time to engage your mind," says Kissen. If you give it a task to focus on, you'll feel calmer and be better able to deal with what's actually stressing you out.

5 Dance like no one is watching

6 Take a bath

Run a bath and sink on in. "By changing the body temperature, it's the full sensory slowing down-it's kind of like rebooting a computer that has all these windows open doing too much processing," says Kissen. "By turning it off and starting again, it'll help to get unstuck." If you like, add in some other calming sensory stimulators, like fragrant soap or some chill music.

7 Try knitting

Assuming you like crafting (Kissen emphasizes some people are overwhelmed by the mere thought!), there's evidence that the repetitive action of clicking your needles can be meditative and calming. There's also been research that looked at women with anxiety who also had eating disorders that found knitting made most of them less preoccupied and anxious. If you're a newbie, check out these DIY tutorial videos from We Are Knitters, which also makes easy beginner kits.

8 Go ahead and stress bake!

Baking checks so many stress-reduction boxes: It can be a sensory experience (smushing the dough, the smell of baked yummies and of course the taste); it is a project that requires planning, concentration, and mindfulness, which activates your brain; and if you enjoy it, it's fun. Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping's Chief Food Director, loves this amazing blueberry sweet roll recipe, but if you've had enough sugar, move on to a healthy pizza recipe. "It feels comforting and you can literally put anything on top of pizza dough," she says. "My kids help shape the dough, which is just fun, and they get a kick out of me twirling it in the air." And if you're stressed by the fact that no eats the same thing in your house? "Everyone can pick and choose their own topping," Merker adds.

9 Stretch yourself

10 Meditate-or even just consciously breathe

12 Go on a cleaning binge

Giving the inside of your pantry a good wipe-down or really getting into the sofa cushions with a vacuum attachment has multiple stress reducing benefits on top of fewer visits from icky vermin: it's a project that requires a little planning, but some physical activity-both of which Kissen says can reduce stress-and is likely to result in a sense of achievement that lifts your mood. And working mindfully at it can reduce stress even more: one study found that folks who were told to stay gently focused on what they were doing while washing dishes boosted their effect (although being mindful while you do most any activity may show similar benefits.)

13 Do progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)

Years of research have found PMR helps reduce anxiety and calm breathing. Lie down and relax, and then tighten, hold and then release each muscle in your body, one at a time, starting with your toes and moving up to the crown of your head. Do this slowly and methodically, and don't forget the muscles of your face. It may be more relaxing to listen to someone else walk you through the exercise. Visit this link to find audio, video, and scripts that you can record and then playback to yourself.

14 Doodle

You don't have to have any skill at art to just let your pen have its way with the page, or even easier, pick up an adult coloring book. "Anything that can get you out of your head, if you enjoy it, can be a stress reliever," says Kissen. If you're not focused on how good the drawing is, then the stakes are blissfully low.

15 Get lost in a story

It may be hard for some people to dig into a good book when they're feeling stressed, but binging on a super-absorbing podcast or TV series that transports you out of your life is a positive distraction. "Whether it's a podcast or a really dumb series, mindfully attending to a target is a great anchor," says Kissen. In other words, the point isn't simply to distract yourself, but to make an active choice to place your attention elsewhere, she says. The mind, says Kissen, thinks, "If only I keep thinking and thinking I'll solve the problem and get out of it," and choosing to anchor it elsewhere can stop this stress response.

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15 Stress-Reducing Activities You Can Do at Home, According to Experts

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Having trouble deciding what to work on?

Well, there's a popular time management analogy called the "rock, pebbles, and sand story."

In this article, I will briefly retell this story and then dive into a few key lessons about how to apply this information to your life.

( Side note: Another positive way to improve your life is to read and learn something new every day. A great tool to do this is to join over 1 million others and start your day with the latest FREE, informative news from this website.)

Related Video: Rock, Pebbles, and Sand Analogy

The Rock, Pebbles, and Sand in a Jar Story
Here is a quick background on the rock, pebbles, and sand in a jar story (This story appears in many forms, some even incorporating a fourth element of water. However, its original source is unknown. So consider the following to be a metaphor instead of an actual person who said the following.)

A philosophy professor once stood up before his class with a large empty mayonnaise jar. He filled the jar to the top with large rocks and asked his students if the jar was full.

The students said that yes, the jar was indeed full.

He then added small pebbles to the jar, and gave the jar a bit of a shake so the pebbles could disperse themselves among the larger rocks. Then he asked again, "Is the jar full now?"

The students agreed that the jar was still full.

The professor then poured sand into the jar to fill up any remaining empty space. The students then agreed that the jar was completely full.

The professor went on to explain that the jar represents everything that is in one's life, which we'll explain in the next section...

Is the Jar Full? A Breakdown on This Story

The rocks are equivalent to the most important projects and things you have going on, such as spending time with your family and maintaining proper health. This means that if the pebbles and the sand were lost, the jar would still be full and your life would still have meaning. (If you'd like to learn more about how to figure out what's important in your life, read this article on 137 life lessons.)

The pebbles represent the things in your life that matter, but that you could live without. The pebbles are certainly things that give your life meaning (such as your job, house, hobbies, and friendships), but they are not critical for you to have a meaningful life. These things often come and go, and are not permanent or essential to your overall well-being.

Finally, the sand represents the remaining filler things in your life, and material possessions. This could be small things such as watching television, browsing through your favorite social media site, or running errands. These things don't mean much to your life as a whole, and are likely only done to waste time or get small tasks accomplished.
So what's the big lesson with the rock, pebbles, and sand in a jar story?
The metaphor here is that if you start with putting sand into the jar, you will not have room for rocks or pebbles. This holds true with the things you let into your life. If you spend all of your time on the small and insignificant things, you will run out of room for the things that are actually important.

In order to have a more effective and efficient life, pay attention to the "rocks," because they are critical to your long-term well-being.

While you can always find time to work or do chores, it is important to manage the things that really matter first. The rocks are your priorities, while the other things in your life are represented by pebbles and sand.

In order to stay productive and efficient in your personal and professional life, it's best to have a maximum of five rocks in the jar at any given time.

These rocks may represent a project you want to accomplish, spending time with your loved ones, spending time with your faith, focusing on your education, or maybe mentoring other people. Your top five big rocks need to go into the jar first or else they will never get in at all.

Final Thoughts on the Jar Story...

If you are able to identify the important things in your life ahead of time and set aside the time you need to work on them, then in the long run it is okay to procrastinate a bit on the "pebbles" or the other projects that are not as important.

The jar is still full with five rocks in it, so that is where your focus should lie in order to continue to live a full, happy life without over-obligating yourself. If you solve the big issues first by putting the rocks in the jar first, the small issues can still fall into place. However, the reverse is not true.

Finally, if you'd like to learn more about how to make effective decisions on what's actually important in your life, then I recommend checking out these articles on our website:

Finally, if you want another positive way to improve your life, then read and learn something new every day. A great tool to do this is to join over 1 million others and start your day with the latest FREE, informative news from this website.

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Is the Jar Full? The Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand in a Jar Story

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Having trouble deciding what to work on? Well, there's a popular time management analogy called the "rock, pebbles, and sand story." In this article, I will briefly retell this story and then dive into a few key lessons about how to apply this information to your life.

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If you want to achieve solid marks at school, you need to be strategic. Ditch your highlighter pens. Stop re-reading your books and notes. These are incredibly boring and passive ways to study. You need new study strategies.

Below are 10 highly effective study strategies that can be applied to any subject area.

1. Dual coding (using words and pictures)

Dual coding is when you use both words and pictures to learn information. This gives you two ways to learn the information (via the words and the pictures).

Here are some different ways you can dual code when you study:

Create an infographic summarising the topic

Make a comic strip

Doodle on a blank sheet of paper as you read

Create a mind map (you can learn how to mind map here)

Look at the pictures in your textbooks and compare them to the text. Ask yourself the following question:

Is the picture conveying something that the text isn't?

Think this strategy is only for visual learners and artistic types? Think again. Dual coding has nothing to do with learning styles and being a visual learner, which some people argue is an educational myth. Dual coding is for everyone.

2. Retrieval practice

Without looking at your books and notes, try to recall the information. Ask yourself, What did I study in human biology yesterday? Force yourself to get the information out of your brain.

The simple act of bringing information to mind helps to reinforce it in your brain.

You see, it takes effort to transfer information into your long-term memory. You don't just hear information once in class and ... BOOM! That information stays in your brain forever. Sorry, it doesn't work like that.

We are incredibly forgetful so we need to revisit the information to help cement it in our brains. Retrieval practice is the best way to do this.

Let me make one thing clear: Retrieval practice is not the same thing as repetition.

Repetition is easy (you just read the information over and over again). But retrieval (forcing yourself to bring specific information to mind) is hard. It strains your brain. But it's a good kind of muscular strain.

Just like it's good to push your body at the gym, retrieval practice is the ultimate workout for your brain. It will help shift information into your long-term memory so you can access it when you need it.

Here are some different ways you can practice retrieval:

Use flashcards: Try to answer the question before flipping over the card and reading the answer

Do practice tests and past exam papers

Try explaining a concept to a friend, your pet or the wall

Grab a diagram you need to learn the terms of, white out the terms and test yourself

Do a brain dump: Take a blank piece of paper and draw out everything you know about a particular topic

When you get to the point where you can't recall anything else, that's when it's okay to take out your books and your notes. Check for any mistakes and gaps in your knowledge.

As Dr Barbara Oakley says:

"Getting clear on what you don't understand is 80% of the battle."

It's also important to know that you're retrieving the correct information (otherwise, you'll be reinforcing the wrong stuff!).

If you're consistent with your retrieval practice and incorporate it into your study sessions, you'll see dramatic improvements over time.

3. Spaced practice

Rather than doing 5 hours of study right before your exam (i.e. cramming), it's much more effective to space out those 5 hours of study over 2 weeks. You learn more by spacing out your study.

Now if you're used to the cramming approach, spreading out your study over 2 weeks will probably feel strange at first. It will require a little planning. But the more you do this, the easier it gets. Before you know it, it will become a habit.

When you sit down to do spaced practice, keep in mind you only need to do 15-20 minutes of study before taking a break (not hours and hours of study).

The spaced practice approach usually means you'll:

Be less stressed

Get more sleep

You'll remember the information for a lot longer

Why? Because you won't need to stay up late or pull an all-nighter to study for your test or exam.

4. Pretend to be 4-years-old

Have you ever spent time with a 4-year-old child? If so, you'll notice they ask Why? a lot. It's this natural curiosity that makes 4-year-olds like sponges, soaking up information from absolutely everywhere.

When you sit down to read your textbook, you want to ask Why? and How?

Ask questions such as:

Why is this the case?

How does this idea relate to the idea that was mentioned earlier?

How does this work?

How do these ideas relate to my own life?

Asking questions will help you to stay engaged with the material.

5. The power of examples

For some subjects (e.g. economics and psychology) you'll need to learn lots of definitions of abstract ideas and concepts. If you're like most students, you probably memorise these definitions by repeating them over and over again.

But if you do this, two things are likely to happen:

1) You'll probably feel like a robot; and
2) You won't fully understand the concept, which will make it hard to remember.

We can get ideas on how to learn definitions more effectively by looking at how professional actors learn their lines. Professional actors don't learn their lines word for word. Instead they try to understand the character's motivations and needs. Gaining a deeper understanding of these factors helps the actor to learn their lines more efficiently.

Similarly, gaining a deeper understanding of an abstract concept will help you to learn and memorise it. So the question is, what is going to help you to deeply understand the abstract concept?

Good examples. And lots of them.

Whenever you have to memorise an abstract concept, collect as many different examples as possible.Get examples from your teachers, from your textbooks, etc. Plaster those examples over your wall and in key locations in your house (e.g. on the mirror and fridge).

6. Mix things up: a) Ideas and b) Location

If you were going to a barbeque, you wouldn't bring along veggie kebabs that only contained zucchini on the skewer. That would look cheap and nasty! One of the joys of kebabs is the variety of vegetables (e.g. tomato, onion, zucchini, capsicum). So you'd want to mix things up to make the kebabs appetising.

The same thing applies with your studies. Don't just study one concept for a long period of time. Mix things up. Study one idea and then jump to another concept in the same subject.

For extra bonus points, you could pretend to be 4-years-old and ask yourself, How are these two ideas similar? and How are they different?

Don't always study in the same place. Sometimes study in a quiet café, a library or at the kitchen table. Research has found that changing your surrounding environment slows down forgetting and enriches learning.
7. Take notes by hand
Want to remember more information? Ditch your laptop and work with pen and paper.

A study called The pen is mightier than the keyboard found that students retained more information when they took notes by hand than when they took typed notes on their laptops.

When you take notes on your laptop, you tend to write word for word what the teacher is saying. This is because you can type at the same speed the teacher is speaking at.

But when you take notes by hand, you can't write as fast as the teacher speaks. This forces you to put the information in your own words. This makes it easier for you to understand the information, which explains why you tend to remember more of it.

8. Listen to (certain types of) music and/or create your own songs

Why is it that some people with dementia can't remember the names of their friends and family, but they can remember the lyrics to hundreds of songs?

It's because music touches many different regions and lobes of the brain, which helps to cement the lyrics into our brains.

This makes music an incredibly powerful learning tool. Certain types of music can motivate you to study and complete tasks that you typically perceive painful and would prefer to avoid doing.

But more importantly, music can also help you to learn important concepts.

Jump on YouTube and you'll find a range of educational songs (check out the circulatory song and this quadratic formula song. You can even learn how to make a lasagna with music.

Here are some ideas on how you can use music to help you study:

Watch and learn educational songs on YouTube

Create your own song using the content you need to learn

Take a pre-existing song and change the lyrics to help you learn important concepts

Have some fun and use humour wherever possible.

9. Enter the diffuse mode

Working on a difficult problem? Feeling stuck? Then take a break. Allow your brain to go into what Dr Barbara Oakley calls the 'diffuse mode' of thinking.

In the diffuse mode, you relax your attention and allow your mind to wander. Let your subconscious mind do the work for you.

You often hear stories of famous scholars coming up with groundbreaking theories while relaxing under an apple tree, going for a walk or having a shower. In these diffuse mode states, their brains are still working away on the problem, which ultimately leads to these 'Eureka!' moments.

Some activities that will help you to enter the diffuse mode of thinking are:

Walking

Listening to music

Meditating

Napping

Drawing

Having a bath/shower

It may seem like you're wasting time in the diffuse mode but you're not. Your brain is still working quietly in the background on the problem, even though you're not actively focusing on it.

10. Get a good night's sleep

Okay, so this isn't exactly a specific study strategy but it's critical to all of the strategies listed above. You see, when you sleep, your brain doesn't just turn off. The opposite actually occurs. Your brain gets busy doing the following:

Clearing out toxic waste products that have accumulated while you've been awake

Rehearsing tougher information you're trying to learn

Strengthening and consolidating important information

This is why going over important information before you take a 90-minute nap or go to sleep at night can be beneficial for learning. Your brain is more likely to rehearse this information and strengthen it while you sleep.

Most importantly, it's critical that you get a solid 8-10 hours of quality (undisturbed) sleep each night. If you're sleep deprived, these effective study strategies cease to be effective.

Getting sufficient sleep will ensure that you can concentrate and recall information more easily in your tests and exams. So if it's approaching midnight and you're thinking, Maybe I can squeeze in another hour of study ... think again. Always prioritise sleep over study. Your brain will thank you for it the next day.

Final thoughts

To get maximum benefit from these ten study strategies, you need to be able to focus when you use them. Why? Because distraction is the enemy when it comes to learning information. If you're trying to study complex information while checking your phone and watching a Netflix series, you're wasting your time.

So before you sit down to study, deal with any potential distractions. Do this ...

Turn your phone off. Place it in another room far, far away. Close your bedroom door so you can't be disturbed.

The aim of the game is to form effective study habits. This isn't hard to do and it's never too late to give it a shot. It just takes practice, perseverance and being willing to try something new.

Found this blog post useful? Want to learn more ways to enhance your study experience and boost your grades? Check out my latest book, Study Hacks: Your Survival Guide for High School.

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10 highly effective study strategies to help you ace your tests and exams

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If you want to achieve solid marks at school, you need to be strategic. Ditch your highlighter pens. Stop re-reading your books and notes. These are incredibly boring and passive ways to study. You need new study strategies. Below are 10 highly effective study strategies that can be applied to any subject area.

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Guides: Study Effectively: Top 40 Study Strategies

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More students than ever before are turning to online learning to further their education. In fact, studies indicate that roughly one-third of all students are now taking at least one online course. Given the benefits of online learning like added flexibility, broader perspectives, and improved collaboration, it's easy to see why so many students are drawn to virtual classes.

For students who are new to online learning, like those affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic or those simply looking to make a change, transitioning to online learning can take some getting used to. And, if you are adjusting to a full-time online program or balancing school and work , it is critical to be able to manage your time effectively.

Whether you've chosen to pursue online learning or you've been thrust into it, there are key skills you will need to make the most out of your online education, including time management.

The Importance of Time Management For Students

One of the most valuable skills you can have as an online student is effective time management. The better you manage your time, the easier it is to achieve your goals. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, meaning, it's not about how much time you have, but how well you can manage it.

This is especially important for online students, who are often working full-time, taking care of family, or juggling other commitments. Without the camaraderie of a class to motivate you or having a set time where you need to be on campus, effective time management is crucial to helping you stay focused.

Effective time management not only helps with your learning but can also make you more productive at work and in your personal life. If you're serious about successfully completing your online degree, it's crucial to find a good system to use.

Below are seven time management tips to help you stay ahead of your coursework.

Northeastern's Online Learning Experience

Learn what it's like to take a class online, tips for excelling in an online learning environment, and more.

Time Management Tips for Online Students

1. Plan ahead.

Your hectic schedule, combined with daily distractions, can easily get in the way of finishing tasks. The best online students know how to set aside time to focus. This includes having a consistent time and workspace, tuning out those distractions, and avoiding surfing the internet.

Despite the flexibility in being an online student, it's important to have frequent engagement with your studies throughout the week. Provide plenty of time to space out your required readings, assignments, and online discussions.

Consider purchasing a calendar you can use to plan your daily and weekly assignments, highlighting:

Assignments due, including drafts and final submissions

Activities related to your program, such as study group meetups or on-campus networking events

Virtual or in-person office hours with professors and advisors

Melanie Kasparian, associate director of assessment for the Northeastern University College of Professional Studies, shares a sample schedule of what a typical week might look like:

2. Don't multitask.

Avoid multitasking-which can actually decrease your productivity. Focus on one assignment at a time and zero in on the specific task at hand, whether that's studying for an exam, reading a textbook, emailing a professor, or participating in an online forum. Arrange your tasks in order of importance, and pay attention to the three or four crucial tasks that require the most effort.

If you need help staying focused, then consider creating lists using a project management tool, such as Trello or Smartsheet, to help organize tasks. If you prefer a traditional to-do list, then look at digital notebooks like Todoist, ClickUp, or Evernote.

Lastly, concentrate on what needs to get done in the present and avoid anything too far-off. If it's a small assignment that you don't need to address for several weeks, put it on your calendar to focus on when the deadline is closer.

3. Set up your virtual office.

Whether you study at home or your local café, it's important to work in the optimal setting needed to complete your work. Make sure there's high-speed internet, and that you're in a comfortable space with the right lighting, sound, and background. For example, some people prefer to work with headphones on, while others prefer silence or an ambient backdrop with people quietly chatting. Sit in a comfortable chair, and make sure the lighting isn't too dim. Close out your browser windows, and put your phone away.

Along with these elements, make sure you have all the required materials, such as textbooks and industry-specific software. Set up as much as you can ahead of time to stay on task with your coursework.

4. Block out distractions.

Make sure to avoid surfing the web excessively. It's easy to become distracted by the news or your favorite celebrity gossip site. Stay focused, and avoid Facebook, Twitter, and other social media tools when you need to concentrate on your studies.

If you're struggling to stay focused, then consider the Pomodoro Method. This technique helps with productivity by arranging how you work to increase efficiency. The tool builds on 25-minute work sessions, optimizing your time to focus on your online studies. The best way to use this method is to:

Set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterrupted for the scheduled period.

Take a five-minute break to grab a coffee, check emails, or do something else.

Once you've completed four work sessions, treat yourself to a longer, 15-minute break.

If you're still struggling with procrastination, download a website blocker for your Pomodoro sessions. Freedom, KeepMeOut, and Switcheroo minimize online browsing and let you follow through on your daily tasks. With these tools, you can block all websites or redirect your favorite sites to your school's homepage.

5. Reward yourself

It's important to reward yourself after a job well done in order to avoid burnout. Otherwise, it will be difficult to concentrate on even the simplest tasks.

You can reward yourself by celebrating your accomplishments and treating yourself to something you truly enjoy, whether that's watching your favorite show on Netflix or going out to a nice dinner and a movie. If you've been working on an assignment for several months in a row, then take a week off when you're finished.

6. Create a balance.

In addition to rewarding yourself, it's also important to find a balance between coursework and your other obligations, especially if you're juggling school and work .

To help create an effective balance and avoid burning out, be sure to prioritize your time in a way that allows you to focus on school, work, and your personal life when you need to. Creating a predictable schedule can help you get into a routine that works for your lifestyle and allows you to dedicate your full attention to each aspect of your life at a given time.

7. Get a good night's sleep.

Sleep is essential to rest your body and keep your mind fresh for the next day. Try to get seven to eight hours of rest a night. Pulling all-nighters is less productive than studying consistently. Include sleep in your schedule, and you can reap huge rewards.

Taking Charge of Your Online Education

Enrolling in an online degree program is a great way to further your education and ultimately advance in your career, but it's up to you to take charge of your learning so you can get the most out of your classes. A key component of doing so is employing effective time management strategies to stay on top of your responsibilities.

As important as it is to be a good student, finding an online program that fits your needs is also critical to success. When choosing an online degree program, be sure to do your research and understand how the content and structure of the courses align with your own goals and objectives. If career advancement is your ultimate goal, for example, a program that values collaboration and networking could be a good fit.

By choosing the right program to fit your needs and taking charge of your learning, you can prepare yourself for online learning success.
For more on how to be a successful online learner, explore our related online learning tips and advice posts, or watch the recorded webinar below.

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7 Time Management Tips for Online Students

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More students than ever before are turning to online learning to further their education. In fact, studies indicate that roughly one-third of all students are now taking at least one online course. Given the benefits of online learning like added flexibility, broader perspectives, and improved collaboration, it's easy to see why so many students are drawn to virtual classes.