Before the beginning of a new academic year, your motivation level usually tend to be higher all the time. You start setting up goals, make resolutions about how you are never going to procrastinate again. But as the academic year begins, slowly your motivational level drops down. You start saying ‘Why now? I have a whole year ahead’, and the act of procrastination goes on till two or three days before the exam. If you are someone looking out for ways to motivate yourself to study, then you have come to the right place. Here are 12 different ideas on how to be motivated to study.
Self Motivation – Why is It Important?
Being self-motivated is a vital skill for life. It is very important for climbing the career ladder, achieving goals, and experiencing greater personal satisfaction. When you are self motivated you will have the courage to cross the obstacles coming in between your path to success. It trains you towards perseverance and makes your perform better day by day.
How to be Motivated to Study?
Have a look at some of the best ways to get motivated to study.
Create a study time table
It is very important for a student to create an organized study plan as it helps in prioritizing things that are of utmost importance. A perfect study timetable aims to:
- Achieve desired goals
- Plan long-term
- Track progress
- Get better results in exams
A regular study routine can help you find a balance between studies and leisure time. It develops good study habits and ensures that all subjects and portions are covered.
Set goals
If you wish to succeed as a student, you should set goals. Here is why you should set goals to motivate yourself to study:
- Apart from long-term goals like completing a grade or achieving a degree, you have short-term goals such as completing a chapter or an assignment. Setting goals makes it easier for you to do this and reach important milestones.
- It helps you meet deadlines.
- You will develop a commitment to yourself.
- It helps you track progress, work harder, and keep you focused.
The more specific your goal is, the more easier it will be to focus and take the necessary action to accomplish it. For example, “I will study more” can be considered as a vague goal. On the other hand “I will study every day between 3 and 6 PM” is a specific goal and provides you with an actionable plan.
Make sure to keep your goals attainable and realistic. Understand that if you are setting up overly ambitious goals, you are setting up for failure.
Most students often experience intense stress during exam time. If you are someone struggling through the same, look for ways to deal with exam stress. You can try doing relaxing techniques, yoga, or even take a few minutes break from studies.
Understand the topic instead of memorizing
Understanding a topic is more effective and rewarding than memorizing it. This is because conceptual understanding helps you gain more knowledge and lets you convert ideas and concepts in your own words. It advances the depth of learning and makes you capable of applying ideas to real-life situations. Try to understand a topic rather than merely memorizing it. This will keep you motivated and increase your interest in learning more.
Visualize yourself completing a task successfully
If you find it difficult to do a task or study something, visualize yourself completing that successfully. This is a great way to motivate yourself to study. When you repeatedly do this, it makes it easier for you to study well in reality. In such a way, you can gain self-confidence that will help you perform well and achieve your goals.
Group study
Studying in a group gives the students a sense of accountability. When you study in a group, you can look forward to sharing ideas, discussing notes, and asking opinions from your fellow mates.
When you are alone, you might postpone studying until the night before the next day’s class. But when you are in a group, this won’t happen because you study at a specific time. If you have procrastination issues, then this just might be the right solution for you.
Study groups will also help you learn faster. For example, if you find it difficult to understand some part of your textbook, you can learn faster by simply asking a doubt instead of puzzling over the difficulty alone.
Understand your studying style better
Every student learns differently. Make your learning experience as interesting as possible by understanding your learning style. Visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic are four different learning styles.
If you are a visual learner, then you prefer the use of images and graphic organizers to understand new information. Auditory learners prefer learning through both listening and speaking. On the other hand, learners with a strong reading or writing preference learn through words. They present themselves as the best note makers or avid readers and are very well capable of translating abstract ideas. Kinesthetic learners understand information through representations of information.
By understanding the type of learner you are, then you will be able to gain a better perspective on how to implement them.
If you need any guidance on how to get motivated to study, you can always approach us.
Other Ways That Will Help You Stay Motivated
- Break down the materials
- Make a boring subject interesting
- Don’t compare yourself with others
- Reward yourself
- Practice yoga and meditation
- Do mental exercises
Now that you know how to motivate yourself to study, always keep in mind that self-motivation is the key to academic success.
Focus on the outcome and not the struggles. Stay motivated!
