Study habits that are sabotaging your grades


It has often been said that as much as you put in hard work in your studies, don’t forget to work smart. Your smart – or not so smart – study habits are the determining factor as to whether your hard work will pay off.
You probably have a study routine for your reading assignments, projects, and exam revision. Maybe you deny yourself hours of sleep and leisure as you pore over books throughout the day and night but still have deteriorating grades. The secret could be in your study habits. Listed below are some of the bad habits you could be incorporating into your study routine that result in bad grades. Identify them and fix them fast for better results.

Cramming

A majority of students are guilty of this toxic practice. It usually happens just before a major test or exam, when students try to cram in as much information as possible in a very short period of time. While this may help with the test, this information will seep out of your brain just as fast as you crammed it in there. You will not remember the content in the future and you’ll end up cramming it again when the next test comes.

Study habits that are sabotaging your grades

Doing this consistently may increase your stress levels and lead to burnout. To avoid this, review your notes all throughout the semester to better familiarize yourself with the content. This will give you time to relax your brain before an exam, get enough sleep on the night before, and ace those tests.

Studying in the wrong environment

There’s a right place for everything, and a place full of distractions is not the place to get your studying done. To study effectively, you need to be able to concentrate and internalize the material. It’s also important to keep a comfortable posture that keeps you alert. Excessive distractions such as loud music will interfere with your memorization. If you love studying in your room but find yourself dozing off every time, change the venue. Find a spot that allows you to focus fully on your studies and stick to it.

Procrastination

If you keep putting off your assignments and projects until the very last possible minute, then you are compromising the quality of your work. Doing school work in a rush will not give you ample time for research and organization. You’ll end up doing it just to beat the deadline and hand in low quality work. Do your work as soon as it’s assigned to avoid having a pile of undone work with little time.

Study habits that are sabotaging your grades

Poor note taking skills

The notes you take in class have a lot to do with your grades. They’re what you go to for revision before exams, after all. If you write down everything your professor says, you might end up wasting your time on unnecessary information. Instead, pay close attention to their verbal cues and points that they put emphasis on.

Multitasking

Watching your favorite TV show, checking your social media accounts, and eating lunch while at the same time doing your homework may sound like a cool way to kill many birds with one stone. The truth however is that your level of concentration on your studies will be limited, and you’ll hardly commit any information to mind. It is better to do one task at a time and get the most out of it. There will be less chances of making errors this way. After you’re through with your homework, you can then treat yourself to as much TV or social media as you like.
Adopting good study habits will remove much of the stress associated with exam periods. You’ll be well prepared and confident, ready to face any test.

Recommended For You