Many people believe that studying hard is the key to achieving excellent grades.

In fact, many are willing to sacrifice sleep and study until late at night.

In reality, studying hard doesn't always lead to the best results. It's time to shift your mindset; from now on, try studying smarter, not harder. When studying hard, it's easy to lose track of time due to trying to learn too many things at once. On the other hand, studying smart makes you more productive. You'll learn how to manage time more efficiently while setting important goals to achieve!

1. Understand the Learning Cycle

Understanding the learning cycle is essential for studying more efficiently. You can follow a learning cycle developed by Frank Christ. According to Christ, there are five key steps in the learning process: preview, attend class, review, study, and test understanding. First, familiarize yourself with the material before attending class. In this step, highlight key words or sentences that you expect to be addressed during the class.

While attending class, focus on participating, paying attention to the material, taking notes on important points, and asking questions if something is unclear. Next, review the material discussed within 24 hours and study it in more depth. Try to set aside three to five short study sessions per day to remain effective. Finally, ask yourself if you truly understand the material. If not, you may need to revisit your learning process to gain a deeper understanding.

2. Stay Positive

Believe it or not, your emotional state can impact your ability to absorb information. Research on brain mapping shows that when you're bored, stressed, or anxious, processing information becomes difficult. The key here is to maintain a positive mindset and emotions.

To manage this, start by getting excited about the material you're studying. Additionally, affirming positive thoughts to yourself can help stay motivated. Don't forget to appreciate yourself by rewarding yourself. Begin with small things, like listening to your favorite music, enjoying your favorite food, or buying new stationery to keep your enthusiasm up.

3. Find Your Comfort Zone

There’s a saying, Step out of your comfort zone. But for this point, you actually need to find and stay within your comfort zone. In reality, effective studying requires a location where you feel comfortable. Before choosing that spot, make sure you understand your learning style so you can match it to the environment.

Remember—you're in control of choosing your study location. Wherever you stay, try to set up a space that helps you study comfortably. However, don’t get too comfortable. Before starting your study session, try dressing neatly as a sign to yourself that it's time to focus and learn.

4. Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

Research shows that our brains are designed to work sequentially, not in parallel. This means multitasking isn’t our strength; humans can only focus on one task at a time. Therefore, it’s crucial to prioritize quality over quantity in studying. By focusing on quality, you may not cover as many topics in one session, but you'll have more time to analyze and understand the material.

Focusing on quality leads to better results. Instead of forcing yourself to study many things at once, train yourself to have shorter, yet more intensive study sessions. Ultimately, studying requires a well-designed strategy to achieve satisfying results. During the process, be sure not to overwhelm yourself or burn out.

Ultimately, with the right strategies and tools, learning can become more engaging, efficient, and rewarding—allowing you to achieve your goals with ease and confidence!

Study Smarter, Not Harder | Kiki Fan | TEDxKerrisdaleLive

Video by TEDx Talks