One bonus tip: Experiment with the level and type of noise in your study environment. I can't study/work with silence because my brain can't help but pick up on small noises in the background (and from what I've read those TRULY silent rooms make you go crazy). Typically I work with music, and I've been building a study playlist for a couple years that I use quite often: collegeinfogeek.com/playlist/ I've also linked to some other sources on that page, including a white noise generator if that's more your speed :)
Alternatively, if you're like me and music distracts you, try creating a mix of ambient background noise! I have an study audio I like to call 'Library Café' which is a mix of paper sounds, cups clinking, people walking, a low hum of conversation etc. It helps me turn off the extraneous parts of my brain for better focus - silence makes me sleepy or lets my brain wander off in all sorts of directions, particularly when doing creative work. I find sites like Coffitivity or AmbientMixer (where I made my mix) are great for this. Bonus: my brain is far more likely to kick into study mode when this mix is playing (almost like Pavlovian conditioning). Also, pick a comfy chair but don't get too comfy (couch/bed). Not only are you likely to give up and take a nap or lounge (been there), you're also invading your relaxation space with study vibes. Not cool.
My university lets you check out keys to study rooms on our library's quiet floor- when I give campus tours it takes everything I have not to call them their colloquial name: sensory deprivation chambers.
I think this might actually be my first comment on your channel ever, but Thomas - your content saved my lazy ass in the past 3 semesters! I discovered your channel during one of my famous procrastination sessions and since then everything changed for me and now I'm finally done with all my essays and just have my bachelors thesis left to write. Your videos helped me to find motivation and sometimes even be excited about my studying sessions. Keep up the good work, it really meant a lot to me! :)
Maybe I'm kinda late at this but I agree too. He is very tactful and practical with his content that actually helps in long time goals. I'm glad I follow him because now I don't get as cluttered and stagnant as I used to.
I've spent weeks being unproductive because my room was too hot and bright that I couldn't even see my laptop screen. I couldn't just close the curtains because the wind will just blow it all over the place. I can't close the window 'cause it'll get too hot. As a solution, I took my blanket and hung it on my curtain rod as a makeshift half-curtain. I can now enjoy a nice breeze with an infinitely better lighting. Just sharing because this small change made me more willing and motivated to do work :)
Seriously. That part about laundry being distracting. We had our finals week two weeks ago (since we have a different school calendar), and weeks prior to the finals week had been HECTIC. The laundry had piled up to astronomical heights, and I kept telling myself that I had to finish all my submissions before I should tackle them, since the deadlines were coming up. So I sat in front of my desk for two hours trying to work with no dice. I did the laundry and after that I could concentrate better. Bottom line is: a clean working environment should also be a factor in concentration. XD
I have another google account with my study emails, no youtube subscription nor notification, also all the advertisements are often about what I'm working on which is funny.
That's why I always show up to my next class 15-30 minutes early. If I'm at home and have my perfect tea, The Moody Blues----the perfect study music, no televisions or laptops to distract i can still derail easily and each task will take an hour. Yet if I'm in a cold laminate lecture hall with just my head phones, the 20oz of Iced black coffee i'm always carrying to class and my notebook I can get done an entire class' worth of turning notes into questions, and questions into flashcards done in 13 minutes, leaving 2 minutes where I can get almost all the way through studying the new cards. Thats the same with my workplace, I use my coffee breaks for the same task because it's easier to motivate myself there than home.
Context is amazing, my brain actually changes when I get to my study space now. Amazing video, excellent points Thomas!! Something that helped me too, I've added a few small procrastination busters to my desk - toothpicks, a nail file and lip balm, so I can quickly sort the problem out and not have to get up and go hunt for the item and break my flow. It's made a big difference.
I found this channel on the exact moment in my life, when i decided to be a organized person, and take school seriously. Thanks Man, your videos are a blessing
this is very helpful and timely. semester is about to start again and the last semester left my room like world war happened here. I'm planning to do it and yesterday I started it. GUESS WHAT, after 5 mins I stopped and watch movies and YT again. I want to burn this room srsly.
Great video, Tom. You have talked about how important it is to have an effective study space before and I have found that paying attention to where I was studying prepped me for deep working sessions. But the biggest thing that affects my attention is my phone. I have noticed that regardless of where I studied this is ultimately the biggest factor to how distracted I will be. When my phone is away from me I was able to do amazing work sessions.
One thing I would like to say- If you WANT TO STUDY you'll study ANYWHERE. No matter whether it's the road, room or even bus stand. Just that you need a strong dedication and determination!
I love how much you make your videos relatable for us, it's like you know we want to play something before our mum tells us to go bed or something, or how we can't always just go to the library since it's far, thanks
This is the first video I watched of you not looking directly at the camera all the time. It's like we're conversing naturally. I love it! Continue doing it please.
I have tried setting up my own area before and finally what got me to do my work was to approach assignments like Ray Bradbury. By setting up a study place or what it really is a "work" place, I created this area in my house that I avoided because it was "Uh, work". The crazy thing is that I enjoy the process of studying. I know it is slow and steady and as long as I do it, well, it gets done. But by creating this study place or "work" place, I turned my assignments into that: work. Not the fun processes that their actually were. So now I work wherever. And it has been life changing. I changed my assignments in my head from "work" to "play" like Bradbury. And actually by changing the scenery, it has created the assignments to be more fun because they didn't hinder my true passion: travel. When I "travel" around my town (ot world) I will do some homework wherever I am -- just tinker away at it. So even though this is the opposite of what you proposed, I suggest to people to try the Bradbury method and just treat your work like play.
OMG!!!! I was beating myself up because i'm not studying well when its so cold and no sunlight at all. i thought something is wrong with me and gosh u dont know how much of help this is.this is 2yrs old video and i watch so amny videos of u but i have no clue how i have missed this... however its never too late!! Thanks a LOTTTTTTTTTT
This really helps because of COVID and having to switch to community college and stay at home, the only place I can study in IS my bedroom. Do not have the choice of libraries and coffee shops at the moment. This really helps!
I know it was intended for general public but your videos help me to manage ADHD. While I try a medical treatment in this strange times I am here trying to learn basic manageent skills to do basic things. Thanks Thomas.
drafting and doodling, taking notes about concepts: me waking up in the middle of the night to do it, drawing and writing on my bed, drawing and writing while taking a sh*t, taking my sketchbook outta my bag while standing on a crowded bus studying structural engineering math: nope
My weird little way of study space layout is this. I just turned my desk around so that it was in a place where i could see my door. One, i struggled working when my space infront of me was a wall. And two its nice be in the corner of your room. And also my tv hides my bed so that im not tempted to think about sleeping. And another great thing is that i can put my feet up on my bed while i sit. Just abit of thinking helped me alot. Praise God
If I were to be a student taking his class and I have to write something relevant to A letter grade, the most distracted place would be the most productive place to study or do homework, why thats, peace and quiet isn't possible or achievable these day, even if those were the case, you don't maximize your brain out put unless it running in a chaostic war zone...forcing yourself to act like you behave and smart is very good, its the first piece to solving the lazy millennium disease puzzle, act fake to myself, I'm loving this, its not that difficult
This is the best advice for studying I've ever met on RU-vid. Concise, direct and applicable. However, I'd like to enjoy your video in slower pace. I think it might be more enjoyable to watch you talk slowly.
I've struggled on and off about studying in my room/apartment, but what brings me back every time is food. The easiness of grabbing a snack or meal once I'm hungry is too much for me to bother going somewhere else (especially since I don't need to spend money). Whenever I go to the library, my downfall + reason to go back home 90% of the time is that I get hungry and can't focus. Just,,, having a food selection nearby, without having to worry about carrying it around,,,, is too tempting
Another option like Cold Turkey Writer is an app called Self Control, I use it all the time. You can blacklist websites or whitelist websites and that way you can either eliminate distractions or focus solely on one thing online! Great tips also!
This was so spot on. I’ve noticed some of these to be true for me but I never did the research but yes yellow light for me makes me relax and not focus well. Great video new Subbie 👍🏻
You want to cultivate the ability to do deep work anywhere under any conditions at any time. Like, at Time's Square when not having eaten for 3 days and sleep deprived
I like listening to you speak. your voice is calming. I listen to you when I study. I hardly hear what you saying but the background voice is fun to hear
Being a grad school student getting a degree online, I have to find a place outside of academia. This is rough. Being married, pets and a house filled with distractions, studying anywhere is challenging. My office isn't comfortable enough to read for long durations, but is fine for writing. I love my standing desk for my online classes as it makes me focus on the discussion vs screwing around on the computer. I find reading significantly easier at Starbucks. Too quiet is an issue too. Libraries make me more distracted than less. As you said. It's a work in progress.
When I was a kid, I was able to do my homework (and yes, get good grades) with music, TV and people noise going on all at once. Now, I can't even listen to instrumental music while reading! I like the tip of making your space purposeful. I will have to try that. I'd give anything to have natural light. I live in a basement. I barely get any light at all. And I hate fake light in general. My dream is to one day have a proper standing desk. My back has problems. I didn't know the prices had come down so much!
I am studying applied sciences and at the same time working part time as Android developer and I noticed that I am most productive in my office so I started doing my work and school projects there because it's probably the only place where I'm 100 % focused :-D
The house I grew up in was not condusive to study - the rest of the family really liked T.V. - the louder the better. Really distracting. I was lucky the college I went to had a good library for studying. Thanks Thomas, good advice.
I wish I had a bigger room so I could actually make a space just to study, I think that's what would be most helpful to me out of all these tips :( as it is, my desk is also my dining table and "coffee table", I usually leave home to study but to have a space of my own would be nice
blitzrive same, used to share a room with my brother before he headed of to college, and our room was crammmmmmeeeddddd hahhahahahha so I changed my sleeping schedule, sleep super early and wake up when everyone's asleep so it feels like the whole house if my study Space xD
Try changing that space to study. Clear off meal related items like salt and pepper shakers and set out your office supplies like a pencil holder. Even though it might be in the same spot, you can make your study space a different space than your meal space even if they still exist in the same place. You can also sit on a different side of the table with a different view while you’re studying.
thank you so much Thomas, your ideas flow supper clear as you follow a great order + your rigorous research and approach to topics makes a great content, thank you :)
Good advice Thomas! I don't know why other people have problems with studying and concentrating. In my case back in the day, I just obeyed my mother to avoid TV during weekdays and go play outside when I am done with my studies and household chores. Things are much simpler back then. I guess younger people are better at getting distracted.
I can't make my study spot exclusively for studying because I'm majoring in computer science and all I like to do is be on my computer and I can't afford multiple computers...
i liked it,I would like to rec-commend it to all students ,specially who are feeling difficulty in finding out right study space for them ...Good presentation ,carry on 👏
I use my phone and RU-vid wayyyyy too much and procrastinate on my school work. If you can, can you make a vid on how to avoid RU-vid of Instagram or things like that? Thanks
20 degrees Celsius - low temperature. I wanted to object, because it is actually pretty warm, if not too warm temperature, but then I realized, that I lived my whole life in Russia and I am used to cold)
What about smells? Have you heard of the 'Proust effect'? It would be amazing if I could associate a certain scent with learning and memory recall. Unfortunately I'm too lazy to do tests 😣 Anyway, i love your videos, your content is always brilliant!
You should make a video on your guitar practice habits. The honey moon stage is ending for me and I want to have a system that will help me continue to progress.
