Effective Study Habits for Adults

Most adults returning to school for the first time in years realize that good time management is crucial to succeeding as a student while still fulfilling life, work and family obligations. But effective study habits are just as important. Here are some tips to make the most out of the study time you have available.

Have the Proper Mindset

Realize that studying can't be crammed in while feeding your kids lunch or during your coffee break at work. Learning takes time and consistent effort to be successful. Be prepared to spend a significant amount of time working on your courses. It's been said that success is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration. This is as true for the world of studying as it is for the world of working.

Be aware that not all parts of your studies are going to be interesting. Some parts could be dry and boring so you need to keep a positive attitude to remain interested. If you don't, your mind will wander and you'll find yourself focusing on the other tasks you need to complete in your life instead of getting your money's worth out of the courses you bought.

Create a Workable Schedule

As part of time management you need to set aside a time and a location to study. It needs to be free of distractions if you find your mind wanders easily and you have difficulty focusing with the music, television or people talking in the background.

It may take a while to find the most effective study schedule, so take the time to review your study habit weekly. Use this to measure your progress and refine the study schedule or location as necessary. For example, some people can't study later in the evening even if this is the only time they have available to do so. If you find you're not absorbing what you're studying in the slotted time you've created for school work, you need to reconsider your schedule and find a study time that makes most efficient use of your brain strength.

Keep Yourself Motivated

As an adult, you may feel that it's silly to give yourself little rewards for doing well in school. After all, you may think, the final ultimate reward will be holding that degree in your hand. But it could be years before you get that degree or diploma so give yourself a break and thank yourself for your dedication to your studies. It'll help keep you motivated and the reward doesn't need to be anything spectacular. Treat yourself to resting in front of your favorite television show, a night out visiting friends or even that chocolate bar you've been craving for a while. Just be careful not to allow these rewards to become an excuse not to study or a way to interrupt your studies.