Self-discipline can be the key to improving your study time and productivity. It’s the ability to control yourself, for example stopping yourself from going on your phone whilst you’re writing an essay, something we’re all definitely guilty of.
However, this can quickly become a problem when you find yourself sat at your desk for three hours having only done around an hour of work, eating away into your own time to relax and reducing productivity. This can lead to a build-up of stress later on too.
This article will share a few tips on how to combat this, allowing you to study more effectively and give you more time for yourself.
The first step to self-discipline:
The first step is to look at where you’re currently falling short and why.
For example, do you find yourself struggling to concentrate in the morning, or being more tempted to go on your phone late during a night time study session? Pin-pointing where you’re able to concentrate most effectively can help to increase your study time by planning it around these points.
Try to be realistic, for example if you’re working a long shift, you probably won’t be able to perform your best in the library afterwards. Make sure to relax and look after yourself first.
Keeping track of how much you’re studying for each module can also show you which ones you may be avoiding. For example, if you find yourself studying a module you find easier more often and neglecting one you find harder, try to increase the amount of work you’re doing for this module.
Keeping track with a stopwatch and calendar on how much you’re studying can show what you may be doing subconsciously and allow you to re-focus and draw attention to the things you’re avoiding.
Tips to improve self-discipline:
To improve your self-discipline you could try turning your phone off completely so it’s not as easy to turn on. Also, you could think about using an app like Flora, that won’t let you onto another app until the the timer goes off.
It’s important to keep reminding yourself why you’re doing this, what motivates you?
Write it down and stick it where you’ll see it everyday, on a post-it note to have in front of you whilst you’re studying, or as a reminder notification on your phone. This can help you to keep going when things get hard and stressful. It could also be a good idea to reward yourself every time you complete a task or goal, giving yourself a short-term reward can help to keep you motivated. For example, allowing yourself to get an iced coffee once you’ve written an essay plan.
Self-discipline is something that has to be built up over time, trying a little every day will lead to a big impact over time, allowing you to study more effectively in the long run and increase your productivity.
These methods can also be applied to any hobby, cleaning or cooking and are a great way to improve on areas in your life you’d like to.
About the author
