🪴 Environment
The physical environment in which we study and learn can also impact how deeply we learn.
In this section:
Limiting Distractions
Your Well-Being
Limiting Distractions
Although many of us would pride ourselves on our “multi-tasking” abilities, research has shown us time and time again we are all terrible at it! Our brains were not designed to pay attention to multiple sources of information at the same time.
Shifting our focus between multiple sources leads to a decline in processing of any of them. When we shut out distractions that are not helping our most immediate goals, we’re better able to absorb and retain information.
A previous research study had participants watch a video of two groups passing basketballs and were instructed to count the number of passes one group made. While paying close attention to the number of passes, participants didn’t notice a person in a gorilla suit walk right through the basketball game.
Try to designate study areas that only contain items needed for the task at hand. Put your cell phone on silent and close unrelated browser tabs when using a computer to study. If you really like to listen to music while studying, try listening to instrumental music instead. Also, remember to take breaks! Breaking up study sessions into chunks will help maximize your focus.
Before a big exam, try studying in the same or similar space that the exam will be in. This has been shown to increase your memory of the information and decrease test anxiety during the actual exam.
Try these focusing strategies:
Designate study spaces without distractions
Embed planned breaks in your study sessions, keeping learning sessions no longer than 90 minutes
When prepping for an exam, try to study in the same or similar space as to where the exam will be
Your Well-Being
Our physical environment not only includes the room we study in, but also our physical selves. Taking care of our mental and physical well-being is also vitally important to our academic success.
Stress, lack of sleep, and unhealthy habits have all been shown to impact academic performance. Students who take the time to not only check in on their academic progress and understanding, but also on their physical and mental health, are more likely to succeed in college, as well as their later career and have higher overall life satisfaction.
Check in on yourself - are you getting enough sleep, especially before exams? Are you getting some form of daily physical activity (walk, yoga, etc.)? How often are you feeling stressed or anxious? Are feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, etc. impacting your day-to-day life? Use these check ins to make a plan - identify resources and supports that you can use to reach a healthy physical and mental space.
Try these self-care strategies:
Prioritize getting enough consistent sleep
Know that you're not alone– connection with others, whether in class or not, can improve wellbeing
Enlist the help of an instructor, advisor, or other campus resource when experiencing challenges