Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. See our disclosure for more info.
Let’s face it. Being a student is rough. It’s like having a job, but not getting paid.
Yes, you’re getting an education, which is great, but finding the motivation to study can be a challenge.
The definition of motivation is:
- The general desire or willingness to do something.
So the trick to increase your motivation to study is to increase your desire to study in the first place.
That’s why we’ve come up with five ways to motivate yourself to study, even if you don’t have an exam.
1. Cut your study time in half (that’s motivation in itself!)
For those procrastinators out there, you’re going to love this…
Parkinson’s law is the theory that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion“.
For example, if you give yourself 10 hours to study, you’ll take 10 hours to study.
The next time you have a project, paper, or exam, cut the time you think it’ll take to prepare in half to increase your focus and productivity and maximize results.
For example, if you think it’ll take you 10 hours to study for an exam. Only give yourself 5 hours.
WARNING: This is a risky approach, but if done properly, it can have great results.
2. Make studying fun with mnemonics
Mnemonics (sounds like new-monics) is when you use systems for improving your memory. It can be a fun way to boost your study skills and improve your memory.
Here’s an mnemonic you may already know: Never, Eat, Shredded, Wheat
This is used to memorize the directions of North, East, South, West (listed clockwise)
There are tons of articles online that’ll help you get started with mnemonics.
3. Get a study buddy or study group
One of the best ways to motivate yourself to study is to get a study buddy (or study group) because not only will you be relying on them, they’ll be relying on you. Studying with others is fun, productive, and more effective because if you have questions on the material your study buddy can help.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Find a study buddy (or study group). The best place to find a study buddy is someone in the same class. Or you can ask multiple people to set up a group.
- Set a schedule for your study sessions. It helps to schedule it at the same time every week so you don’t have to think about when it is and it becomes a habit.
- Find a location to meet that has WIFI such as the library, coffee shop, or a fast food joint.
4. Set goals
If you want to be a successful student, you need to set goals. Because if you don’t have goals, then it’s like shooting in the dark.
An easy place to start is to:
- Talk to a counselor to determine the classes you need to take to get your degree. Then…
- List which classes you need to take each year. Then…
- List which classes you need to take each semester/quarter. Then..
- List off what grades you want to achieve for each class.
Just having this type of list and being able to check it off is a HUGE boost to your confidence and internal reward system.
It’s like running a race and seeing the mile markers fly by!
5. Treat yourself, don’t cheat yourself
To enhance your motivation to study, reward yourself for a job well done.
Whether it’s buying a cup of your favorite coffee, going on a nice long hike, or snarffing down a bag of potato chips, reward yourself for a good, long study session. This reward system, will help motivate you to study more often.
WARNING: Only reward yourself AFTER you study. Treating yourself before you do the work defeats the purpose.
Alright students!
Enough reading… It’s time to hit the books, study, and do great things!
