Reasons Why Study Tips Don’t Work for You

Many students spend more time watching YouTube videos and reading articles about study tips than they do studying. They watch and read how to study till they end up not having the time or the energy to study. Do you find yourself doing this? I will tell you why and how you can stop it.

The Problem

The self-improvement paradox

Mark Manson says “Paradoxically, sometimes the best way to improve at something is to stop trying to improve at it.” He has a podcast episode on this. You should check it out.

When trying to improve at something becomes something you do instead of something that helps you get stuff done, it tends to achieve the opposite effect. The thing is, you don’t need to read nearly as many study tips articles. You most likely already know which method of study works best for you. Use it.

You don’t get started

The most important step towards studying effectively is getting started. No matter how many videos you watch or blog posts you read on how to study, if you don’t get started, you’ll always be behind someone who started studying without watching any study tips. Some days, simply study without watching or reading any study tips.

You are burnt out by procrastination

Another way students might procrastinate is by trying to discover a great studying method through videos or blog posts. It may look like learning study techniques would help you study better, but if that is all you do, it is a sort of procrastination. Watch or read only one study tips video or article, then go to work. Do not watch or read more than that; otherwise, it will become a source of distraction.

Read also: 10 Good Habits of a Successful Student

How to Actually Improve

Identify the Problem

You have no clue what is wrong with your existing study habits. You are not improving despite reading a lot of articles and watching a lot of YouTube videos because you have not identified what is wrong with your present study habits. You’re looking for a solution to an unknown problem. Your problem might be a lack of motivation, distracting people, a distracting environment, a bad reading style, or any of the other problems that students experience. Sit down and ask yourself, “What am I trying to solve by watching all of these videos and reading all of these articles?” I guarantee that if you find the answer to this question, you will improve the way you study.

Test Before Moving On

Try and test a new study tip or habit you watch on YouTube or read in a blog before moving on to watch or read another. We would watch a video now and, in a moment, continue browsing on YouTube or Google in search of another video for more tips without properly trying the one we already have to see if it works or not. After knowing what the problem with your study routine is, you can now try finding a solution by watching a YouTube video or reading a self-help article or book. If you find a solution to your problem, don’t go to another video to look for more. The videos on the internet never finish. Try to put into practice the tip you’ve found, and do it wholeheartedly. Trust your instincts and put that study tip to the test. For instance, you can use this one study tips article for a week before trying to look for another.

Personal Willingness and Dedication

Understand that studying tips are nothing without your willingness and dedication. Sometimes the reason why study tips don’t work for most of us is that we have unrealistic expectations of them. Study tips are methods for optimizing how you complete your work. You are the one who does the job. Study tips are tools that will help you complete your task. They will not work if you don’t have the will and the discipline to work, which is why many of us gain nothing out of watching self-help videos on YouTube. Lower your expectations and watch the magic unfold.

Read also: Best Daily Routine of a College Student

10 Bad Study Habits to Stop Now for Study Tips to Work for You

• Stop cramming: You are cramming instead of spacing out your study sessions. Cramming may help you pass a test, but it won’t help you retain the information in the long run.
• Stop multitasking: You are multitasking instead of focusing on one task at a time. Multitasking can reduce your productivity and impair your ability to recall information.
• Don’t study while listening to songs: You are listening to music with lyrics instead of studying in silence or with instrumental music. Music with lyrics can distract you and interfere with your comprehension of complex material.
• Attend lectures: You are skipping classes instead of attending them regularly. Skipping classes can make you miss important lessons, notes, and explanations that you must study later.
• Have a plan: You are not outlining studying. An outline can help you organize your ideas and keep track of what you need to study.
• Test your knowledge: You are not quizzing yourself to test your knowledge. Quizzing yourself can help you remember what you learned and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
• Be flexible: You are not interleaving different subjects instead of studying one subject at a time. Interleaving can help you improve your ability to apply your knowledge to different problems and contexts.
• Don’t get stuck: You are not varying your practice instead of repeating the same type of problems. Varying your practice can help you enhance your skills and avoid boredom.
• Recite: You are not elaborating on the material instead of just memorizing it. Elaborating can help you understand the concepts, structures, and interrelationships of the material and relate it to your experience.
• Use tricks: You are not using mnemonic devices to aid your memory. Mnemonic devices can help you recall important information by using acronyms, memory palaces, or other techniques.

Studying can be frustrating and overwhelming, especially when you feel like you’re not making any progress. But by understanding yourself better, and finding the study tips that suit you best, you can make studying more enjoyable and effective. What are some of the study tips that work for you? Share them in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to get more helpful posts like this one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my study methods not working?

There could be many reasons why your study methods are not working for you. Perhaps, you are using ineffective techniques, such as highlighting, rereading, or cramming. Maybe you are not matching your study methods to your learning style, such as visual, auditory, verbal, or kinesthetic. Perhaps you are not studying in the right environment, with too many distractions, interruptions, or stressors. Or maybe you are not studying enough, or too much, or at the wrong time. To find out what’s wrong with your study methods, you need to evaluate your current habits and identify what works and what doesn’t for you. You can also try some of the methods I’ll mention below and see if they improve your results.

Why is it harder for me to study?

Studying can be hard for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s because the material is too difficult, boring, or irrelevant to your interests. Sometimes, it’s because you lack motivation, confidence, or self-discipline. Other times, it’s because you have other priorities, responsibilities, or problems that interfere with your focus and concentration. To make studying easier, you need to find ways to overcome these challenges. You can try to make the material more engaging, meaningful, and fun by using different formats, examples, and applications. You can try to boost your motivation, confidence, and self-discipline by setting realistic goals, rewarding yourself, and seeking support. Also try to balance your other priorities, responsibilities, and problems by managing your time, energy, and stress levels.

What are study techniques that don’t work?

Highlighting and underlining: This technique does not help you process or remember the information and can make it harder for you to see the big picture and the connections between ideas. Instead of highlighting, you should take notes, and summarize, or paraphrase the information in your own words.

Rereading: This technique does not help you retain the information, and can make you overconfident and less likely to test yourself. Instead of rereading, you should review the information by quizzing yourself, using flashcards, or doing practice problems.

Blocked practice: This technique involves studying one topic or type of problem for a long time before moving on to another. This technique does not help you transfer or generalize your knowledge. It can make you forget what you learned. Instead of blocked practice, you should use interleaved practice, which involves switching between different topics or types of problems in a random order.

Summarization: This technique involves writing a brief overview of what you learned. This technique does not help you understand or apply the information. Instead of summarization, you should use elaboration, which involves explaining the information in more depth, using examples, analogies, or connections to your prior knowledge.

How do I find a study method that works for me?

There is no one-size-fits-all study method that works for everyone. The best study method for you depends on your learning style, your goals, your preferences, and your situation. To find a study method that works for you, you need to experiment with different methods and see what suits you best. You can also use some of the methods I’ll mention below, which are based on scientific evidence and have proven to be effective for most learners.