Creating the perfect study environment
The environment in which you study is important, but often neglected when devising a revision plan. It’s common sense that revising in a quiet library will be more conducive to learning than stacking textbooks on your knees whilst on the bus, the baby behind you interrupting your train of thought with a scream, and the potholes making your pages flop back and forth. These are two extreme examples of stereotypically good and bad places to learn, but when you look at the nuances of why these examples are good and bad, we can learn how to improve our actual learning environments.
Sound
This may seem like common sense, but it’s not as simple as ‘noise = bad’. Yes, the screeching baby on the bus is not going to help you learn redox reactions for your A-level Chemistry exam, but sound can actually have a positive effect on learning. Listening to playlists designed for studying can actually improve focus and make the process of revision more manageable. For example, I’m naturally someone with a fairly short attention span, so if I have to read 40 pages of a textbook and then spend an hour and a half on flashcards related to that topic, I’ll throw on either a Jazz or Classical study playlist to keep my mind stimulated as I’m working. If I try to revise whilst listening to one of my favourite bands, it’s too distracting (especially with lyrics), but instrumental music definitely helps me learn, and I know it works for a lot of my peers too.
In terms of noise, we obviously want to keep this to a minimum, but this might be difficult depending on your home environment. I was an only child, but if you have 4 younger siblings for example you may struggle more than I did to find a quiet place at home to work. This is where headphones and music can come in handy again; alternatively, look for a public library or a café where you can go once in a while to break up the monotony of revision. The occasional change in location can help to keep the mind stimulated for some people.
2. Prepare your workspace
I hate mess and cluttered workspaces with a passion, so the first thing I do before starting work is tidy my desk, ensure that any overdue reminders on my phone are done or rescheduled, and pour a glass of water or cup of tea.
You want to feel calm and prepared in your workspace before starting a revision session, which will be hard to do if your open History textbook is sitting on the edge of your desk, a large photo of Henry VIII staring you down as you try to revise quadratic equations. Or let’s say you’re 5 minutes in and get thirsty, so you go make a cup of tea, and whilst the kettle boils you sit on Instagram. Next thing you know you’re knee-deep in memes and friends’ holiday photos and don’t make it back to your desk for an hour.
Now some people’s work ethic is better than others, so this may not be a realistic situation for all, but I know that my work ethic depends on my mood and my interest in the topic. I generally have a very strong work ethic, but can get sidetracked towards procrastination if I have to revise a topic I hate at a time when I’m in a bad mood. Often in this situation, it’s best to take a morning off to recuperate, but sometimes work has to be done by a deadline and excuses aren’t going to cut it. Having a cup of tea sat on your desk before you start work limits the number of excuses the devil on your shoulder can formulate to get you out of your desk chair.
3. Lighting
Lighting is not often considered when revising; sure, if it’s pitch black you’ll turn on the light so you can see the textbook, but people don’t consider the intensity or type of light. Studies have shown that different light intensities and colours can have an effect on concentration, mood and performance. The research is not as black-and-white as ‘the earth is round’ or ‘inhalers help treat asthma’, but there is scientific (and anecdotal) evidence that thinking about the lighting levels in your workspace can have an effect. For example, white and light-blue light can aid focus for some people, whereas darker tones are generally more relaxing.
At home, where you most likely can’t change the exact colours of your lightbulbs, just make sure that you’re working in a well-lit space and not straining your eyes to try to focus in a dimly lit environment.
4. Having a designated study area
Not everyone can do this; I, for example, struggle as my desk is in my bedroom. This is why I often work in a library, as it’s good to have a designated workspace where, psychologically, you feel ready for work. If I sit down at my desk at 8:00am and try to be productive, I’m likely to feel tired or distracted. However, if I go to the library, or even sit at the dining table downstairs, I feel more ready to work and less likely to procrastinate. This is because I sleep in my room, watch TV, read books and sit on my phone. My brain doesn’t associate my bedroom with work as much as it does the library.
If you’re in a position to have a designated study space, once you get into the routine of working there it can work wonders for your focus.
I hope these brief tips were useful; even if not directly applicable, I hope they got you thinking about what type of environment you work in and how you can improve this for better results!
Rhodes Willoughby is Co-Founder and Director of STEMaccess, at the time of writing in his fifth year of his MBBS/BSc degree at Imperial College School of Medicine.
