Effective study techniques – My 5 tips

Here are my top 5 tips for effective study techniques that have helped me a lot in the past few months.

Firstly some background, I have been studying the processes and skills required to successfully run my own internet marketing operation, this has involved learning many new computer skills from website building and publishing to keyword research to search engine optimization and article writing. All of this involved many hours on the computer screen watching online videos, reading books, and using the absorbed information for practical exercises. I believe that the following guidelines may be relevant to any topic of study.

Here are my top 5 tips…

1. Study with a clear head…by this I mean study only when you have taken care of any work, family or domestic commitments. Trying to absorb information with other things in the back of your mind can be very distracting.
2. Don’t study beyond your attention span… Everyone has different attention spans, I’m lucky because I’ve found mine to be quite long, I can study for several hours without a break and still focus and absorb information. Try to judge your own attention span and work towards it, as soon as you find your mind wandering or you start to feel tired, take a break or stop during the day to refresh your mind. As you study more you may find your attention span increases, it also helps of course if you have a real interest and enjoy whatever subject you are studying.
3. Set yourself realistic goals/deadlines… If you have a project to complete as part of your studies, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to fully understand and complete the project. Do not be tempted to rush through sections of your studies in your eagerness to progress to the next stage, doing so will inevitably result in you having to review the section or project that was rushed at a later stage because you did not fully digest or understand the information being conveyed.
4. Find at least one active online forum… In relation to the subject being studied, this is especially vital if, like me, you are studying alone. Forums provide a means to interact with others who have an interest and knowledge in your chosen field, forums allow you to ask questions, debate theories, gather opinions, and share ideas. They are a great source of information and motivation.
5. Reward your achievement… When you complete a task, module, or project, celebrate your success in some way. I rarely drink alcohol, but I do enjoy a glass of wine, so my reward is a celebratory glass of white wine every time I complete a task, it can be anything you decide, but reward yourself for every progress you make. WHATEVER YOU ARE LEARNING, ENJOY YOUR STUDY AND USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN A POSITIVE WAY.