The ability to be productive, especially when you have so many different activities and priorities to balance, is one of the most important (yet challenging) aspects of being a student. Thanks to the rise of the internet (and technology in general), students have never had more access to information. The ironic thing about having unlimited access, however, is the fact that it’s also led to a sharp rise in distraction levels.
Students have never been more distracted than they are right now. Smartphones have been the primary cause of this, with countless students being unable to focus on their studies without first logging into social media, browsing the web, etc. Cutting out distractions (i.e. the internet, social media, phones, etc.) cannot be stressed enough, but that’s not all there is when it comes to increasing your productivity.
There are quite a few different ways that one can optimize their study/homework sessions for increased productivity, the top four of which we cover in the following sections. Most of these productivity strategies can be boiled down to increasing your level of focus via minimizing distractions, changing your environment, and utilizing the proper resources.
Planning, Scheduling, and Prioritizing
You cannot expect to improve your productivity if you don’t know how to plan, schedule, or prioritize tasks. If you go into any major project (or even a simple homework assignment) without a solid plan of attack, you won’t be nearly as effective that you could be (if you had a proper plan, strategy, and actionable tactics to use).
The way that you should go about prioritizing is to start with the most important task first. The first task is one that should take precedence because that’s when your level of focus and energy will be at its highest. Starting with the most important (and most difficult) task first will ensure that you’ll still be able to finish the easier tasks later on in the session (when you have less energy, motivation, and focus).
Use Any and All Available Resources
Using web-based platforms, systems, and mobile apps can be especially beneficial during particularly challenging homework/study sessions. For example, let’s say you’re having some problems really grasping a certain topic for your biology class. One of the best ways to remedy this would be by going to a science homework help site and/or app and using some of the excellent resources available on those platforms.
Another major benefit of using sites/platforms/apps such as these is that you immediately have close to 24/7 access to very professional and experienced tutors (available for a wide range of subjects). So, if your needs extend beyond simple homework help, you also have the option of hiring a tutor for personalized support.
Your Work Environment Is Important
Using the proper type of work environment is incredibly important when it comes to optimizing your study/homework sessions. How can you possibly expect to take your focus and productivity to another level if you’re not using an optimized work environment?
Making sure that your environment is clean, quiet, and relaxed is very important for overall productivity. If you don’t have access to such an environment, it’s recommended to do your best to seek one out. Many students and workers downplay the effect that their environment can have on their productivity – but the side effects are very real.
Start Creating Deadlines
While many people don’t like working under the stress of meeting a deadline, in many cases this is exactly what they need to actually become more productive. Setting deadlines also plays right into creating a schedule/plan and prioritizing your tasks.
After you’ve created a plan, devised a strategy, and laid out your prioritized tasks, the next logical step would be to create deadlines for those tasks. Knowing exactly when something should be finished will provide you with a greater incentive to finish the task at hand. On the contrary, not having clearly defined goals/tasks with concrete deadlines will often relegate your work to the backburner – which will absolutely kill your productivity.
The fact of the matter is this – you need to be making actionable plans that have clear deadlines. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get half as much work done as you normally would. Without setting clearly defined goals, your workflow will suffer dramatically. Make a plan, set your goals, and then create your deadlines. Start with the most important task and then slowly complete the other projects on your list.
