In this post of my study series I am busting five tips that turned out to be a study myth. Studying is something everybody has to do at some point in their lives. Some people hate to have to do it and others quite enjoy doing it. There are tons of Instagram profiles that regularly post study inspiration and pictures of beautiful stationary. Some YouTube channels feature “study with me” videos and back to school hauls.
Whether I like studying or not depends on the subject. I enjoy studying for computer science courses, such as “modern operating systems”, but math? Not so much!
But no matter what the topic, it is essential to study with a clear strategy and the proper materials. You can find many thousands or maybe even millions of posts providing tips and advice on how to study effectively. Most of them are useful, but some are just a myth and can even hurt your productivity.
Are you curious to find out about some of the myths? Then keep on reading. I found 5 study tips that turned out to be nothing more than a study myth.
Study Myth #1: Absolute silence
You should have absolute quiet while studying! I heard that sentence more than I can count. From teachers, from my mom…but for me this couldn’t be further from the truth. How matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t focus without any sound around me, even when I’m doing some reading. I need at least some quiet meditation music in the background. Studies have shown that classical music can be beneficial for your ability to focus. Everyone is different, though. So try different background noises or the lack thereof and find out what works for you. Try different styles of music, nature sounds or study at a café or in the park. I personally enjoy studying on a plane or listen to some Taylor Swift songs (because they remind me of a recent trip to NYC 😀 ), while solving homework problems. If you need some inspiration for places to study, stay tuned for next week’s post.
Study Myth #2: Drinking a lot of caffeine helps you stay focused
Everyone studying in movies or on TV shows always seems to drink cups and cups of coffee. To stay focused. To stay awake. We drink tons of caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, to pull all-nighters.
You feel like you can’t be productive without having your first cup ‘o Joe in the morning. Coffee has become a lifestyle beverage, a Starbucks cup is like a must-have accessory for successful career women.
But did you know that too much caffeine seriously mess up your focus? It can make you feel light headed and give you a hard time sitting still for more than five minutes.
To really help your productivity, treat coffee as a reward. That makes a good cup all the more delicious.
Study Myth #3: Real achievers don’t need breaks
If you are familiar with the Pomodoro method or read my tips on how to stay focused for longer periods of time, you already know of the importance breaks.
Books, movies and television shows view that differently, though. They portray studious and smart people as superhuman type individuals who are able to work non-stop, without any breaks.
I admit, there are actually some people that can work for one or even two hours, before they start losing focus, but most people are able to focus for no more than half an hour to forty-five minutes and then need a small break and be it a bathroom break.
Study Myth #4: Time spend studying equals success
This probably is the most common misconception about studying, but there luckily are plenty of posts out there, setting the record straight: “Study smarter, not harder!” That may sound too good to be true, yet it’s not, trust me.
You can study for days and days without a strategy and still don’t make as much progress as when studying for a couple of hours with a clear strategy. A good organization might be the most important part of the study process, not the time spend.
Study Myth #5: You need a study group
Another myth created by the movie industry. Sure, some topics are best studied in a group. You can ask questions and other student’s questions might help you gain a better understanding of the topic. That isn’t true for everyone, though. Some groups are constantly distracted and some students are not comfortable enough to even ask questions. In these cases you’d be better of studying by yourself. Also, when it comes to memorizing facts and vocabulary you are always better off studying alone and should only track your progress in a group. Again, experiment with different settings and find out what works best for you.
What do you think? Do you agree with this list? Do you have something to add? Feel free to leave a comment or write me: kayleighbonnchronicles@gmail.com
Please check out my other posts in the study series:
How to stay focused for longer
All stock images are from Pexels.
This post is based on my own experiences and not necessarily on research. Everyone has to do some experimenting to figure out what works best for themselves.
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