Relax or study on the weekend? That is the question! If you are preparing for the entrance exam , or are already a university student, you know that the more time you dedicate to studying, the better your performance and the guarantee of good grades.
On the other hand, you also know that studying on the weekend means giving up leisure, rest and social networks, at least for a few hours.
In this post, we are going to show you the secrets to studying on Saturdays and Sundays without jeopardizing your rest and social life. Check out!
Arrange to study over the weekend
Studying on the weekend requires planning and setting priorities. If you expand your vision, you will agree that dedication to studies tends to provide much more return than being silly all day on social networks or watching movies. Not that these alternatives are bad, but they won’t guarantee your academic success.
So, the first step to be productive in your studies over the weekend is to make an effective plan, which defines how many hours you intend to study , which subjects to prioritize and, of course, to allow some leisure time, because nobody is made of iron.
Treat Saturday like it’s still Friday
Saturday is a working day for most people as many people work and take courses, so they are still in the fast pace of the other days of the week.
Even if this is not your case — which is even better, because there is more time to study —, organize yourself as if it were still Friday and leave leisure for later.
Take the momentum of the week, determine how many hours you’re going to spend studying, stick to your schedule, and then just relax. The sooner you finish your tasks, the sooner you can rest and have fun — and with a clear conscience!
Create a good study schedule
To put together a study schedule that really improves your performance, the first thing you should do is list your priorities. Evaluate what your most urgent tasks are, what content you need to delve into, if there is room in the planning for complementary activities, etc.
Another tip is to make a monthly schedule, so you can distribute the tasks on different days, to dedicate yourself to each one with more attention and depth and not get your mind overloaded.
Don’t forget to take breaks
Rest breaks are necessary to organize ideas and “recharge the battery”. It is essential to know and respect your limitations, because the more you force your mind, the less information you will be able to absorb.
Remember that “pushing” is different from “pushing yourself”, so when you feel exhaustion taking over and you notice a block in your concentration: take a break, regain your energy and, minutes later, return to focus. Including, the break times should already be defined in the schedule, so you avoid reaching the point of wear.
set goals
Goals are a motivating resource, after all, this is the human journey, isn’t it? We are always looking for something, to a lesser or greater degree, from fulfilling a study schedule to entering the college of our dreams .
It is the goals that move us, push us forward. Setting attainable goals and even achieving them is an action capable of increasing the production of dopamine — a hormone that awakens feelings of well-being and motivation. So set your goals for each weekend and stick to them.
Stay disciplined and focused
Staying focused is not always easy, both environmental events and our own thoughts can distract us. Therefore, focus and discipline go hand in hand: you must learn to “tame” your own mind to nullify internal and external distractions.
Set a time to start and end your studies, and during that time, don’t allow anything to interrupt your concentration. When you feel a shift in attention, take a deep breath and return to your task.
get rid of distractions
To stay focused, it is necessary to eliminate any source of distraction. Our brain does not maintain concentration on simultaneous tasks with the same efficiency, the ideal is to dedicate yourself to one activity at a time.
It is obvious that cell phones and social networks are the first distractions that should be removed from your study environment, do you agree? You know how much WhatsApp and Facebook notifications can interrupt your attention in studies.
Also, look for a quiet place to study, stay away from television and other environments with noise or any stimulus that disturbs your concentration.
Say no to procrastination
In case you are not familiar with this term, procrastination means the postponement of an action. It’s the famous “leave it for later”. If you are a natural procrastinator and cultivate this habit, be very careful, as postponing important tasks is risky, especially if your time is limited.
The person used to procrastinating always believes that he will get the job done, even if he leaves it to carry out his activities at the last minute. The problem is that this attitude leads to unnecessary stress and wear and tear and, consequently, poor performance.
Allow yourself a moment of reward
If you followed your schedule, stayed focused, and reached your goals, congratulations! You deserve rest and fun. Nothing like relaxing with a clear conscience, with the feeling of accomplishment and enjoying the weekend without that voice echoing in your mind: “I need to study”.
