5 Helpful Study Techniques + Free Mind Map

Ever had those moments where you thought, "I should have studied more"? Sure, there might be instances when there's a grain of truth in that, if you're honest with yourself. But studying is really not so much about the number of hours you spend with your nose buried in books, but how you study. Because the trick is not to study more or harder - just smarter! We all learn things in different ways, and there are virtually an infinite number of study techniques to try out. Below, we're sharing our top five favorite techniques. Which one will be your personal favorite? Give them a try! Study Smart - 5 Study Techniques Active Studying - Rather than just reading and highlighting your textbooks, try taking notes instead. Write down the most important information and structure it into bullet points you can scan through later. Studies show that by actively engaging in the text this way, you retain much more of the information. Active Recall - A study technique closely related to active studying is active recall. This method involves pulling a piece of information from your memory when prompted. Write questions about specific subjects and themes on flashcards and test yourself! Scour your memory and try to remember what you've read and learned in your lectures. By activating your memory this way, the information will stick better than if you just read or highlight in your textbook. Visual Learning - Do you learn best visually? Create a graphic image for the subject you're studying! It could be making a flowchart, creating clear graphs, diagrams, or drawing a mind map with the information you need to learn and how it all ties together. To help you with this, we've created a printable mind map template you can download for free below! GET MIND MAP TEMPLATE Practical Learning - Do you type notes from lectures on your computer? Try writing them out by hand instead! Research shows that we're able to retain more information, i.e., we learn easier when we jot down information by hand rather than taking notes on a computer. Time Management - The Pomodoro Technique - No, our last tip isn't about taking a study break to make pasta pomodoro (although that does sound yum!). The Pomodoro Technique is a tried and tested time management method designed to use time more efficiently. You study in blocks of 25 minutes with short breaks in between. During these 25 minutes, you keep full focus on the task at hand, so put away your phone and other distractions! Working in shorter intervals helps you maintain focus and avoid stress. To achieve full study success, you also need delightful tools! Colorful highlighters are a classic favorite that help you mark up the most important parts in a sea of text. Fineliner pens, with their slim tip and available in all the colors of the rainbow, are invaluable for making clear notes and structuring your study. If you make a mistake, it's also perfect to have a pen with erasable ink close at hand. You'll also need a lot of paper for mind maps, notes, and scribbles. Our sticky notes come in different sizes, and are handy to snap into your planner, organizer, or notebook to have at the ready for all those things; they're great for making flashcards too. Get acquainted with our range of sticky notes, perfect student pens, and read our top 3 best tips on how to structure your studies in your planner here. VIEW ALL STUDENT ACCESSORIES With these study techniques and student accessories, you've created great conditions for a smart and efficient study time. But don't forget the most important thing to have fun! We wish you good luck with your studies! Can't get enough of planning and study tips? Check out our 5 tips on how to plan your studies in our Student Planner.