7 basic rules for successful studies

How you manage to align yourself with your goals.

Do you know the feeling of exam nerves, high expectations or uncertainty about your future?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. I would even say that everyone has these kinds of thoughts at times in their lives. With young people in particular, I see time and again that they don’t know exactly how to deal with major upcoming challenges. Studying plays a special role here, as it introduces a new phase of life.

If you find yourself in this situation, the following basic rules for successful study should help you to master your time at university (and even your life beyond).

Basic rule #1: Be positive and use your strengths

Even if you sometimes don’t know where your head is because of all the learning content and exam deadlines, don’t overdo it. Say yes to discipline, but no to constant stress. With a positive attitude and good study routines (see basic rule #2), you are much more likely to master your tasks than if you pull all-nighters and cram until the last minute before the exam (the classic…).

Be aware of your strengths, tackle challenges with courage and ease and cultivate positive beliefs (e.g. “I can do it, even if it seems difficult!”). Do the same with your friends and fellow students. This creates a positive atmosphere, which strengthens cohesion, mood and willingness to learn.

If you don’t understand something, never think “I’m too stupid for this”. Try to take a different approach to the things that cause you difficulties. Talk to others, speak to your lecturers or search for alternative explanations on the internet.

Understand that intelligence is not an immutable quality. A recent study shows just how important our inner attitude is in this context. In a nutshell, it comes to the following conclusion:

If you think of yourself as getting smarter, you will also get smarter.

In learning psychology, a distinction is made between different learning styles. Find out how you learn best – whether by listening, reading, using flashcards, writing things down repeatedly or a combination of these.

Above all, allow yourself to have fun learning. Exchanging ideas with others and small rewards can encourage this. For example, after a successful day of studying or an exam, treat yourself to a movie, a good meal with friends or a sporty workout (my personal favorite!).

Basic rule #2: Create space for yourself through a learning strategy, planning and routines

In order to move forward in our lives, we need to be able to constantly rethink our habits and behaviors and adapt them if necessary. During your studies, this includes in particular the development of a long-term learning strategy.

You basically have two options for managing your study workload:

1. You deal with it when your time allows you to, when you think it’s right or when the matter absolutely requires it.
2. You decide to dedicate yourself to your tasks early and regularly.

The first approach is the automatic one, the one we use when we don’t think about our learning strategy.

The second method requires planning and action. And it has a decisive advantage: by learning regularly, you create a self-reinforcing growth effect in the long term as you expand your knowledge and skills.

The more you know about a certain topic, the better and faster your brain is able to absorb new knowledge.

The theory is plausible and perhaps not new to you.

The challenge for the second variant is actually to make a conscious decision to do this and to keep going in this mode for several weeks until your learning and repetition phases become routine. It’s like sport: at the beginning, the inner bastard is the hardest to overcome. Regularity is more important than intensity.

Dealing with big tasks

But what if you have a big, tricky and seemingly unmanageable project ahead of you? Which task is the best place to start?

The greater the challenge, the more important it is to deal with planning and structuring in advance.

A simple recipe for approaching a seminar paper or student research project on a complex topic, for example, is as follows:

1. First get an overview of possible content, e.g. by reading articles and books.
2. Then divide your work into chapters and think of suitable headings.
3. Collect keywords per chapter that build on each other thematically and provide you with a template for later elaboration.

Planning and routines

Planning every day in detail in advance is often impossible and does not do justice to the dynamics of our environment. Instead, concentrate on planning the week ahead. Even if things change, at least you have a structure that you can use as a guide and change your plans on a daily basis if necessary.

You can create additional freedom for yourself if you set yourself the goal of taking full advantage of lectures and seminars. Instead of letting your mind wander and missing the connection (“I’ll catch up later”), get actively involved and take notes. Limit yourself to the most important points so that you can continue to follow the lecture attentively.

If possible, prepare for the lessons. What many people don’t know is that just a few minutes are enough to significantly increase learning comprehension. Your brain remembers things more easily if it has already seen them once.

Get into the habit of writing down your tasks, commitments and appointments – in one place, e.g. in an app on your smartphone. This gives you the security of not forgetting anything. Take care of the processing regularly (preferably daily). You can also use this method to record spontaneous ideas, thoughts or questions that are on your mind. Many great and free tools support you in this, e.g. Google Calendar or Google Keep.

Basic rule #3: Use the power of flow

When you study alone, your goal is to achieve the state of complete concentration and productivity known in psychology and happiness research as “flow”. We all know it, but often do too little to promote it.

Before you start your study session, make sure you are in an environment where you can focus on the task at hand. Turn off your cell phone, put it in a box, lock the box and throw away the key! Seriously, you don’t have to go that far, but make sure that WhatsApp, Facebook and the like don’t demand your attention every two minutes. Because that is the absolute concentration killer.

Set yourself specific goals for the upcoming learning session. What exactly do you want to achieve today and in what time frame? What is compulsory and what is optional? Set yourself challenging but achievable goals.

Be aware that we humans do not have the ability to multitask . In other words, work through your tasks one after the other – don’t try to do them at the same time.

Beware of succumbing to your worst enemy, the so-called student syndrome, and putting off starting your work or interrupting it unnecessarily (also known as procrastination). Use time management techniques to give yourself a framework for this. This includes, for example, the Pomodoro method, which provides for work units of 25 minutes with defined short and longer breaks.

If you still have difficulties concentrating on your tasks, basic rule #4 may help you.

Basic rule #4: Ensure physical and mental balance

The brain is often compared to a muscle because it requires mental training to function better. However, the comparison is not entirely apt, because physical training also improves your cognitive abilities! This applies to all sports with a high level of physical activity.

A large number of studies have shown the positive influence of regular exercise (i.e. two to three times a week):

• Ability to concentrate: You are able to follow thoughts better and ignore distractions.
• Memory performance: The cell growth of the hippocampus is stimulated, which promotes your learning and memory skills.
• Creativity: Even a walk helps you to find new ideas and solutions.
• Mood: The release of endorphins increases the feeling of happiness.

Take advantage of these effects and make sure that your favorite sport has a fixed place in your weekly schedule, at least 2.5 hours per week, spread over several days.

Did you know that physical and mental tension are connected? Those who are physically completely relaxed experience practically no mental stress or nervousness. Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation, for example, is an effective exercise for reducing physical tension and thus relaxing the mind. Just give it a try, for example with these guided instructions on YouTube.

But even simple breathing and meditation exercises have an amazing effect on your well-being and can even help combat acute stress. Try the 4-6-8 method, for example:

1. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose while counting to 4.
2. Hold your breath and count to 6.
3. Breathe out slowly through your mouth and count to 8.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 a total of five times.

There are numerous other measures that will ensure your physical and mental balance. Here are the most important ones:

• Always make sure you get enough sleep so that your brain has the opportunity to process what you have learned.
• Make sure you eat a healthy, varied diet and drink enough water (2 to 3 liters per day) to prevent your brain from losing power.
• Supplement your sport with relaxing leisure activities such as yoga, chess or music.

Basic rule #5: Overcome your fears and blockages

Has an opportunity ever presented itself to you that you wish you had seized today? In such situations, inner fears or blockages have probably prevented you from taking a courageous step forward at the crucial moment.

Forms and causes of anxiety

Fears can be very diverse and shape our entire lives in the form of obstructive thought and behavior patterns (psychological blockages). Examples of such fears are

• Not living up to your own or others’ expectations.
• Failing an important task or exam.
• Making the wrong decisions.
• Presenting yourself in public and embarrassing yourself.
• Being perceived by others as unsympathetic or incompetent and being ostracized.

Fear is actually an evolutionary protective mechanism that lies deep within us – the danger early warning system of our ancestors. However, in modern life with studies and management careers, our fears are usually of little help. There is no predator lurking around every corner and exclusion from a social group does not mean our end. In addition, past experiences, especially in our childhood, shape what we are afraid of and limit our self-confidence for a long time.

Strengthening self-confidence

The following methods and tips will help you to boost your self-confidence and overcome your blocks:

• Collect your success stories (even if they are small), mentally or in a “success diary”. Be proud of your achievements. Think about which of your strengths you have to thank for your successes. Imagine how you can use them profitably for new challenges in the future.
• Reflect on your actions every day (for example, just before going to bed) and continually learn more about yourself. Don’t judge yourself, but try to identify your beliefs.
• Accept both success and failure as part of your learning process. If you have the feeling that you have messed something up, analyze the causes and write them down. Work on the points that are responsible for the failure and do better next time (for example, allow more time for exam preparation).
• Be open to decisions, even if they involve a certain amount of uncertainty (for example, moving abroad or changing your degree program). Consider the possibilities and opportunities that lie behind every decision. Remember that there is no guarantee of success for anything.
• If you have a tendency towards perfectionism, question it. Internalize the Pareto principle: 80 percent of a task can usually be achieved with 20 percent of the total effort.
• Don’t be afraid to ask the wrong questions. There is no benchmark for this.
  
• Even if your first impulse is to say “it won’t work anyway”, apply for the scholarship, internship or your dream job. Just have the courage!
  
  

Basic rule #6: Experience synergy through community and mentors

We are strong in the community.

This applies not only to team sports such as soccer, but also to almost all other situations in life. Social ties shape our personality from birth. Despite the digital revolution – or even because of it – social interaction plays an important role in your development. It gives us the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas, get feedback from others and practice our social skills, which is not possible when studying on our own.

Opportunities in a committed community

Personal cooperation with fellow students, lecturers or mentors can make a significant contribution to your academic success. And of course it also increases the fun factor! Therefore, take the opportunity during your studies to join a committed community and build up a private and professional network.

Seize the opportunities that work in a social group opens up for you:

1. Work on and solve complex tasks together. The associated interactions with others improve your problem-solving skills, teamwork, assertiveness and creativity.
2. Take an active part in seminars and group discussions and train your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
3. Even if you find it difficult, take the opportunity to present your ideas and work results to others and receive constructive feedback. You will find it easier each time.
4. Always try to be open to new suggestions and approaches – even if they lie outside your own world of ideas and seem strange to you at first.
5. Support others, in learning groups or as a tutor. Explaining things yourself and answering questions intensifies your own understanding of the subject area.

“If you can’t explain something simply, you haven’t understood it.”

Albert Einstein

Mentoring – advantages for both sides

Perhaps you have already experienced how a person who is exceptionally good at their subject and passionate about it can transfer their enthusiasm and excitement to others? Someone like that is the ideal mentor for you.

What is behind mentoring? By building a personal relationship, a good mentor strengthens your motivation to perform, passes on their knowledge and gives you regular feedback on your individual development. It also helps you to build up your own network and achieve your career goals more quickly. A good mentor-mentee relationship should be designed for the long term. Only then can the benefits unfold for both sides.

Therefore, keep an eye out for opportunities to find an experienced and committed mentor for you. Ask yourself the following questions in advance:

• Why should she or he mentor you as a mentee?
• What are your interests? Do you have any creative ideas?
• What do you expect from her or him and what can you bring to the relationship (for example, a high willingness to learn and motivation)?

Pro tip: Take the initiative and offer yourself as a mentor (e.g. for first-year students or pupils) and become a role model for your mentees.

Basic rule #7: Unleash your inner motivation

Do you know the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation?

Many of our motivational factors are externally driven. They are designed to achieve short-term goals, positive stimuli or rewards (e.g. money) or to avoid negative consequences. In cognitive psychology, this is referred to as extrinsic motivation.

In contrast, intrinsic motivation comes from within ourselves. We do things without the prospect of external rewards, simply for the sake of it and because we enjoy them (for example, watching a movie, reading a book or participating in a club sport).

When was the last time you did something because you were promised a short-term reward? And when, because you really enjoyed the whole thing?

When it comes to achieving long-term goals, intrinsic motivation plays a much more important role. In the short term, external rewards can spur us on to perform (for example, studying for an exam). However, if we are only extrinsically motivated, the quality of what we do suffers in the long term (we learn, but quickly forget again).

Therefore, make your actions independent of rewards and short-term incentives. Let go of avoidance strategies (“I’m studying because I just don’t want to get a bad grade”).

Instead, cultivate ways of thinking and behaving that strengthen your intrinsic motivation:

• Goals and challenges: Pursue goals with a personal meaning for you because they trigger positive emotions in you.
• Control: Be aware of your responsibility for your own life. Only you have control over your actions and your thinking (think “I want” instead of “I have to”). Self-determination is a strong intrinsic motivating factor.
• Recognition: When you have achieved something, share your success with others (better in person than via social media, and without bragging). Positive social feedback strengthens your motivation, but should not be the only motivation, otherwise it is extrinsic.
• Curiosity: Put yourself in situations that arouse your curiosity and look for inspiration (for example, a new environment or attend events). This stimulates your cognitive readiness to learn new things.
• Cooperation and competition: Try to help others and compete – not with them, but with yourself. This boosts your inner motivation. Therefore, look for ways to challenge yourself again and again. Prefer learning groups with cooperative members.

Why the why is so important.

Many young people focus either on the question of what they should do or how they should do something.

Knowing the why, the reason for our actions and our supposed goals, is more important than the what and how. Therefore, first ask the question of why, and only then what things need to be addressed and how. Why do you actually want to study? Why do you want to pursue a career?

This question leads you to deeper, more reflective thinking and activates your emotions. It helps you to find your beliefs, your self-image and your personal goals.

Who are you, who do you want to become and what do you want to achieve in your life? Dare to dream, but derive achievable intermediate goals (the what) from it. Then concentrate on how you want to achieve the next step. The basic rules described in this article will hopefully help you.

Enjoy your studies and make it a wonderful period in your life that you will look back on with pleasure. Because the journey is also the destination.

Are you interested in a future-oriented course of study? Find out more about the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs at GoVersity.