Creating a Learning Space to Help You Focus

Where you study can have a great impact on how well you study. If you are working in a noisy and cluttered environment, chances are you are not going to find the same amount of focus as you will when you are working in a quiet, organized, and dedicated learning space. Here are some tips to help you create a learning space that will help you focus and succeed.

Location, location location

Where you choose to study is important, it needs to be a dedicated space that you know is for studying. It can be hard to find a quiet place just for you, especially if you live with your family or with other students in halls of residence but it has to be an individualized decision on where you think would be best for you to study.

Although consistency is a good thing, it can be good to change the location of your study space from time to time as it can be good to refresh your surroundings. Why not take your study materials and sit in the library? Or if it’s a nice, sunny day, take your books and sit outside in your garden. Just be sure to choose a space where you can study without distractions.

Remove clutter to clear your mind

If you are working in a cluttered space, you are more likely to become distracted, stressed, and unmotivated. Only keep things on your desk that you need to study, your books, your pens, and a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Keep your study space area clean and free from unnecessary clutter and you will stay more productive.

If your desk is looking messy, why not invest in some storage containers for your desk or put things away in boxes or drawers that you are not using regularly? You don’t need your desk to look Instagram-worthy, you just need to have everything to hand that you will need, this may include your textbooks, highlighter pens, and maybe an iPad or computer if you use this for research.

Minimize distractions

Studying is hard and trying not to get distracted is even harder, especially when electronics are easily accessible to us and can entertain us for hours. So the best way to study is to remove all temptation. Think about the distractions you can control, you may not be able to silence the neighbor’s barking dog or stop your siblings from barging into your room at any moment, but you can switch off your phone and put it in another room and not watch your favorite TV show instead of hitting the books.

Comfort is key

If you’re going to spend multiple hours studying, you need to be comfortable. Ensure that the space you have specifically for your study time is suitable for extended periods of sitting down. This should begin with your chair. Investing in a good chair is essential, did you know the average students spend seven hours a day in a seated position? To avoid bad posture, back pain, and other health conditions, buy a chair that has good lumbar support, a headrest and an armrest, always choose comfort over style.

Set the mood

Set the mood for studying by choosing the right ambient lighting, background music (if that is something that works for you), fresh air by opening a window, and maybe lighting a scented candle. Check that the temperature of the room is comfortable and that there is enough light for you to read without draining your eyes.

Personalize your space

Customizing your study space and surrounding yourself with things that bring you joy will give you more motivation to sit down and study. Decorate your study space with artwork, plants, memo boards, and photographs. Make it a place where you like to be because you are probably going to be spending a lot of time there.

Time to study

So, you have your clutter-free, zen study space set up and ready to go. You have the tools you will need, and you are sitting in your comfortable chair, listening to ASMR and lining up your pastel highlighter pens, all that’s left to do now is study!