Poor Study Habits

Introduction

The remarkable progress that human society has made from ancient times through the Middle Ages to the present technological age of information and communications technology could not have been possible without the innate ability of humans to learn either instinctively or by conscious effort. From around the Middle Ages, learning took on a new and impetuous dimension by the establishment of universities by religious organisations. So also, the life paths and achievements of most humans seem to centre on their ability or capacity to learn, that is to study. While there are undoubtedly some humans that are of superior intellect such as Albert Einstein, it is a generally agreed fact that most humans have the ability to learn to a great degree. However, there are those who harbour wrong notions about study by believing that their inability to make good grades is as a result of poor intellectual capacity. Nothing could be further from the truth. Where the problem lies is in the fact that their study habits are essentially poor. It has been proven through research that with better study habits, most people could make a success of their education and go on to have good careers as a result.

Traits of Poor Study Habits

• Studying in an atmosphere of distraction. Some people do their studies while the television or radio is on or with an earphone fixed to their ears. This just does not work as concentration is required for any form of effective study.
• Lack of a proper study schedule. Social media is proving to be a very big distraction for a lot of people today. Some people spend so much time on Facebook and other social media outlets that they just do not have enough time for their studies.
• Poor note-taking Skills. A lot of people just do not have the required note-taking skills. They find it hard to read between the lines or to pick out the main points. This also has to do with inability to arrange points logically and to use abbreviations. All of these combines to rob them of getting the best out of their study times.
• Being unorganised. Effective study requires proper self-organization in terms of place and time for study, study environment, proper filing systems, and a study time tables. All of these needs patient or painstaking planning and meticulous attention to detail as well as discipline.
• Procrastination. Unnecessary delays in carrying out assignments and other academic activities can have an adverse effect on our studies and cause us to get poor grades.
• Lack of preparation. You will need to prepare adequately for study times by making sure that all necessary textbooks and other learning materials are readily available when needed.
• Cramming as against real study. Learning by rote is okay when it is done in kindergarten but it is never a substitute for real study especially as we grow older. Real learning requires conscious effort, logical analysis and synthesis, it requires brain power.

Remedy for Poor Study Habits

The remedies for poor study habits naturally follows from recognizing them. To overcome poor study habits, you simply replace them with good ones by making a conscious effort to do that. For instance, making sure to avoid distractions during study, developing note-taking skills and so on.