If you are having difficulties concentrating on your studies, there is a good probability that there is too much noise, distractions, or clutter around you. We’ve all been there: sat down to study in a quiet place only to find that noise is keeping us from concentrating or we are unable to find the right notes for our subject. It is challenging to focus when you are uneasy. If your study room is cluttered and disorganised, it can negatively affect your productivity and focus. Fortunately, our guide on how to organise your study room offers tips and tricks to help you create a tidy and functional workspace.
Most students spend several hours each day studying. Sometimes we spend too much time setting up a perfect study space but what if there is not enough space for all your books to be stored? Or you simply want to maintain order and cleanliness.
Start by finding a quiet, comfortable spot to create your study station. Then, follow these fabulous four tips to get organised and build an efficient study area:
1. Use Shelf Space Wisely
Even while you may believe that you have enough shelf space, there is no such thing as too many shelves. Use them wisely instead. For instance, you could arrange your books on different shelves according to the various categories they fall under, such as fiction, history, math, etc. You will not have to be concerned about forgetting something significant in this method.
- Create a Bookshelf System
Another excellent method for organising your books is with a bookcase arrangement. In other words, you will arrange a series of vertical rows according to the genres of books you read. For instance, if you prefer reading science fiction, you could arrange your books on four shelves in a row. After that, you can add your next favourite or often-read genre.
2. Make Sure Everything Is Properly Labelled
A nice label maker can be something you want to get if you have a lot of books. This will make it simple for you to categorise your books depending on the topic. You may, for instance, designate your chemistry texts as “chemistry” and your biology textbooks as “biology.” Similarly, you can designate your nonfiction books as “nonfiction” and your fiction books as “fiction.”
- Colour Code your Labels
Colour coding your resources will help you manage your school supplies more efficiently and will save you time from having to go through stacks of paper. To make it simpler to discover what you need, group your materials into categories like notebooks, folders, binders, pens, pencils, etc. and choose colours that correlate with your subject. You could, for instance, designate one hue for math, another for science class, and so on.
3. Remove all distractions
There are distractions everywhere, including in our homes. A student can receive them in a variety of ways, including emails, phone calls, and social media notifications. No matter how they appear, we are constantly tempted to investigate them – whether it is reading emails, using Facebook, watching TV, listening to music, or playing games.
You need to understand how to control your distractions if you want to boost your productivity. You do not have to shut everything else out completely. Just make sure that you are concentrating on the current work by:
- Disabling your notification settings
- Scheduling certain times to check your messages
- Blocking access to websites or apps while working on the laptop.
4. Organise your materials
One of the most crucial tasks you can take to maintain organisation is organising your files. You do not want to waste all day looking for something just because you left it somewhere else. Here are some of the proven strategies for organising your materials:
- Sort by Document Type:
Paper and digital files can be organised well with file folders. Depending on the type of file you are storing, they are available in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colours. You will need several folders if you use several types of files, such as assignments, reports, and printouts. You might have folders for “Printed Documents,” “Reports,” and “Assignments,” for instance.
You could, for instance, have a “Class Notes” folder for notes you take in class, a “Homework Folder” for assignments due the following week, and a “Homework Log” to keep track of the homework that must be done.
- Sort by Date:
Sorting your files by date will make it simpler to find specific ones if you have a lot of them. The oldest files should be in the front of the drawer or cabinet to start. Then, working your way down the list, add more recent files to the back of the drawer or cabinet, labelling each one with its name, date, and the place where the original file was originally stored. You will not forget anything if you do it this way.
- Sort by Purpose:
Keep your study space and entertainment space separate. Place your textbooks away from the TV, video games, and movies. Check to see if your desk, computer screen, bookshelves, etc. are free of clutter. Nothing that might distract you from your studies should be allowed. Every week, spend one hour cleaning out your room. This does not imply that you must discard everything; rather, it suggests that you organise the things you do keep.
When you are finished with your work, restore your desk back to its original condition. This is necessary so that you will not have to waste time tidying up after your previous study session and can get right to work the following time. According to research, there is a link between clutter and decreased productivity. You can accomplish more and experience fewer interruptions by clearing the clutter. It will save you time and energy overall if you return all your writing implements to their original locations, pack up your documents and binders, wrap any unused cords, and take any other steps you can to minimise clutter.
