If you aren’t getting the results you want from your studies, it’s time to ditch your old study habits – and learn new ones.
Most students know what they should do – from managing their time effectively to setting a study plan, etc.
However, you still might be unknowingly engaging in these 7 ineffective study habits.
A few ineffective study habits students should avoid are studying passively and studying without a plan. Also, students who never have any downtime and study only to get good grades rather than learn are known to perform poorly in exams.
In this article, I’ll expand on the above bad study habits and introduce a few more that you might be doing unconsciously.
Table of Contents
7 Ineffective Study Habits
1. Studying passively
I’ve talked about studying passively many times on this blog. If you’re a regular reader of the SMC “studying” section, you’re probably sick of me saying this.
And I’m getting kind of sick to keep mentioning it. But I have to because so many students forget that they are even studying passively.
So, what does it mean to study passively?
Do you remember when your teachers told you to take notes in middle school? Or when you upgraded to high school and busted out the highlighters? And remember how you still re-read your notes? Well, those are passive forms of studying.
Even listening to a lecture is a passive way of learning (regardless of how many times you replay it.)
Basically, your brain isn’t being forced to remember information. And if your brain isn’t pressured to remember something, it will forget – it will never retain that knowledge.
Unfortunately, most of us students have become “accustomed” to studying this way, as it’s an easier way of studying – it isn’t uncomfortable.
It also feels pretty darn good when you’re done re-reading a section for the fifth time. You feel like you’ve actually accomplished something and aren’t a waste of a student.
However, this way of learning hurts us more than we know, and it also takes more time and effort.
As uncomfortable as active learning is, it’s a faster way to remember information so you can move on and live the rest of your life – rather than spending hours reading notes until they swim on the page and your head starts to hurt.
So, what exactly is active learning?
Active learning or active recall is a study technique used by smart, successful students.
It makes the difference between a pass or fail, an A or C, and a calm student versus a fearful one on an exam day.
Active recall involves “pulling information” from your brain. i.e., forcing your brain to remember something.
For example, when you look at a question on a flashcard, the answer is at the back, so you’re forced to remember it.
This basic act of forcing your brain to remember something reinforces that knowledge even more. It cements the answer into your brain – making it easier for you to retain it for the future.
An easy way to actively recall – without using fancy tools like flashcard apps is to use a Google Sheet. I learned this method from Ali Abdaal – you write the question in one column and the answer in the next, but in white font, so you never see it and don’t “cheat” when answering a question.
However, remember there is a steep difference between remembering something during active recall and rote learning. People often confuse the two.
Rote learning or memorization is another passive form of learning.
The difference with active recall is that you aren’t memorizing the answer for the short-term – you’re trying to consciously remember it, so it becomes easier to recall in the long-term.
Don’t fall into the trap of memorization and fool yourself into thinking that you use active recall to study. I’ve done that before – it never helps.
2. Studying with no plan
Studying without a schedule is like going to a foreign country without an itinerary. Fun in hindsight, and you might make some memorable experiences, but they might not necessarily be good memories.
Good students create a plan for their studies.
They not only have a long-term vision and plan, but they plan their months, weeks, and days.
A simple way to create a study plan is by using a calendar or spreadsheet. List out your modules and then break them up into topics and chapters. And then set a realistic daily timeframe for studying.
Never go overboard when creating a study plan – most people get very unrealistic during this stage. They try to fit too much into their schedule and promptly burn out.
3. Studying only to get a good grade and not to “learn”
It might seem like a lofty ideal to strive for more knowledge rather than good grades. However, we would perform better and have more fun studying if we learned purely for the joy of it.
Our need for good grades overpowers our need for education – because the former validates our self-esteem just like a huge house, nice car, and shiny job title does to most people.
But good students love to learn, which is why they do well. They aren’t focused on the numbers but the lessons behind their course material.
4. Never having downtime
It’s too easy to burn out as a student. And when burnout sets in, it’s tough to get back to your studies.
To combat possible burnout, you must take regular study breaks.
Take a break during the week and have a zero-study day. Also, take short study breaks to refresh your focus and energize you.
Good students use the Pomodoro method or a variation of it. They study, take a short break, study, and repeat.
However, what you do during these study breaks is also very important. Don’t start a new Netflix show or scroll through your phone too much.
These activities are mentally draining. Instead, do mentally and physically stimulating activities like eating a healthy snack, drinking lots of water, or stretching.
5. Never asking for help
I get it. The introvert in me hates asking for help too. But the desperate part of me rarely overshadows that part and becomes brave enough to ask for help.
Sometimes we’re too proud, scared, or shy to ask for help. And so, we sit there and spend hours trying to figure something out ourselves – when we could’ve solved the issue in a minute and saved time and energy.
You’ll notice that the most successful students ask questions…a lot. Because nobody knows everything. And it’s always wiser to ask for help than be too proud and wallow in self-pity.
6. Allowing distractions to get to you
It’s impossible to get rid of distractions in today’s world.
And as a student, it’s so easy to close your book or learning tab on the internet and switch to a movie. I’ve done it so many times; it’s unreal.
However, successful students aren’t an anomaly. They also face distractions, but they’ve learned to control them (or simplify them, as I like to call it.)
Instead of trying to behave like a hermit where you eradicate every possible distraction, be human and first accept that that’s not possible.
So, you need to find a way to work around them or simplify them.
For example, instead of trying to store your phone for an entire day in another room, keep your phone away for an hour before you check it. Or, instead of avoiding your friends for a month, schedule one day in the week when you meet them.
7. Never doing practice tests
Most students don’t test themselves because they’re afraid they will realize they don’t know a section well enough and have to go back to study it.
What we don’t know won’t kill us, hey?
But don’t we regret not doing practice tests when we see our exam paper for the first time? Don’t you regret not going over past year questions or mock exams?
I sure do.
Practice testing is the best way to determine if you’re ready for an exam.
All smart students test themselves before their exams. Not-so-smart students look at exam-style questions for the first time in the exam. (pull)
Testing yourself will show you your weak points and is a form of active recall. You’re forcing your brain to remember something, which will help you retain that knowledge later.
You can find mock exams on your campus website, or maybe your lecturer will give them to you.
Please, oh please, don’t make my past mistakes and think you’re too good for practice questions.
Your ego has a funny way of showing you up in your exams.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it – 7 ineffective study habits that all students should avoid – starting today.
If you do any of these, rest assured that you aren’t alone. There is no “perfect student” – we’re all a work-in-progress.
If you try to improve one of these bad study habits by at least 1% a day, you’re already on your way to becoming a smart, effective student.
If you liked this post on 7 ineffective study habits, check out:
- How to Concentrate on Studying: 10 Insanely Effective Ways
- 7 Effective Study Habits to Develop That Will Make You a Better Student
- How to Use the Pomodoro Technique for Studying (The Right Way)