How to Get in the Mood to Study
Sometimes, studying is the simple part. It’s getting yourself actually to study; that is the ultimate struggle. We all have other things we would rather do than learning about the quadratic formula. It is essential to motivate yourself to study because, in the end, you will be glad you did. There are a plethora of ways to help you to get in the mood to study.
So how do you get yourself in the mood to study? Enclosed in the table below are several tips and techniques that can help you get in the mood to study:
| Tip to Get in Mood to Study | How/Why it Works |
| Take a Power Nap | Taking a power nap can help reenergize you and clear your mind |
| Take a Bath in Epsom Salts | They help to ease swelling, cure insomnia, soothe sore muscles, ease sunburns, alleviate foot pain, relieve anxiety and relieve stress. |
| Have a Quick Workout | Exercise can boost your creativity and your ability to think. |
| Reward Yourself | Sometimes a little reward can give you the nudge you need to study |
| Find a new place to study | Changing up your environment can make studying seem new |
| Wear Comforable Clothes | You want to be in a relaxed state when you study |
| Set a Schedule | Having a written down schedule makes it harder to procrasinate |
Your motivation, mindset, and mood are vital in getting you prepared for a hefty study session. If any of these are off, your studying may be less beneficial. It can be hard just to sit down and begin studying. Preparation can make all the difference in how you learn during your study session.
Looking for study tips? Check out our article on the 25 most effective study tips to turbocharge your studying at the link below:
25 Awesome Study Tips to Boost Your Academic Performance
If you are looking for the best study tools out there, you should read our article on the best study tools to enhance your studying at the link below:
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Boost Your Motivation, Mindset, & Mood
The best way to get in the mood to study is to relax. If you are overly stressed and anxious, you are never going to be able to force yourself to begin studying, at least not in a manner that will actually help you to learn. There are many different ways that you can help yourself to relax; you just have to find what works best for you.
If you are super overworked, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted, try a power nap. I’m not talking a 3-hour nap where you wake up and don’t remember what year it is. Set your alarm for a rest with a duration between 10-24 minutes, no longer. Taking a power nap can help reenergize you and clear your mind. As crazy as it may seem, just 10 minutes of sleep can make a huge difference in your attention span if you are overly tired. The key to using power naps as a method to get you in the mood for studying is to take ONLY a power nap. Long naps will only make you feel groggier. Power naps are called power naps for a reason; they give you a boost in energy that you need in order to study.
Feeling tense, anxious, stressed, and achy? Try a 20-minute Epsom salt bath before you begin studying. Epsom salt is actually not salt at all; it’s actually magnesium and sulfate. They are super cheap and easy to afford on a college student’s budget. Add a few cups of Epsom salt to your bath and soak for about 20 minutes to allow the magnesium to get into your body through your skin. Your grandma was actually right about Epsom salt. They help to ease swelling, cure insomnia, soothe sore muscles, ease sunburns, alleviate foot pain, relieve anxiety and relieve stress. Magnesium is known to do all these things, which is why Epsom salt can be so useful. A bath, in general, can be very relaxing, but an Epsom salt bath is the perfect way to help you relax and feel renewed before you begin your study session.
If you’re feeling sluggish, try doing a quick workout before you begin studying. Getting your body moving and awake can help prepare your brain for a workout as well. Studies have shown that exercise can boost your creativity and your ability to think. You don’t have to go on a five-mile run, dancing in your bedroom or doing a 20-minute YouTube workout is perfect. You don’t want to be completely exhausted when you’re finished; you simply want to get your heart rate up so you can feel more awake and energized.
Studying in a cluttered room or space can be very distracting. Try tidying up your office or desk before your study session. Your environment can have a significant impact on how you study. If you are moving around 3-day old coffee mugs on your desk just to find a place to set your laptop, you are bound to get frustrated. Simply tidying up your space can boost your mood and motivate you further.
Another great way to get into the mood for studying is to reward yourself. This can be something as simple as grabbing a latte from Starbucks to something more extreme, like getting those EarPods you’ve had your eye on for months. Perhaps have little rewards for daily study sessions, but a big-ticket item for after you’ve finished Finals. Simple rewards will help motivate you to reach that finish line. Motivation is critical, and rewards can help with that much-needed motivation.
As simple as it sounds, have a snack, and drink some water. Hydration is a crucial part of life that so many of us forget. Water will help you feel better in so many ways. A simple snack like a granola bar or some fruit can reenergize you and keep you going during your study session. You never want to have to stop mid-way through studying because your stomach won’t stop grumbling.
Don’t wear jeans or a poofy dress to study in. Get comfortable! Put on some pajama pants or yoga pants plus a big, comfy t-shirt. Wear something familiar and loose. Uncomfortable clothing can distract you and make you feel like you are doing something unfamiliar. Comfort and familiarity will help you ease into studying and make said studying easier on you.
Turn off your cell phone or put it on silent. Smartphones are an ingenious invention, but they can be incredibly distracting. Social media is a never-ending world of information, and it can occupy our attention so quickly. Before you begin studying, check Twitter and Instagram one last time and then put your phone on silent or shut it off. Without this distraction, you will be more in the mindset of focusing on your tasks at hand.
Go sit outside and enjoy nature. As a society, we can be so focused on work and school that we can forget to enjoy the beauty of the things that surround us. According to studies, you need only 5 minutes in nature to boost your mood. Go sit in your backyard, go on a walk, sit under a tree on your University’s campus. Don’t look at your phone, just simply enjoy nature. Listen to the sounds, take in the smells and sights, and relax. Some fresh air and relaxation will be great to get you in the mood for studying.
How to Stay in the Mood While Studying
Now you’re studying, how do you stay motivated? If you’re dealing with a hard or tedious concept, you may just want to give up, but there are ways to keep you in a productive mindset once your study session begins.
One great way to do this is to set goals for yourself. They can be the most manageable most minuscule goals or super hard ones; it depends on how you work. You can also create short term goals and/or long-term goals. In order for these goals to motivate you, though, they need to be realistic and challenge you. Many people set goals for several reasons. They can be super helpful when it comes to your education and learning.
Create a schedule. Knowing what you will be doing at what time and for how long can help you to keep going and see the finish line more clearly. Having a schedule can be an excellent way to prioritize. Create your plan not only for your study session but for your entire day. You can do this with a to-do list as well. Don’t put this schedule or to-do list on your phone, either. Actually, write it down, because actually physically crossing something off your list has much more impact than just pressing backspace a few times on your iPhone. This can be a fantastic way to keep yourself organized and know what you need to get done and when.
Listen to some motivating music. Never underestimate the power of some Bruno Mars or Drake. Classical music is another way to help you keep focus. Putting on a song that helps pump you up and help motivate you and allows you to feed off of your happy mindset. Perhaps listen to classical music for a few songs, then a song that gets you pumped up, and then back to classical for a while. Switching things up keeps things exciting and peaks your focus.
As you study, snack on some dark chocolate and nuts. These are brain-loving foods that trigger the release of dopamine and act as a slight anti-depressant. Nuts have a ton of Vitamin E, which is known to slow down cognitive decline. Plus, if you are slightly snacking throughout studying, you are less likely to feel super hungry, which will obviously distract you and have you heading for the kitchen rather than in the direction of your textbook.
Stay positive. This may seem easier said than done, but positivity can make all the difference in not only your education but just life in general. Having a bad or negative attitude about things affects not only you but the people around you. If you are positive about studying, it’s going to be easier and more beneficial for you. If you are dreading it and complaining, you aren’t going to get much from that study session. Having a positive outlook is so important. You will reach the finish line; you will get your degree, you just have to believe this every single day and see each study session as a stepping stone to getting there.
Post- Study Session Recovery
You can also do any of the methods mentioned in the first sub-section to relax after studying. By relaxing with an Epsom salt bath, enjoying nature, or taking a nap after studying, you are creating a positive outlook on what it is like once you have finished studying. This will motivate you to keep studying each day because you look forward to what comes when you are done. This is kind of the same thing as rewarding yourself for studying. It is another thing to look forward to both before and during studying. It helps manage your stress and prepares you for your next study session.
After you give your brain an intense workout, you want to help it to unwind. You could do some yoga, chat with friends, or even watch cat videos on YouTube. Getting yourself in the mood to study is incredibly important, but recovery afterward is important as well. Do something that relaxes you or makes you happy, like your favorite hobby. Studying is like a physical workout. When you’re done on the elliptical, you don’t just stop and lay down. You do a cool-down exercise and get your heart rate back to normal. You should do the same thing after studying. Help your brain cool down and relax to avoid burnout.
Indulge in a nice cup of tea and catch up on all those notifications you missed out on while studying, you deserve it.
The Importance of Studying
You shouldn’t be studying just because you want to pass Thursday’s exam. You should also be studying to keep your brain sharp and to learn new things. When you are preparing to study, remember that learning is the key to slowing brain aging. The more you know, the healthier your brain is. Our cognitive skills tend to lessen after we graduate from college or retire. Challenging your brain each day keeps you mentally stable and will help you do so for years to come. Learning new skills and information helps to build a better memory and quicken your processing abilities, which will help to keep you sharp as you age. Knowing that you are making a difference in your abilities for the rest of your life will help motivate you and get you in the mood to study because you will realize that studying shouldn’t be a treacherous, daunting activity.
Studying also helps prepare you for life in general. It provides students with the opportunity to develop study habits, time management skills, and self-discipline. Regardless of the career path you choose, you need to know how to do these things in order to be successful and lead a life that is beneficial to you and those around you. So, next time you want to binge Netflix instead of study, think about the impact you could have on your future if you complete that study session instead. Netflix will be there later, but your best ability to learn will not unless you exercise it frequently.
In Conclusion
Getting in the mood to study is half the battle. We have all experienced the procrastination of deciding to go through your entire closet instead of studying. I mean, Goodwill needs my clothes more than I need to know about Lincoln’s Assassination, right? Wrong.
You don’t have to dive into studying the second you walk in the door returning from class. Start with a relaxing Epsom salt bath, a short but mighty power nap, a quick workout, a snack, changing into something comfortable, or a nice few minutes of getting some fresh air out in nature. Doing activities like these before studying, keep you feeling positive and motivated. Being in a good mindset and being in a happy mood will lead to a more beneficial study session. Being depressed and exhausted will not help you learn a thing.
Prepare rewards and goals for yourself. Have a schedule, so you know what you need to accomplish and when. Clean up your space, so there is nothing cluttering your environment while you work. Listen to some music and snack on some chocolate. Yes, chocolate. I am giving you permission to eat chocolate. Once again, just try to stay positive. It can be harder than anything in the world at times, but it will make life in general so much easier and enjoyable for you.
After studying, engage in some relaxation as well. Don’t just go straight to sleep, help your brain cool down from all the information you just fed to it. Take a bath, watch a mindless show, do some yoga, talk with friends on the phone, do some knitting. Do something that makes you happy and helps you to unwind. This will make you more likely to enjoy and look forward to studying next time.
Studying is so important not only for your education now but for your future as well. Learning keeps your brain sharp and helps with brain aging. This is why senior citizens love crosswords so much; it keeps their brain on its toes. Don’t just think of studying as something that you have to do in order to pass a class, think of it as something that will keep you and your brain healthy in the future.
Getting in the mood to study can be easy once you find the perfect methods that help to relax you and put you in a positive mindset. These preparations can be super simple but super beneficial at the same time. Taking your mental health seriously will allow your brain to learn more. It will allow you to de-stress while doing so. Take care of yourself and allow studying and learning to take you to places you never dreamed of going.
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
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