How to improve energy and focus to optimize studying

As students, we all struggle with staying focused at some point. For those studying remotely, it may be even harder to stay focused with no peers around to keep us accountable. Being home all the time can also make us feel lazy and lethargic. Here are some strategies that have helped me improve energy and focus to optimize studying.

1. Change out of your PJs

Let’s start simple. It sounds silly but this one simple step makes a drastic difference in my day. I think changing into day clothes signals to my brain that I’m heading out, whether for work or errands. At the same time, my PJs are associated with down time and getting ready for bed. So, it makes sense that on days when I stay in my PJs, I feel lazy and lethargic throughout the day. Changing into something half decent makes me feel like I’m ready to take on the day. It also makes me feel quite nice. Ever since I discovered this “hack”, I make sure to change into something nice right after my morning routine. It also helps separate my work time from down time, even though I’m doing it all from home.

2. Break up your day with small chores or exercise

We all have dips in energy throughout the day. I’ve tried to power through these moments with studying but even timed Pomodoro sessions don’t help. So I’ve learned that a great way to improve energy is to just get up and do some chores in that time. Whether it’s tidying up around the house, getting the groceries, or working out. The movement really helps me re-energize and I’m able get some things done that I needed to do later anyway. The alternative is to push through studying without understanding or retaining any information – which is wasted timed. Pay attention to your energy levels throughout the day and schedule in chores or exercise during the times you struggle to stay focused.

3. Have a fixed sleeping schedule

Yes, even on weekends. I know this is hard, which is why I left this for the end. However, this is probably the most important. When I first started researching how to improve my sleep, the point that kept coming up was the importance of sleeping and waking at the same time every day. I really didn’t like hearing this because I wanted to stay up late some nights and sleep in on the weekends. But when I’ve been consistent about my sleeping and waking times, I’ve seen the difference it makes in my day-day energy levels and productivity. That alone makes this worth trying .

When you think about it, it makes sense why a fixed sleeping schedule helps. Why do we want to sleep in on the weekends? Typically, it’s because we’re tired from the week’s events which have probably impacted our sleep in some way. Maybe we’ve stayed up late to study or complete an assignment or watch Netflix. Maybe the stress of everything going on makes it hard to fall asleep. So when it’s the weekend, we want to rest and “catch up” on missed sleep.

But in my experience, I have trouble falling asleep on nights when I wake up too late. And the next day, either I wake up later, or I wake up at my regular time and feel tired all day. This can quickly become a vicious cycle. However, if I have a regular sleep schedule that allows me to get restful sleep every night, I don’t need 2 days in the week to help me feel temporarily rested. This is something I’m constantly working on because it not only helps with day-day energy but is crucial for longevity and overall well-being.

What helps you?

So those are 3 tips on how to improve energy. They’ve really helped me.

How do you maintain your energy and focus throughout the day?

-M

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