Personal Literacy: Reducing stress in your study environment.

Studying Under Stress

Build a learning fortress.

What you learn in school is valuable. These skills will serve you well throughout your life. When you finish high school, you have amassed enough skills for self-study and the world is yours. So, find a way to finish high school. Plant your feet and learn even under stress. (Also see the article: Stress & Learning)

Allen Elkin, Stress Management for Dummies, explains that when faced with a stressful situation, you can react in these ways:

1. Reduce the frequency of encountering a stressor.
2. Change your negative feelings by adopting a more positive perspective regarding the stressor.
3. Reduce the impact of the stress you feel through relaxation and other techniques.

With this advice in mind, how might you shape your study environment? Think about;

• Finding the time to study.
• Relaxing and putting emotions aside.
• Staying focused.
• Creating your study space.
• Studying your way.
• Measuring progress.
• Developing your inner voice.
• Finding and asking for help.
• Learning how to self-study (covered in another section).

Finding the time to study.

Concentrating when you don't feel in control isn't easy. Everything you do to feel in control will reduce stress and make concentrating easier, so disciplines like time management are very helpful. Don't just sneak some time in for studying—make studying part of your regular schedule. Have a schedule!

Use weighted time slots when you plan study time. For example, if you find Physics more challenging than Geography, devote more study time during the week to Physics.

If you have an assignment, then do it during the regular time slot. If no assignment is due, rewrite your lecture notes. If you didn't take notes during class, grab your textbook and make notes for the topics covered that week.

You will be surprised to learn how much more information sinks in when you write it down using a pen on paper during a quiet study period away from school. Preparing for a test may be less stressful, too.

When studying for a test or completing a major assignment, be prepared to steal a little time from other subjects. Study most challenging to least challenging topics. Rewrite your notes, summarizing and checking them for completeness against the textbook. Redo sample questions from assignments. Create a study summary sheet, squeezing all key concepts onto one sheet. Write your summary sheet out a few times.

As you advance through the grades, more and more time is spent studying independently. Good self-study and time management skills become critical if you advance to college. The principles of student time management are the same for all grades, though, so head over to the Student Success Office at the University of Waterloo and read what they have to say about Managing Your Time at University.

Relaxing and putting emotions aside.

An oxygenated mind is a quieted mind. Simple breathing and exercise routines can help calm your mind and body in preparation for your study period.

To quiet your emotions, choose a program that draws your mind away from thinking and feeling and focuses instead on other things like body, breathing, or nature. As you seek out a program that suits you, avoid using sites where clutter and comments may trigger emotions or otherwise distract you from your task of relaxing.

The Student Wellness Hub, at McGill University, lists many guided audio only relaxation programs. I don't recommend them all, but the programs: Awareness Body Scan (8 minutes);  and  Mountain, Wind, and Sky (10 minutes)   meet the objectives I listed above.

Want to learn to listen to your own voice? Consider designing and recording your own relaxation program.

If you need something more physical to calm the mind, schedule one of these small acts of restoration before your study session.

Staying focused.

• Stop reading so much news! Experts say it may be bad for you.
• Make a to-do list. Complete urgent items before you study. Leave the less important items until studying is complete. Remember — Learning/Education has an essential place on your to-do list. It is not something to leave until your to-do list is empty. Learning is a priority, and to-do lists are never complete. When studying, put your to-do list out of sight.
• Wake up early and work when everyone else is sleeping. (Many professional writers use this trick.)
• Break your study sessions into multiple shorter sessions. Avoid long marathon cramming sessions.
• Study when the kids are at school or send them outside or to grandmother's place for your study session.
• Put the pets outside.
• Try playing calm quiet music in the background while you study; don't let lyrics or harsh rhythms distract you.
• Headphones/earplugs block out a lot of sound. If you are not listening for kids, try using them.
• Learning/studying is not a multi-tasking task. Don't study while performing other duties.
• When it is time to study, all to-do lists and journals should be out of sight.
• Power-off all devices, such as your cell phone, that can ding, ring, tweet, or beep at you during your study session. Defending your territory on social media can wait a couple of hours.
• Your learning program and background music application should be the only open/running applications. Close all other tabs. Exit email and any text messaging application.
• You need good lighting. Wear your glasses if you need glasses.
• Food, water, and shelter: Take care of basic needs before your study session and wear comfortable clothing.

Creating your study space.

• You need space for all your study equipment, including books, a computer, pens, a scribble pad, and other writing instruments. You don't want to interrupt your study period to look for something, so everything you need should be nearby.
• You need a quiet area free of distractions. Try using a privacy screen if you are easily distracted.
• Get rid of the clutter.

Studying your way.

Understanding how you learn best can help you focus and retain information more effectively. Here are different learning styles and strategies to enhance your study habits.

Visual Learners

In Class	When Studying	When Memorizing
Use diagrams, charts, and color coding in notes.	Create mind maps and flashcards with images. Sketch key concepts.	Summarize concepts visually before converting them into text.

Auditory Learners

In Class	When Studying	When Memorizing
Engage in discussions and participate in class talks.	Listen to recorded lectures, explain concepts aloud.	Recite key ideas and use verbal repetition.

Reading & Writing Learners

In Class	When Studying	When Memorizing
Take detailed notes and review handouts.	Rewrite and reorganize notes, summarize textbook content.	Convert information into structured summaries, lists, and written explanations.

Kinesthetic Learners

In Class	When Studying	When Memorizing
Engage in hands-on activities like labs and demonstrations.	Apply concepts through real-world practice and problem-solving.	Use movement, role-playing, or practical exercises to reinforce learning.

Experiment with different techniques to discover what works best for you. Most people benefit from a combination of learning styles!

Measuring progress.

Focusing on study goals rather than grades is better, especially if your grades are frustrating. For example, avoid goals like "I am going to work hard and get an A in math" and set a goal like "I am going to devote 2 hours a week to studying math". Reward yourself for sticking to your study goal.

Later measure the impact of the study goal on your grade, say at midterm. If you are not satisfied with your grade, reset the study goal to, for example, 3 hours of study or 2 hours of self-study and 1 hour of studying with a coach. Always reward yourself for setting and sticking to study goals.

Keep adjusting your study goals until you think you have struck a good balance between the time you spend studying, the help you receive, and the satisfaction you feel with your grades or progress.

P.S. After reading the book How to study by Ron Fry, I learned that both my reading and my methods of studying were considered very slow. I earned a university degree, so my methods may be slow but effective. When should you worry about speed? If you can not meet your deadlines or get through your task list, then find new methods that help you work faster. Otherwise, studying is not a race.

Developing your own inner voice.

According to Mark Runco, in his textbook Creativity, Theories and Themes, insight comes from restructuring your thoughts. The act of writing pushes you through that very process of collecting and organizing your ideas. Writing things down often helps me sort out my moods and clarify my thinking. I can still be surprised at what I compose when I sit quietly and put pen to paper. When you feel overwhelmed or muddled, keeping a journal can really help you sort yourself out.

Journaling Benefits and How to Start Right Now at Healthline.com, claims journaling can help you reduce stress, boost your well-being, process emotions, make plans, and get to know yourself better (insight). Check it out.

Finding and asking for help.

Many people would enjoy helping you achieve your literacy or academic goals. Reach out to your;

• Local school: teachers and counsellors know how to help.
• Library: ask for list of nearby organizations that offer literacy support.
• Personal circle: family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers are often eager to help.

People feel valued and needed when they help others.