6 tips on how to discipline yourself when studying

The saying "Everybody's gotta learn, nobody's born knowing" is true. We acquire knowledge as we test, make mistakes, test again, again and again and finally get it right. We know this to be true when it comes to fitness. You won't be able to run 40 kilometers in a marathon overnight. In this process, there are days when you'll be able to convince yourself that this effort is worth it because you started your training by running 1 kilometer and almost had a seizure and, weeks later, you're already able to run 1.5 kilometers without suffering so much.

It's also part of the process to have days when you're going to fight laziness and lose: it's raining, you're sleepy, or you're just not in the mood. It happens. The important thing is to be fair to yourself and understand that any kind of discipline, whether physical or mental, has its ups and downs. As human beings living in diverse and adverse contexts, we don't have stable learning curves.

The saying mentioned above about babies not being born geniuses has several consequences. One of them is what Educational Neuroscience has taught us: our brains have potential, but they need stimulation. It's worth remembering, however, that stimuli don't affect all our brains in the same way. Each brain, with its own functioning, processes information differently. This means that the saying would still be true if we changed it slightly to "No one is born knowing how to learn". There is no universal learning formula that works for everyone. So if you want to learn how to learn, you have to do it in a way that suits your schedule, your path, your goals, your space, and your limits.

1. Re-cognize your schedule

The first step is to think about the real conditions in which you live. Preparing meals, looking after family members, and shopping, for example, are just as important as studying. Establishing fixed times for all these commitments can help. So think about it: Do you have a fixed time for studying? How many hours a week can you really commit to studying?

2. Re-cognize your path

If you have less time than you'd like, remember that "ant steps" are still steps. Understand that reading 2 sentences a day, for example, may not be the same as reading an entire chapter, but it's a start. Our minds like to be challenged, so you gradually increase your goal: one week it's hard to read 2 sentences, the next it gets easier and the next you decide you can read 3. Focusing on the fact that you haven't yet achieved your goal or comparing yourself to people who don't have the same life experience as you won't get you very far. So think: what's getting in the way of you creating a study routine? Are they thoughts, feelings, behaviors, habits?

3. Re-cognize your goals

Discipline is a challenge for many people. This difficulty is even greater when you live in conditions of economic, emotional or social instability, for example. Part of the strategy for dealing with these obstacles is to focus on what motivates you. So think about the following questions: what are you studying for? What results will your studies enable you to achieve?

4. Re-cognize your space

It's good that the place where you study is organized, well-lit, clean and free of distractions. That's because a desk full of papers, a dirty floor, no light or Whatsapp beeping can end up distracting you, and we don't want that, do we? So analyze: where can you create a study sanctuary for yourself, a space that is as clean and quiet as possible? How can you signal to your friends and family that, unless they have urgent business, the "Good morning" sticker can wait?

5. Re-cognize your limits

You can't become a robot. Our brains can't concentrate properly for longer than 90 minutes. That's why it's important that you take a break after each study period. During this break, you can stretch your legs, drink some water or think about something else. Another type of rest that is essential for your studies is sleep because it restores the functioning of our brains. With that in mind, think about how you can keep track of the time you're studying without getting distracted too early. Do you have any tools besides your cell phone? If not, what do you think is getting in the way and what could you do about it?

6. Learn about study methods

Many people are trying to develop study techniques. You're not alone in this. This is good because there are an infinite number of study methods for you to try out and find one that works for you. Research at least two of the techniques "Pomodoro", "Mind maps", "Active reading", "Spaced reviews", "Mnemonics", "Feynmann technique", "Cornell method", "Hebbian theory", "Loci method", "Leitner method", "Multisensory learning". Which of the two techniques you've researched do you think you could start with?