Personal Development for Smart People Forums - View Single Post - Burnout from Overstudying: How do I decide I've done enough?

brutalmusic · 06-04-2009, 01:00 AM

alainplus:

Back in... it had to be '99, I asked a programmer friend to write up a flashcard program for me, but when I stumbled upon an old floppy with a copy of it a few years ago, it didn't even occur to me to actually start using the thing again. Thanks so much for the reminder! The extra frills on Anki look quite intriguing, and its ability to use images are simply necessary if I want to use images of mathematical algorithms. Anki has quite a lot to offer to someone who learns visually.

I was scouring the Study Hacks blog that Daffy suggested and found a suggestion that reflects Steve Pavlina's advice to cut back on hours to increase efficiency. So I've been wondering how many hours etc. to allot per week. However, I think your advice is likely to be so much more helpful.

It's so simple and obvious yet I never would have seen it for myself: playing with course materials isn't studying; it's a hobby. And it's ridiculous to harass myself for being lazy when I've finished my coursework but I'm not attending to my hobby. Because, of course, I do harass myself for not spending every spare minute "studying."

But I can indeed draw a line between studying and reading or reviewing for enjoyment, such that I will finally -- finally! -- have a finite list of things to study.

That annoying perfectionist voice in the corner says, 'But what about studying for the math GREs? Isn't that true studying?' Only if I'm studying only those problems that appeared on the exams for that class. Reviewing a textbook section by section doesn't count.

So, here's the rough draft of my goals:

Premise:

Studying:
1. Earning points toward a better GPA
2. Reviewing the core elements of a mathematical subject when deemed necessary as preparation for the GREs or a future course
Academic playtime:
1. Time spent in any academic pursuit other than studying
2. Time spent studying inefficiently

Nonproductive downtime is as valuable as academic playtime

Goals:

I will consistently and reliably differentiate between studying and academic playtime

For each class, I will create a firm, finite list of study tasks that can be pruned but cannot be lengthened unless a professor reveals additional coursework

Each time I harass myself for neglecting to allot academic playtime, I will remind myself that indulging in academic playtime is a hobby

As for creating a specific list of study tasks, I'll have to wait until Monday, which is when my second summer school class begins.

Any suggestions to add?

Thanks much,
Danielle

06-04-2009, 01:00 AM	#14 (permalink)
brutalmusic Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 6	alainplus: Back in... it had to be '99, I asked a programmer friend to write up a flashcard program for me, but when I stumbled upon an old floppy with a copy of it a few years ago, it didn't even occur to me to actually start using the thing again. Thanks so much for the reminder! The extra frills on Anki look quite intriguing, and its ability to use images are simply necessary if I want to use images of mathematical algorithms. Anki has quite a lot to offer to someone who learns visually. I was scouring the Study Hacks blog that Daffy suggested and found a suggestion that reflects Steve Pavlina's advice to cut back on hours to increase efficiency. So I've been wondering how many hours etc. to allot per week. However, I think your advice is likely to be so much more helpful. It's so simple and obvious yet I never would have seen it for myself: playing with course materials isn't studying; it's a hobby. And it's ridiculous to harass myself for being lazy when I've finished my coursework but I'm not attending to my hobby. Because, of course, I do harass myself for not spending every spare minute "studying." But I can indeed draw a line between studying and reading or reviewing for enjoyment, such that I will finally -- finally! -- have a finite list of things to study. That annoying perfectionist voice in the corner says, 'But what about studying for the math GREs? Isn't that true studying?' Only if I'm studying only those problems that appeared on the exams for that class. Reviewing a textbook section by section doesn't count. So, here's the rough draft of my goals: Premise: Studying: 1. Earning points toward a better GPA 2. Reviewing the core elements of a mathematical subject when deemed necessary as preparation for the GREs or a future course Academic playtime: 1. Time spent in any academic pursuit other than studying 2. Time spent studying inefficiently Nonproductive downtime is as valuable as academic playtime Goals: I will consistently and reliably differentiate between studying and academic playtime For each class, I will create a firm, finite list of study tasks that can be pruned but cannot be lengthened unless a professor reveals additional coursework Each time I harass myself for neglecting to allot academic playtime, I will remind myself that indulging in academic playtime is a hobby As for creating a specific list of study tasks, I'll have to wait until Monday, which is when my second summer school class begins. Any suggestions to add? Thanks much, Danielle Last edited by brutalmusic; 06-04-2009 at 01:03 AM.