Overcoming boredom when studying

[bluedragon]

When you have to study for an exam and you get very bored, how do you keep going?
I enjoy what I'm studying, but I don't feel like studying it right now. I also am not afraid of failing the exam since I have enough time, it's just that I'm gonna have to study a lot in the last days and it's not gonna be as effective as studying a little bit each day. I am very motivated when working on my website, for example. And I also like to watch movies because I can put myself in the characters' place and feel strong emotions. I am motivated in any challenging real life situation.
But I want to have the skill of being able to perform boring work if I choose to, especially since what I am studying is really interesting and relevant to my interests.

[Polag]

That is a big problem for most of the students imo.

I think that the problem itself lies in the studying process. When I analyzed this problem I realized that my usual way of learning is based on just memorization (reading something > repeating it; reading it again > repeating it again... until it somehow sticks)

The problem with this is that it seems that the brain isn't really activated in this process. So when the brain isn't occupied we are feeling bored.

You like to work on you web site probably because your brain is working during that time. You think, you analyze data, you are looking for solutions to improve... You like to watch films because of similar reasons. Your brain is stimulated and therefor it's operating.

To change the boredom we need to change the studying process so that our brains are actually employed during the studying.

[magi13]

^,^ Just study in a quiet place without distractions. Constantly shift your body from one place to another or if the place has lots of seats, transfer from one place to another to avoid falling asleep.

Just divide your time for studying. 20 minutes to study 5 minutes to relax (doing something so very very very non related to your studies). ^^

[Assistantpigkeeper]

Well, if you're actually cramming for an exam, there's not much I can tell you. At this point, it's rather too late to do anything other than memorize facts.

However, if you still have a bit of time, ask 'why'? If you're trying to remember, for example, that Dorothea Dix made the insane asylums more humane, ask 'what drove her to do this?' Look at her life. Was there some influence there that caused her to have a passion for the insane? What were the social factors at play that allowed her to do this? Not only will you learn what she did, but you'll also learn more about history at the same time. Finally, you'll get better at analyzing history, which should make the exams easier.

To quote Alfred from Batman Begins: "If you start pretending to have fun, you might even have a little by accident."

[bluedragon]

If I start doing something fun for 5 minutes, I will surely end up doing it for 50 minutes. If not, then I will feel very frustrated.

I totally agree that the problem is that my mind is not stimulated enough through studying. I read in many places that watching movies, intriguingly, is one of the most stimulating things for the brain.

I guess my biggest problem is that I don't know exactly what to focus on. It's an oral exam and there is a lot to read and there is the chance to fail the exam because you are asked precisely something that you didn't pay attention to (unless your other answers are very good).

[Xanafax]

I go for the tough love approach.

I tell myself, so what if it's boring, so what if you don't like it!

Stop being a girl (no offence ladies) and just do it, you know you'll feel good when you see that A on your results report.

[Ralph]

The simplest and extremely effective way is to use anchoring to bring up desirable emotional states at any time.

Here's how it works. Your mind links up the emotions you're feeling to any extraordinary events that occur simultaneously. If you hear the song while kissing your spouse, you'll later hear the same song and feel the similar amount of intimacy.


Get yourself into excited and focused state and then clap your left elbow with your right hand when the emotion is at its peak. Do this 5-10 times until you'll be able to get excited and focused just by clapping your elbow.


As for how to get yourself into that state - remember how your body looked like when you experienced those emotions. What was your breathing, your body position, your shoulders, facial expression etc. What did you mentally focus on when you felt excited? What did you say to yourself in your mind? In what tonality and tempo? If you can recreate it, you'll recreate the emotion itself.


Have fun with it. And send some love to Tony Robbins who truly turned my life around


@Fanafax

It's so much fun to enjoy the process instead just the end result. Why feel good in the future. No idea how about you, but I wanna feel good RIGHT NOW!!

[ggwbach]

use music, lets your mind be in two places at one.

there's a thread in the forums that has some good recommendations.

[Jarrod]

Originally Posted by magi13

Just divide your time for studying. 20 minutes to study 5 minutes to relax (doing something so very very very non related to your studies). ^^

Agreed, if you have no choice but to study for long periods of time take breaks whenever your brain feels fried.

Boredom is just your mind(and emotions) telling you it wants to do something else. You are in control and if you believe that the most important use of your time then you study. But like I said, if the brain feels like its not getting it, it's time for a break.

[180]

Depending on the material,

You can MAKE it interesting.

For example, if the teacher was talking about... dendrites or something of brain cells and synaptic actions... I would imagine the cells as small oompa loompas that are whipping each other. The whips are axions and each arm and leg of the oompa loompa are dendrites...

Something crazy like that... It's not only a mnemonic memory technique but also keeps your attention. However, this requires an active imagination and enough willpower not to overly daydream.

[HighGrace]

I am hearing a real dichotomy in your tone. You know you need to space out the study but you don't. You know that it's good for you, in the long run, but you label it boring.

Instead of the stick, try the carrot? Pretend there's a 2 year old inside hollering, "I'm bored!" What can you promise the little squirt as a reward to leave you along for a while so you can really concentrate?

Physical activity helps. In the winter, opening a window or going outside and doing a few jumping jacks helps.

Keep a visual reminder of your progress. When I had to make X number of cold calls a day (which I hated, hated, hated to do) I kept a pile of pennies on my desk. Each call, a penny shifted into the 'done' pile. It sounds strange, but it got me through the tough stuff.

Good luck! G.

[RT Wolf]

To all students:

Study Hacks

The Single Most Important Study Strategy You Will Ever Hear | Student Help Forum

That might help.

two pieces of advice:

1. Turn it into a challenge of some kind. You'll have to figure out how, it may be covering the same material in less time, it may be learning it as deeply as possible.

2. Aim for mastery of whatever you're learning, not just good grades:
Master the Basics