Studying can often be difficult, mentally taxing, and requires a lot of focus and concentration. That’s why, especially in the leadup to exams such as the HSC or school end-of-year exams, it is vital to have a suitable study space, to foster the efficiency of a student’s time spent on their work. In study spaces that are noisy, full of distractions, or not motivating, concentration is ultimately drawn away from the work, which is much less likely to be completed.

Some key ways for students to ensure that they are studying in a suitable environment is to consider the following factors:

Keeping away distractions. Make sure that key distractions – especially phones – are left far away from the study space, minimising their ability to distract the student. Having a phone within reach greatly increases the temptation to simply procrastinate with social media or mobile games, but this is minimised if the phone is put far away. Out of sight, out of mind!

Choosing a quiet location. Loud, busy areas can be incredibly distracting and often lead to interruptions, breaking focus and concentration. If a student’s home is busy and loud, a library is often a good alternative. They may choose to study in their local library, or bigger libraries such as NSW State Library or a number of different University Libraries.

Ensuring good lighting. Poor lighting can lead to eye strain and headaches, whereas good lighting improves concentration. In particular, students should make sure that when they are using their laptops, they have suitable light to diffuse the blue light from the laptop, which can cause eye damage and impair sleeping on its own.

Having comfortable seating. Having a proper chair and table that allows the student to work with good posture and comfort minimises back and neck pain in the long term. This is especially important in periods of high studying, such as in the lead-up to the HSC, in which back and neck pain can easily arise.

Ceara Kearnes