Creating An Optimal Study Environment

Some parents spend a lot of money sending kids to Learning Technique programmes and many enrichment classes just so that their kids can have an edge in their studies. But sometimes parents forget to pay attention to the most basic necessity for effective studying – an optimal study environment at home. Without a conducive environment kids will not be able to get the full benefits of whatever cutting edge learning techniques they have learnt.

Here, we want to suggest five factors that must be addressed to increase the effectiveness of your child’s revision and studying for exams.

Light
A basic point that is worth repeating. The study area must be brightly lit but not glaring. In Singapore, we generally use a lot of fluorescent lamp in our house and assume they are good enough for our kids to study in. Studies show, however, that yellow light is better for the eyes compared to white light from a fluorescent lamp because it is less glaring. Fluorescent lighting also can flicker noticeably and produce an uneven light that may affect your kid’s eyesight.

Temperature
A warm environment makes most people drowsy. You don’t want your child to fall asleep at his study table. If the study area in your home is air-conditioned, set it a little colder than what your child would normally like. Lower temperatures will help keep him alert.

Distractions
It is easy to just shoo your kid into his room to study and then carry on watching your favourite drama serial in the living room. But you may not realise that you are causing the distraction that is affecting his concentration.

As far as possible remove as much sources of distractions from the study area. Like the TV and radio noise. Don’t let him have his hand phone with him. Make sure the computer is completely switched off so that he is not tempted to go on the chat program. If he is prone to lying down, then the study area should not be near his bed.

Why not make the study time a quiet time in the house? You can sit down and read the papers or read a book while your kid is studying.

Meal
Doing a passive activity like reading and writing on a full stomach can make anyone drowsy. A lot of energy and blood is channeled for digestive processes.

Avoid giving your child red meat and refined carbohydrates such as bread, rice and sugar before the study session. They are known to reduce the brain’s ability to store information.

Music
Music can be a distraction. But the right type of music can help in improving concentration. Studies show that Baroque, a type of classical music, works best because it has a sixty beats per minute rhythm that puts the mind in a relaxed state. This is the best state for the mind to absorb and remember information.

Timing
Our mental state changes throughout the day. Some people prefer active work in the day and mental work in the evenings. If your child is always restless in the evenings maybe that is not the best time for him to study. Always aim to maximize his study time.

Some of us are ‘morning people’ preferring to start doing serious work early in the morning. Likewise, your kid may prefer to work early in the morning when his mind is fully rested with no distractions from SMSes and TV that are common in the evening time. Some kids are known to spend one or two hours in the wee hours of the morning to do quality studying before they head off to school. This is definitely better than spending many hours fidgeting and fighting off distractions in the evening.

Conclusion
Our mind remembers environment. If we can create one that is close to the exam environment for our kids, they will be more comfortable and mentally prepared at the actual exam. Of course it is not practical to recreate the classroom at home but some aspects of it can, like a quiet environment, sitting at a table rather than the sofa and sitting upright rather than slouched at the table.

An optimal study environment can significantly affect performance in the exams. But the good thing is that the improvements we need to make are easy and small scale.