By Cuan HumphriesWhen studying, it is far too easy to become distracted or convince yourself that you could always squeeze in a?few hours later, after that thing you really just have to do now.Creating a routine for studying makes staying focused and absorbing more of the material, a little bit easier.These 7 tips, if properly adhered to, will make the difficult task of seriously studying, something more bearable.1. Study period lengths.Fact: Most people cannot focus for longer than 40 minutes at a time. So don't get crazy and think?you'll study straight for 3 hours and remember everything. Make a session about 40 minutes long and then take a break of 10 to 15 minutes before the next session. Also, make sure you keep to a relatively short break, other than for lunch or dinner, as taking too much time off will result in you losing your flow.2. Scheduling.Setting strict times for studying is a good way to go about it. Have someone help you with keeping to your schedule and set alarms, make a timetable and do anything else possible?to make sure you stay diligent. Also, do the most difficult subjects when you're most alert, perhaps early in the morning. Do what you feel more?at?ease with, later on in the day.3. A "to-do" list.It?s important to write a list of all the things you need to get done. Be very specific on this list and make sure to plan carefully. So, instead of saying ?study math,? write something specific such as ?read pages 100-120 of the mathematics textbook.? ?Cross what you've achieved off of the list, this will boost your morale and make you feel that you are getting somewhere.4. Don't cram.A few weeks before your exams, change your lifestyle. It's difficult to do, but limit your everyday pleasures. Stay in more, cut out television and make those weeks purely about studying. When you look back after achieving the results you wanted, those weeks won't seem to have been nearly as long as they may feel when you start. It's worth it! If you leave studying to three days before the exam, you're setting yourself up for failure. You simply cover too much during the year to go over all of it in?less than a week.5. Be careful about what you eat.Stay away from sugary foods that will give you a short burst of energy and then drop you again.?This will make staying focused difficult. Eat small meals regularly and stick to complex carbohydrates and fruit/veg. Also, a cup of coffee now and then won't hurt, just don't over-do it.6. Sleep.Make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep. If you don't, your brain does not have time to recover from being focused all the time and then cannot remember much of what you've learnt. The next day will see you tired and listless and then you won't learn and will?need more sleep, which you won't get, creating a horrible snowball effect. Stick to a structured plan!7. What to do during your breaks.Exercise?is very good during your breaks, as you increase the levels of oxygen in your blood, which helps with retaining information. Video games and the like will over-stimulate your brain, effectively erasing all the hard work you've just done.Hopefully these 7 tips help you with your future studying!

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