4 WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO DESIGN AN ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESS

Designing an Environment for Success

Where you sit down to study and do your homework can affect you profoundly. You must design your environment in a manner that helps you achieve your academic pursuits with ease.

Identifying your goals is the first step toward environment design that works for you. For example, you might have math as your major subject and find yourself doing calculations more often than anything else. So connecting your psychological needs, personality, and academic pursuits is key to a productive environment. Let’s look at some tips on how you can start.

1. Set up cues to trigger your habits.

What surrounds you influences you.

Establishing cues can help students focus at home. Having a proper work desk set with everything in reach is crucial and helpful. For instance, you might find some important points while reading your textbook but need to see the highlighter in sight.

A task becomes more difficult if you can’t see something you need immediately. So setting up visual, audio, or verbal cues in your environment can trigger your desired habits. Below are some ideas to inspire you.

• Choose a specific action for your cue to help you remember the habit you want to create. For example, if you’re going to start meditating more often, hanging a poster with an inspirational quote in the area of your home where you plan on meditating could serve as an effective reminder. 
• Tag a task with a visual trigger and watch for it. For example, it is easier to study in the ambiance of warm light. So you can get a lamp that sets the environment temperature as a trigger for you to start working.
• Audio cues like listening to music might help you focus more (remember that it is different for everyone).

Another classic example is that of putting up reminders. Student life can get overwhelming. You have plenty of homework, assignments to turn in, and even exam preparation. Remembering what you must do will help you in school or college.

Notes on your fridge door or working space can be visual and verbal cues. They can also help keep track of everything you need to do, whether in school or college.

2. Remove distractions

Less is more.

Learning what you don’t need has its perks. For one, it can help you concentrate and focus on important tasks. A simple yet powerful environment can also help kids with ADHD do homework, minus the frustration. Visual clutter needs to go away. And there’s more to it than the aesthetic perspective.

• First, make sure your workspace is clutter-free. Clutter can be a major distraction that takes away from focus and reduces productivity. It’s important to note that this doesn’t just mean physical clutter – digital files like emails or notifications should also be decluttered regularly. 
• Cables and cords running around the workspace are organized and tucked away as much as possible. This will give you more space while allowing you to easily access any technology or equipment needed for your studies. 
• Clear out any piles of books or papers accumulating over time—these can be overwhelming when trying to focus!
• Make the environment comfortable by adding plants or anything that you find soothing. 

Your space should be tied to your goals and personality. It should reflect a surrounding in which everything is within reach. So you save time finding the calculator or dictionary when needed!

3. Stay organized

Have a stress-free environment for a more successful academic life.

Organizing your environment is important to leading a productive and stress-free life. It can be challenging to stay organized when life gets busy, but you can take many simple steps to maintain order in the areas around you:

• Start small by tackling one place at a time. 
• Dedicate a room or section of your home to studying.
• Keep important papers and notes in individual files or dividers.
• Create zones for different activities using storage containers and baskets.

Staying organized for school is essential to success. Oh, and remember to organize your backpack, as it’s a part of your environment. Take out items that you don’t need for the day.

4. Set routines and schedules

Having a clean and consistent routine helps in creating. Learn the 4 principles of behavior change. 

It all comes down to consistency in the end. Students looking to stay organized and maximize their academic pursuits can benefit from establishing routines and schedules. These practices provide structure and more productivity. 

Routines should focus on developing habits to help you become a better learner. Consider these examples:

• Setting aside regular study times each day.
• Scheduling cleanups to maintain an organized space.
• Taking periodic breaks from studying.
• Assigning particular spaces to specific tasks (bed should only be for sleeping, desk for studying, etc.) helps turn habits into schedules.

Schedules provide a framework for organizing tasks over the long term; they should factor in work-related and leisure activities. Habits and routines are strongly linked, so understand the difference and connection!

Takeaway

The environment you set up should meet your psychological and study needs. Triggering cues in your surroundings could be anything from an image or color to an object or phrase. They should help you make the most of your time without burning out.

Also, consider adding plants or anything soothing that motivates you. Remember to stay organized by ensuring essential tools, notebooks, and papers are always within reach. You’ll eventually develop the habit of studying according to your surroundings and turn it into a fully developed routine.

Check Our Our Other Blogs:

• Atomic Habits: 3 Tips for Your Habit-building Framework
• 5 Ways to Build Good Habits
• 5 Ways To Break Bad Habits

References:

What does clutter do to your brain and body?
https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-does-clutter-do-to-your-brain-and-body

How organizing your space can lead to success
https://open.lib.umn.edu/collegesuccess/chapter/2-2-organizing-your-space/