Avoid These Common Study Mistakes and Learn What to Do Instead

Not many students enjoy studying for exams - so it makes sense to study as effectively as possible, but some common study habits that seem helpful can actually waste time and limit progress. Let’s take a look at some ineffective study methods and explore what you can do instead to boost learning and retention.

1. Cramming the Night Before

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Cramming might help you get through tomorrow’s exam, but it doesn’t lead to long-term retention. The brain needs time to process and store information properly, and cramming overloads it with too much at once.

What to Do Instead:
Use spaced repetition, a study technique that spreads out learning over time. Review material regularly in shorter sessions leading up to an exam, rather than all at once. This method strengthens memory and understanding, ensuring information sticks.

2. Highlighting Everything

Why It Doesn’t Work:
While highlighting seems like a way to mark key information, many students end up highlighting entire sections. When too much is highlighted, it’s hard to distinguish what’s important, and this approach can lead to passive learning.

What to Do Instead:
Active learning techniques, like summarizing information in your own words or creating concept maps, are far more effective. Instead of highlighting everything, identify core ideas and challenge yourself to explain them.

3. Studying for Hours Without Breaks

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Long, unbroken study sessions can lead to burnout and decrease concentration. The brain works best with focused attention followed by rest.

What to Do Instead:
Try the Pomodoro Technique—study for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break, and repeat. After four cycles, take a longer 15-30 minute break. This keeps your brain fresh and boosts productivity by working in short bursts.

There are some great Pomodoro apps you can use to help:

• Pomodor - simple web-based Pomodoro timer
• Marinara Timer  - shareable web-based Pomodoro timer
• Forest - mobile Pomodoro timer
• Session - Apple users
• Toggl Track - combines Pomodoro with time-tracking

4. Re-reading Notes Over and Over

Why It Doesn’t Work:
While re-reading notes may feel productive, it’s a passive approach that doesn’t engage your brain deeply. It leads to familiarity with the material but not true understanding.

What to Do Instead:
Use active recall and self-testing. Instead of simply reading over your notes, quiz yourself on the material. This challenges your brain to retrieve information and strengthens memory. Flashcards, practice problems, or explaining concepts aloud are all great tools for this.

There are lots of great apps that can help you create quizes and flashcards from your notes.  For example StudyBlue, Aniki, Cram or Brainscape to name a few!

5. Multitasking During Study Sessions

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Many students try to juggle studying with watching TV, checking social media, or texting. However, multitasking reduces focus and efficiency because the brain can’t fully concentrate on more than one task at a time.

What to Do Instead:
Create a distraction-free study environment. Set aside specific time blocks where you focus entirely on studying. Turn off notifications, use website blockers if necessary, and make sure your environment is quiet and conducive to concentration.

Try downloading an app such as Forest or Cold Turkey

6. Skipping Sleep to Study More

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Staying up late to squeeze in more study time might seem like a good idea, but sleep is essential for memory consolidation and cognitive function. Lack of sleep makes it harder to focus and recall information the next day.

What to Do Instead:
Prioritise quality sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, especially before exams. Instead of pulling all-nighters, plan ahead and use spaced study sessions to maximize learning without sacrificing rest.

7. Relying on Only One Study Method

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Using a single study method, like just reading the textbook or only using flashcards, doesn’t fully engage your brain. It can lead to shallow understanding, especially when trying to grasp more complex concepts.

What to Do Instead:
Mix up your study techniques to engage different parts of your brain. Combine methods like reading, writing summaries, drawing diagrams, explaining concepts to others, and applying what you’ve learned to real-world examples. This active engagement helps solidify your knowledge.

8. Overusing Flashcards for Memorisation

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Flashcards can be helpful for memorising facts, but relying solely on them for complex topics can be limiting. Memorisation alone doesn’t build deep understanding or critical thinking skills.

What to Do Instead:
For complex subjects, go beyond memorisation by applying the concepts. Practice problem-solving, discuss ideas with peers, or teach the material to someone else. This helps reinforce the deeper connections between ideas and improves long-term retention.

9. Studying with Background Music or Noise

Why It Doesn’t Work:
While some people believe that listening to music while studying helps with focus, for most, it actually distracts from the learning process—especially music with lyrics.

What to Do Instead:
Study in quiet environments or listen to instrumental music without lyrics if you need background sound. Experiment to find what works best for you, but remember that silence often leads to deeper focus.

10. Studying in Bed

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Studying in bed blurs the line between rest and productivity. Your brain associates the bed with relaxation, making it harder to concentrate and retain information. It can also affect your ability to sleep later.

What to Do Instead:
Create a designated study space that’s free from distractions and separate from where you sleep. A desk or table with good lighting can help signal to your brain that it’s time to focus, not relax.

11. Not Setting Clear Study Goals

Why It Doesn’t Work:
Going into a study session without clear objectives can lead to aimless studying. Without specific goals, you may find yourself wasting time on unnecessary details or not covering important topics thoroughly.

What to Do Instead:
Set specific, measurable goals for each study session. For example, aim to understand a particular chapter, complete a set of practice questions, or master a key concept. This keeps your study time focused and purposeful.

Conclusion

By avoiding these common study mistakes and adopting more effective strategies, students can use their study time more efficiently and improve their chances of success. Implementing techniques like spaced repetition, active recall, and setting clear goals can make a big difference in retaining information and building understanding.