Since the closure of most study spots such as Starbucks, the library, your local coffee shops, and the school campus, we have been forced to study in our homes. This can be incredible distracting, especially for those with children, pets, multiple family members, and the day to day chores of the house. I know for myself, it has been extremely difficult to stay focused. Often times, I find something to do around the house that would distract me from studying and getting work done. Over the last couple weeks, I have found a system that works for me and has allowed me to knock out several goals on my list of to dos. I wrote this article to share with you some helpful tips on not just how to study at home, but how to study in general.

• Study Spot: Find a place in your home that you can close the door and have some privacy. It should not be your bed! I never study in bed. Why? Because it makes me sleepy and defeats the purpose of studying. You want to be comfortable, but not too comfy! So find a spot that allows you to have ample space with everything you need in reach. Have your water bottle, a cup of coffee or tea, and everything you need so that you can stay put for a couple of hours and won’t have to run downstairs every 30 minutes or so. That’s where the house distractions come in, and you WILL find something to do that is not school-related. Trust me!
  • Sometimes a change of scenery can be advantageous. I recently purchased a portable desk that I can take all around the house. Times when you are really fidgety and find it hard to focus, try to switch up your study spot. I purchased my portable desk from Amazon.

• Make a schedule
  • One of the most important things is being consistent and organized! For some reason, your brain works better when you stay organized, and things are in order. CRNA school can be quite busy, and with so much to do, you can quickly become sidetracked or behind if you can’t keep up with the workload. Utilizing a planner or calendar will help with this. I use a planner that I often write down specific assignments for each class that it is due. I use my phone calendar to keep up with a particular lecture date, my regular clinical schedule, and things I must show up for.. I do this because my phone will notify me of these remarkable events. I can take my phone everywhere as well. Your planner should allw hourly breakdowns in which you can make a schedule to study a specific subject and the time frame to do so. Try to make this schedule weekly or daily. Heres an example:
    • In my planner [Quarterly]: At the beginning of the semester, I take out my syllabi for each class and jot down each assignment due date. For each week, I reference a class to focus on for a particular day. (Ex. I might work on my DNP class material on Tuesdays; Anesthesia courses on Wed, Thurs) On my phone, I input information regarding major exams, when I have to go on campus, and my clinical days for the semester. I also jot down any special lectures we have to go to as well.
    • In my planner [Weekly]: At the beginning of the week, usually on a Sunday, I look to see which assignments are due. I make a plan for how I will knock out each task as they pertain to what day I initially scheduled to work on that class.
    • In my planner [Daily]: I use the hourly portion of my planner for this. I start with a set time to wake up. Let’s say, 6 am. Write in your planner that for one hour, you will do self-care techniques. Put in your schedule time to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For each hour, have something scheduled. It can be a planned break, taking the kids to the doctor, studying for a class, etc. Just set your schedule and get to work!

• Utilize the Pomodoro Technique
  • Since learning about this technique, my focus game has been on point. You can download the Pomodoro clock on your phone, desktop, iPad, etc. But mainly, what it is doing, is allowing you to focus for a set period while giving breaks in between. I usually set my Pomodoro clock for 4- 25-minute intervals. During this time, I stay focused, sincerely committed to what it is that I am doing. My phone is usually tucked away in a drawer, or somewhere I can’t reach, and during this time, Its just me and my schoolwork. Having the clock ticking or in view, does something to my brain. What it is doing is keeping you focused in this timeframe.
  • After my 25 minutes are up, the timer will go off, and I have a 5-minute break. During this break, I may get a snack, use the restroom, look outside, etc. Just make sure it is not school-related and take a mental break. When the break is over, you will be ready for your 25-minute full focus study session.
  • The 25 minute on and 5 minutes off-cycle will happen four times (You can set this for a more extended period or a shorter period if you want). After the four cycles, I then take a 30-45 minute break. This long break allows me to do other things such as have lunch, make appointments, watch a show on tv, make a post for my blog, etc. Click on the link below for more information.

• Anki Flashcards
  • CRNA school involves a lot of repetition. You see stuff over and over again but like a fire hydrant full of over and over! You have to remember med doses, physiology of every organ system, and the proper size ETT for each age group. I mean, the list is incredibly substantial and we’ll save that for another time. But I use Anki as a way to incorporate spaced repetition for memory purposes. It allows everything I learn in CRNA school to stay in one place, and it knows what information I need to see before I am likely to forget it. I incorporate Anki flashcard review into my schedule and make it a goal to go through theses flashcards daily!
• Don’t Cram
  • You mustn’t cram information. Trust me, and you won’t remember it for long. Sure, if you have no other choice and you didn’t stick to the few tips above, go ahead. But it is not recommended. If you have to study for long periods, make sure you are rewarding yourself with some breaks in between. Studying for 4-5 hours at a time is not healthy at all. Take time to explore for 1-2 hours at a time utilizing the Pomodoro technique from above. Give yourself an ample amount of time to get the work done before any exams are coming up.
• Listen to Motivation Music in the Background
  • Now I am not the type to listen to music that involves vocals while I am studying. If I do, I find the music to be extremely distracting. I will end up dancing or doing something that is not goals! I usually have some beautiful instrumental music playing in the background. Preferably something with alpha or gamma waves. I mean, I am so focused, I am often irritated when the alarm clock alerts me that it is time to take a break. So while you are studying, open up a separate YouTube tab and have it playing in the background. Here is one of my favorites: