Often the biggest obstacle standing in the way of completing your studies is yourself. There are a number of pitfalls and bad habits that students fall into that prevent them from achieving their best. It’s up to you to avoid these 6 common mistakes.

 

  1. Procrastinating

Studying requires self-discipline and dedication. Putting things off until the next day is often the easiest way out, especially when it appears you have ample time to complete an assignment or to prepare for an exam. But continue to procrastinate, and this time will be gone before you know it. You’ll find yourself rushing to complete an assignment the night before it’s due, or going into your exam without the preparation needed to pass.

 

  1. Fearing failure

Sometimes a task feels so intimidating that you’re not sure how you’re going to get it done, or you fear that you’re going to fail at it. The only way to overcome this fear is to set it aside and start tackling the task early on. Once you’ve started, you’ll inevitably find that completing it isn’t as difficult as you think. Read more about how to overcome the fear of failure here.

 

  1. Choosing the wrong course

It’s much more difficult to find the motivation to study when the course you’ve chosen isn’t something you’re interested in. A high proportion of students drop out of their studies because they’ve chosen a course that doesn’t align with their passions or interests. It is vital to properly assess your personality and career goals before you spend time and money on your studies.

 

  1. Not managing your time properly

Proper time management is key to successful studying, particularly if you’re a distance learning student or you’re juggling part-time studies with a job or family commitments. When you’ve invested money into a college course, you’ve made a commitment to better yourself, so you need to set aside the time to focus on this. Draw up a timetable with slots dedicated to studying, and stick to it. Once you get into a routine, sitting down to study will start becoming a habit.

 

  1. Not having an end goal in mind

Making the decision to study is admirable, but there’s no point in studying just for the sake of studying: you need to have a good idea of what you want to achieve from your studies. Always having your career goal in mind will keep you motivated as you take the steps needed to get there. So take some time to sit down and work out exactly where you want to be when you’ve got your qualification.

 

  1. Having the wrong study technique

Many students aren’t aware that the method they’re using to study isn’t right for them. If you’re a visual person, you may be able to better retain information through techniques such as mind-mapping or colour coding, instead of making pages of notes. Auditory learners are better suited to hearing the information they need to study, so speaking out loud may assist them with studying. Find out more about the various study techniques here.

 

All of the factors mentioned above are within your control. So make the decision to take charge of your future!

 

Also Read:

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Distance Learning Students Make, and How to Avoid Them