It’s crunch time – literally! The clock has just struck 9pm, class is kicking off at 9am sharp, and the minutes are ticking away because you’ve an exam tomorrow; the countdown to cramming has begun! You need to get started like, right now, except your desk is… the kitchen table, and if we’re being honest, it’s covered with everything but motivation! It’s drowning in textbooks, junk mail, and someone’s leftover mac’n’cheese. Not exactly giving the foundation for academic success, is it?
We completely understand, don’t worry – studying isn’t always the highlight of the day! It can be challenging to balance your studies with everything else in your busy schedule. Whether you’re analyzing AP Physics or concentrating on an English Composition essay (all while juggling your after-school practice or part-time job), life can sometimes get in the way of creating your own study space.
Clean Space, Clear Mind: Build Your Brain Base
Trust us though, your study space can help make or break your focus. Think about it this way: a cluttered workspace can cause you more stress, poor lighting can increase the chances of headaches because of squinting, poor ergonomics can lead to physical discomfort, and a boring space can put you off wanting to get started altogether. You deserve more than back pain, tired eyes, and unnecessary interruptions!
Having your own space to study, even if it’s just a small corner of your room, will help you to make that mental switch to study mode when the time comes to get stuck in! A cluttered, chaotic space makes your brain work even harder to stay focused, because every bit of trash or haphazardly thrown object is drawing your attention (consciously or subconsciously) away from what’s actually important: your study.
Instead, imagine a room that’s clean, tidy, and 100% dedicated to productivity! This leaves way more brainpower available for actual learning – allowing you to slot into that ‘time to focus’ mindset much easier. It’s kind of like muscle memory for your brain! Plus, when your space actually works with you, instead of against you, you don’t have to fight against the urge to procrastinate just to escape from the mess.
Your secret study weapon: a clean, tidy room – like your very own academic lair that’s totally designed for success! With maybe just a tiny bit of mac’n’cheese. Stored in a closed Tupperware box. Safely placed in your refrigerator nearby. Far away from your textbooks… You get the idea!
Tools of the Trade: Ace Your Space
Let’s walk through some tips and tricks for transforming your space from a chaos cave to a productivity paradise! It may be tempting to study in bed, but you could find yourself doing more snoozing than studying. A small desk and a comfortable chair are all you need to get in the ergonomic zone!
If you’ve the room to arrange your desk with a few helpful accessories, we’d highly recommend adding a laptop stand or monitor riser to make sure your devices are at eye level. A keyboard can also stop you from overextending your arms, and a mouse pad can enhance your comfort when using a mouse. Don’t forget that a wireless charging pad can be super convenient for removing some of the cable clutter and freeing up essential USB port space.
Clear the mayhem, give your office supplies a dedicated home, and ensure essentials are tidy and within reach! Those pens that seem to multiply overnight, but still can’t be found when you need them? Corral the bunch into a personalized pen box or your custom desk organizer for safe-keeping. Laptop and monitor cables always knotting themselves? Tame any essential cords with a cable sleeve. Not enough space on your desk for everything? Try going vertical with pegboards, wall-mounted organizers, or calendars to maximize wall space and keep those extra items off the desk surface. Alternatively, if adding screws to the wall is off-limits, try a rolling cart to tuck away your notebooks, supplies, and essential snacks.
A productivity tip that we’ve been adding to our daily schedule – and that’ll stand to you throughout your academic life and beyond – is to end your time at your desk with a quick 5-minute (or less) tidy-up! Future you will absolutely appreciate it when they’re not rummaging through pages and pages of notes spilled across the room.
Desk Design & Study Style: Curate Your Corner
Let’s be real: you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your study space during the school year. So, why not make it a place you actually enjoy being in? Make the room exciting and reflective of your amazing self, which will hopefully expel some of that studying dread! Your space should feel like an extension of your personality, because your brain works better when it’s happy – and what adds more happiness to your life than being authentically you? We’re talking about putting the fun back in fun-ctional!
Echo your energy! Ditch the dull desk and build a setup that sparks joy. Whatever your vibe is, reflect it in your room. Think motivational art to help you get through those long days, quirky desk toys to cheer you on, and pops of color to brighten your day. Add a plant (or ten) to bring some extra life to the environment, line a shelf with your favorite books for those moments of relaxation, or pin Polaroid pictures to a corkboard to remind you of good times.
Make it comfy! There’s absolutely no need to be sitting in a sterile, uncomfortable environment when you could be lounging in cozy comfort. Now, we obviously don’t want to make it too relaxing to the point where you find yourself nodding off. We want to find that ideal mid-point that leaves you relaxed and ready to learn! Add a soft throw pillow to your chair for that extra lumbar support. A fleece blanket can also help with circulation and keep you warm – just try not to fall asleep!
Habit Hacks & Ambient Atmospheres: Brainy Little Extras
Whether you’re burning the midnight oil during finals or just reviewing your vocab before homeroom, a calming study space can help you keep any stress in check!
Boost your brain with a signature scent! Have you ever heard of state-dependent memory? Well, basically, it’s this phenomenon that occurs when you’re able to easily recall memories if you can replicate the context for when you first added the information to your brain (thanks to the CrashCourse Team for help on this psych exam). Now, you might be wondering how this relates to anything at all, but bear with us: using specific candle scents like lavender while studying, and then bringing that scent with you into an exam, can help jog your brain into action. You can smell good, and better remember facts at the same time! If you’re looking for the best scent to burn away those study blues, light up some fragrances from “Burn These Candles to Help You Study.” If you need some extra tutoring in study tricks, our office door is always open to discuss “Study Techniques to Help You Ace Exams and Finals.”
Light the way to better focus with warm, soft lighting! This set-up, alongside natural light, can keep you feeling calm and alert, while the harsh, super-bright overhead lighting can zap your mojo away. So, set the mood with some ambient lighting to get your date with learning started!
The correct study music also does wonders when it comes to blocking out distractions and helping you to lock into learning. Turn the volume up on your speaker with lo-fi beats or classical instrumental for the ultimate studious soundtrack, according to the University of Arizona! Hit ‘Play’ and find the right tempo for your creativity corner.
Your study space is more than just a desk; it’s a unique reflection of you and your academic journey! What story does your brainy base tell? Is it a meticulously organized sanctuary, a vibrant hub of creative chaos, or perhaps an evolving landscape of textbooks and coffee cups? We’d absolutely love to hear all about your organized oasis, or even your delightfully cluttered haven, in the comments below.
Even if your space is currently more of an educational explosion than a serene sanctuary, remember, the most crucial step towards progress and productivity is simply to get stuck in! Embrace your space, and let it inspire your learning.
Lily is a Content Specialist at Zazzle from Galway, Ireland. Before she could even walk, she was begging her parents to read her fantastical stories filled with great adventures. To this day, just give her a cup of tea and a good book to cozy up with, and she will be happily lost for hours! If she doesn’t have her nose in a book, then she will probably whipping up something delicious in the kitchen for her friends and family, or, negotiating with her house plants to stay alive.
Read more from Lily.
If you can’t reserve an entire room for your office space, simply install a fold-down desk to an empty corner of the wall. Dress up the space just like you would a traditional office with a task lamp, greenery and other productivity boosters.