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Us students have all been there; you’ve finally dug deep enough to find the motivation to study- you can see it now, grinding away in the library, knowing the course by heart, and those assignments? Finished them before they were even assigned! Your mom would be so proud if she could see you right now, and the feedback from your teachers is unparalleled…
… except it’s actually 1am and you’re still scrolling on TikTok with a textbook sat open beside you. It’s been a few hours, you might as well just go to bed and try again tomorrow. The music from next door is too loud anyway, you’ll never be able to focus.
It’s a predicament I know all too well, and while I can’t recommend ways to find that motivation again (no wait, I can and I’m drafting up a blog on that soon!), I can certainly recommend a few products that will help minimise the procrastination trap, and block out distractions. Hopefully, someone out there will find this post useful!
Phone lock box
It’s a classic- the phone lock box allows you to safely store your phone out of the reach of bored hands. Trust me, that social media doom scroll will do you no good. The concept is simple- put your phone in the box, set a timer and study away without the temptation of your phone pulling you away from your study.
Here’s a quick link to shop for this product on Amazon.
Silent timer
Okay, so now that your phone is locked away in a box, how are you going to keep track of how long you’ve been studying? It’s time to go analogue again! Except, we are all painfully aware of how distracting that tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock… of a clock is. It reminds me of some intense exams. So this silent timer is an absolute must for me. I also like to take time lapses of my study sessions (for bragging rights, obviously), and this clock is perfect for showing the actual extent of each session (easier to brag with proof).
Here’s a quick link to shop for this product on Amazon.
Planner
Another classic- who doesn’t love a good planner? While I’ve switched to mostly digital resources, I find that I can’t really commit to a planner unless it’s in my own writing, so I always have one on hand. A plain notebook would work just as well, but it’s always nice to treat yourself to a pre-made planner specifically for study. If anyone would like resources about how I lay out my planners or even some free templates for digital planners, definitely let me know! I’m always looking for new blog content!
You can use any planner, but the specific one used in the image above can be found through this link.
Pomodoro timer
I want to be absolutely transparent here, I’ve always been quite critical of the Pomodoro method when it comes to study strategies. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, the Pomodoro technique is a time management strategy developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 80s. It basically involves the individual setting a timer for 30-45 minutes, and then taking a five-minute break when it sounds. This is usually repeated four times. After the fourth time, the individual takes a longer break- maybe an hour. I’ve never really felt that this method benefitted me, although I have heard so many success stories from this method, so I suppose it really depends on how each individual responds to it. If you’re one of those people who find this technique to work for you, you can get this timer specifically designed for practising this time management method. Maybe it isn’t my cup of tea- but it could be yours!
Here’s a quick link to shop for this product on Amazon.
Noise cancelling earplugs
Don’t you hate how the library is sometimes the most distracting place to be? The hushed whispers of students four tables away seem ten times louder. Not only will these earplugs be able to mute that distraction, but you’ll also be able to very passive aggressively put in these earplugs with an exaggerated sigh.
You can find earplugs in most pharmacies- but I’m sticking with my Amazon theme today! Here’s a quick link to the product above (available in multiple colours).
Noise cancelling headphones
Maybe the earplugs weren’t for you- some of us like to listen to music while we study (BTW I’m currently drafting a blog about study music that actually helps boost my productivity- keep an eye out!). Naturally, noise-cancelling headphones are one of the first solutions that come to mind. They’re great for eliminating distractions, and they make you look so cool, dude. If big headphones aren’t your style, you can even get more discrete noise-cancelling earbuds, like AirPod Pros.
When it comes to choosing which headphones to buy, I would definitely recommend doing some research, considering a lot of models are quite pricy. I personally love my Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones (image above), which are available to buy from the official BeatsByDre store here. It really depends on what needs you have when it comes to headphones- but I can honestly say that I have no complaints at all about my headphones since I got them in December 2022.
Forest
Forest is the only product on this list that can’t be physically bought, but it is an incredible extension that has saved me from procrastination so many times. I also tend to use its counterparts, such as Study Bunny when I’m working from my iPad- but Forest is much more accessible and incredibly well-made. The mobile app costs €3.99 and is available here, but the browser extension is completely free, which is absolutely incredible. Here’s a link to download this extension.
The app works based on a Pomodoro timer and allows you to grow trees as you study. I love those rewards-based study apps, I truly think that the gamification of study is so underrated (I might have to do a blog on that soon! 👀)
So those are my 7 picks, if anyone has any other recommendations for products, or for anything they would like to be covered in a future blog, do not hesitate for a second to leave a comment, or to email me at cadymccabe.business@gmail.com
Thank you so much for reading, and enjoy the end of your summer!
Cady ◡̈