One bonus tip: Experiment with the level and type of noise in your study environment. I can't study/work with silence because my brain can't help but pick up on small noises in the background (and from what I've read those TRULY silent rooms make you go crazy). Typically I work with music, and I've been building a study playlist for a couple years that I use quite often: collegeinfogeek.com/playlist/ I've also linked to some other sources on that page, including a white noise generator if that's more your speed :)
Alternatively, if you're like me and music distracts you, try creating a mix of ambient background noise! I have an study audio I like to call 'Library Café' which is a mix of paper sounds, cups clinking, people walking, a low hum of conversation etc. It helps me turn off the extraneous parts of my brain for better focus - silence makes me sleepy or lets my brain wander off in all sorts of directions, particularly when doing creative work. I find sites like Coffitivity or AmbientMixer (where I made my mix) are great for this. Bonus: my brain is far more likely to kick into study mode when this mix is playing (almost like Pavlovian conditioning). Also, pick a comfy chair but don't get too comfy (couch/bed). Not only are you likely to give up and take a nap or lounge (been there), you're also invading your relaxation space with study vibes. Not cool.
My university lets you check out keys to study rooms on our library's quiet floor- when I give campus tours it takes everything I have not to call them their colloquial name: sensory deprivation chambers.
I think this might actually be my first comment on your channel ever, but Thomas - your content saved my lazy ass in the past 3 semesters! I discovered your channel during one of my famous procrastination sessions and since then everything changed for me and now I'm finally done with all my essays and just have my bachelors thesis left to write. Your videos helped me to find motivation and sometimes even be excited about my studying sessions. Keep up the good work, it really meant a lot to me! :)
Maybe I'm kinda late at this but I agree too. He is very tactful and practical with his content that actually helps in long time goals. I'm glad I follow him because now I don't get as cluttered and stagnant as I used to.
I've spent weeks being unproductive because my room was too hot and bright that I couldn't even see my laptop screen. I couldn't just close the curtains because the wind will just blow it all over the place. I can't close the window 'cause it'll get too hot. As a solution, I took my blanket and hung it on my curtain rod as a makeshift half-curtain. I can now enjoy a nice breeze with an infinitely better lighting. Just sharing because this small change made me more willing and motivated to do work :)
Seriously. That part about laundry being distracting. We had our finals week two weeks ago (since we have a different school calendar), and weeks prior to the finals week had been HECTIC. The laundry had piled up to astronomical heights, and I kept telling myself that I had to finish all my submissions before I should tackle them, since the deadlines were coming up. So I sat in front of my desk for two hours trying to work with no dice. I did the laundry and after that I could concentrate better. Bottom line is: a clean working environment should also be a factor in concentration. XD
That's why I always show up to my next class 15-30 minutes early. If I'm at home and have my perfect tea, The Moody Blues----the perfect study music, no televisions or laptops to distract i can still derail easily and each task will take an hour. Yet if I'm in a cold laminate lecture hall with just my head phones, the 20oz of Iced black coffee i'm always carrying to class and my notebook I can get done an entire class' worth of turning notes into questions, and questions into flashcards done in 13 minutes, leaving 2 minutes where I can get almost all the way through studying the new cards. Thats the same with my workplace, I use my coffee breaks for the same task because it's easier to motivate myself there than home.
I have another google account with my study emails, no youtube subscription nor notification, also all the advertisements are often about what I'm working on which is funny.
i kinda like to leave my desk a little untidy, this is mainly because when i wake up and notice that my desk is dirty it helps me to stop procrastinating with youtube/netflix and instead go and clean it which helps me to get into the zone. so i just slowly sink into doing studying or assessments!
I'm Brazilian, and I have been studying English for almost 5 years. I try to study every day and keep with a good routine, especially in these times I have many things to do. With all these things, creating a routine and organizing my stuff for sure was a great idea, even with this not being a desperate task at the moment for me, I like to be always studying and looking for new things to go through and improve my language skills. Thank you for the video man, helped me a lot!
I'm trying to understand this one! Is it the same with pyjamas/comfies vs clothes appropriate for wearing in public? Like in the vein of "at home and in comfies is TV time and dressed and in public is getting stuff done time"?
I noticed how much focus and time I put into school work like research, homework, studies i.e i.e every time I'm at my school library. But the minute I get home all of those are blown out of the water, and my habit of watching tv, and gaming kicks back in. So this video maybe helpful to me.
Context is amazing, my brain actually changes when I get to my study space now. Amazing video, excellent points Thomas!! Something that helped me too, I've added a few small procrastination busters to my desk - toothpicks, a nail file and lip balm, so I can quickly sort the problem out and not have to get up and go hunt for the item and break my flow. It's made a big difference.
I found this channel on the exact moment in my life, when i decided to be a organized person, and take school seriously. Thanks Man, your videos are a blessing
Great video, Tom. You have talked about how important it is to have an effective study space before and I have found that paying attention to where I was studying prepped me for deep working sessions. But the biggest thing that affects my attention is my phone. I have noticed that regardless of where I studied this is ultimately the biggest factor to how distracted I will be. When my phone is away from me I was able to do amazing work sessions.
this is very helpful and timely. semester is about to start again and the last semester left my room like world war happened here. I'm planning to do it and yesterday I started it. GUESS WHAT, after 5 mins I stopped and watch movies and YT again. I want to burn this room srsly.
I love how much you make your videos relatable for us, it's like you know we want to play something before our mum tells us to go bed or something, or how we can't always just go to the library since it's far, thanks
One thing I would like to say- If you WANT TO STUDY you'll study ANYWHERE. No matter whether it's the road, room or even bus stand. Just that you need a strong dedication and determination!
I have tried setting up my own area before and finally what got me to do my work was to approach assignments like Ray Bradbury. By setting up a study place or what it really is a "work" place, I created this area in my house that I avoided because it was "Uh, work". The crazy thing is that I enjoy the process of studying. I know it is slow and steady and as long as I do it, well, it gets done. But by creating this study place or "work" place, I turned my assignments into that: work. Not the fun processes that their actually were. So now I work wherever. And it has been life changing. I changed my assignments in my head from "work" to "play" like Bradbury. And actually by changing the scenery, it has created the assignments to be more fun because they didn't hinder my true passion: travel. When I "travel" around my town (ot world) I will do some homework wherever I am -- just tinker away at it. So even though this is the opposite of what you proposed, I suggest to people to try the Bradbury method and just treat your work like play.
I hope this doesn't get lost in the comments, but for ambient noise to work with: USE COFFITIVITY! It simulates environment noises that resemble cafés, university libraries etc. (you can pick whichever you prefer) without having actual intelligible conversations in them that could distract you. And the best part? IT'S FREE! This website (there's an app too) has given me the ability to get so many hours of concentrated work done I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH. You can also use it in combination with any music of your choice, they give you recommendations how how to mix them on their website. This is all based on studies and how your brain functions best in relation to background/ambient sounds. So in short: Coffitivify is your friend!
OMG!!!! I was beating myself up because i'm not studying well when its so cold and no sunlight at all. i thought something is wrong with me and gosh u dont know how much of help this is.this is 2yrs old video and i watch so amny videos of u but i have no clue how i have missed this... however its never too late!! Thanks a LOTTTTTTTTTT
2:50 And the thing is that simply not seeing something distracting, doesnt take much and changes everything! Taking pages, icons, pics out of sight, like putting at the top or bottom of a list or taking from your first page can be enough and do WONDERS. Especially if you see and use the other side of the coin which is surrounding you with stimuli of who you want to become, it's very hard for me to slack off or think "poor me" when Musashi or Guts is staring at me through my wallpaper. I also listen to songs that inspire me a lot (usually anime osts). This is because you don't keep this things in at the top of your mind all the time, humans are easily forgetful but if you remember that you forget that can used this to you advantage by surrounding yourself with good reminders or reciting to yourself, forgetting and digressing can be a cue in and of itself, and you can count on forgetting bad cues.
This is the first video I watched of you not looking directly at the camera all the time. It's like we're conversing naturally. I love it! Continue doing it please.
This really helps because of COVID and having to switch to community college and stay at home, the only place I can study in IS my bedroom. Do not have the choice of libraries and coffee shops at the moment. This really helps!
I'm currently redecorating a space in my room last week and making it my study space and then your vid showed up like magic. Thanks for this! Your videos are truly helpful. Continue making more!
I always found myself unable to study from home since I only had one big desk where I had my stationary computer. The desk was big enough to set up my school laptop as well and thus have 3 screens which might be good whilst working but the urge to "just play one more game of X" always got the better of me so what I did was going to coffee shops where I sometimes had 10-12 hour sessions. However, I wanted to find a way to study from home those days where I felt lazy and did not want to leave the house so I decided to buy another "study-desk" and it worked wonders. The one I got is Micke from Ikea which really is amazing; it got nice storage and most importantly, it has got a magnetic whiteboard as the background "slab" and after some customizations this study space really does its job.
I've been watching your videos for about 6 months now, your tips have helped me ALOT, and I thank you for it. What I've always wondered is, what are your dreams Thomas ? As someone that takes so much time to increase productivity, what is your end goal ? Cheers !
I know it was intended for general public but your videos help me to manage ADHD. While I try a medical treatment in this strange times I am here trying to learn basic manageent skills to do basic things. Thanks Thomas.
My weird little way of study space layout is this. I just turned my desk around so that it was in a place where i could see my door. One, i struggled working when my space infront of me was a wall. And two its nice be in the corner of your room. And also my tv hides my bed so that im not tempted to think about sleeping. And another great thing is that i can put my feet up on my bed while i sit. Just abit of thinking helped me alot. Praise God
Thank you for this video! Very timely indeed! I've been contemplating whether or not to write outside my house. I'm dealing with a bad case of writer's block and I find that I'm more inspired and productive when I write somewhere other than my desk (e.g. the public library, coffee shops, etc). Thanks for the interesting tips! I'll definitely try #7 👍
...shivers in the cold up until ...04:38... then turns up the heat to 77 degrees... asks self, "what? you needed permission?!?"... rolls eyes at self... shoulder shrugs... it's warming up a bit!
Being a grad school student getting a degree online, I have to find a place outside of academia. This is rough. Being married, pets and a house filled with distractions, studying anywhere is challenging. My office isn't comfortable enough to read for long durations, but is fine for writing. I love my standing desk for my online classes as it makes me focus on the discussion vs screwing around on the computer. I find reading significantly easier at Starbucks. Too quiet is an issue too. Libraries make me more distracted than less. As you said. It's a work in progress.
Another option like Cold Turkey Writer is an app called Self Control, I use it all the time. You can blacklist websites or whitelist websites and that way you can either eliminate distractions or focus solely on one thing online! Great tips also!
I like listening to you speak. your voice is calming. I listen to you when I study. I hardly hear what you saying but the background voice is fun to hear
I've struggled on and off about studying in my room/apartment, but what brings me back every time is food. The easiness of grabbing a snack or meal once I'm hungry is too much for me to bother going somewhere else (especially since I don't need to spend money). Whenever I go to the library, my downfall + reason to go back home 90% of the time is that I get hungry and can't focus. Just,,, having a food selection nearby, without having to worry about carrying it around,,,, is too tempting
This is my second comment to count but I've watched almost every videos uploaded by you. And I must say, it has been a great help. It made me more productive and made me want to study more and love what I study. Thank you, really. And oh, belated Happy Teacher's Day! I've learned a lot from you so I feel the need to say that. From the Philippines.
This is the best advice for studying I've ever met on TH-cam. Concise, direct and applicable. However, I'd like to enjoy your video in slower pace. I think it might be more enjoyable to watch you talk slowly.
Absolutely shocked that the guy who has a whole TH-cam channel dedicated to giving tips on being smarter, and studying better is a Ravenclaw. Mind blown.
drafting and doodling, taking notes about concepts: me waking up in the middle of the night to do it, drawing and writing on my bed, drawing and writing while taking a sh*t, taking my sketchbook outta my bag while standing on a crowded bus studying structural engineering math: nope
When I was a kid, I was able to do my homework (and yes, get good grades) with music, TV and people noise going on all at once. Now, I can't even listen to instrumental music while reading! I like the tip of making your space purposeful. I will have to try that. I'd give anything to have natural light. I live in a basement. I barely get any light at all. And I hate fake light in general. My dream is to one day have a proper standing desk. My back has problems. I didn't know the prices had come down so much!
If I were to be a student taking his class and I have to write something relevant to A letter grade, the most distracted place would be the most productive place to study or do homework, why thats, peace and quiet isn't possible or achievable these day, even if those were the case, you don't maximize your brain out put unless it running in a chaostic war zone...forcing yourself to act like you behave and smart is very good, its the first piece to solving the lazy millennium disease puzzle, act fake to myself, I'm loving this, its not that difficult
I am studying applied sciences and at the same time working part time as Android developer and I noticed that I am most productive in my office so I started doing my work and school projects there because it's probably the only place where I'm 100 % focused :-D
Also if you can't control the temperature in your study environment, change up your study clothes. My college's library has tons of great study spots, other than the fact that they keep it like a walk-in freezer in there. So I just bring a sweatshirt and a hat in my backpack (even though it's 90 degrees outside) so I can study in comfort.
This was so spot on. I’ve noticed some of these to be true for me but I never did the research but yes yellow light for me makes me relax and not focus well. Great video new Subbie 👍🏻
The house I grew up in was not condusive to study - the rest of the family really liked T.V. - the louder the better. Really distracting. I was lucky the college I went to had a good library for studying. Thanks Thomas, good advice.
You want to cultivate the ability to do deep work anywhere under any conditions at any time. Like, at Time's Square when not having eaten for 3 days and sleep deprived
One bonus tip: Experiment with the level and type of noise in your study environment. I can't study/work with silence because my brain can't help but pick up on small noises in the background (and from what I've read those TRULY silent rooms make you go crazy).
Typically I work with music, and I've been building a study playlist for a couple years that I use quite often: collegeinfogeek.com/playlist/
I've also linked to some other sources on that page, including a white noise generator if that's more your speed :)
please pin this comment .
Alternatively, if you're like me and music distracts you, try creating a mix of ambient background noise! I have an study audio I like to call 'Library Café' which is a mix of paper sounds, cups clinking, people walking, a low hum of conversation etc. It helps me turn off the extraneous parts of my brain for better focus - silence makes me sleepy or lets my brain wander off in all sorts of directions, particularly when doing creative work. I find sites like Coffitivity or AmbientMixer (where I made my mix) are great for this. Bonus: my brain is far more likely to kick into study mode when this mix is playing (almost like Pavlovian conditioning).
Also, pick a comfy chair but don't get too comfy (couch/bed). Not only are you likely to give up and take a nap or lounge (been there), you're also invading your relaxation space with study vibes. Not cool.
Happy Diwali
My university lets you check out keys to study rooms on our library's quiet floor- when I give campus tours it takes everything I have not to call them their colloquial name: sensory deprivation chambers.
Thomas Frank RAVENCLAWS FOR THE WIN!!!
It's ironic that his videos about how to stop procrastinating and study are the reason I'm procrastinating and not studying
ME!
Ditto.
so am I. I only have 2 weeks to prepare for my college entrance exam. Wish me luck 😅
MEEEEEEEEEE
Nah, if we weren't watching this we'd probably be watching something else lets not kid ourselves.. haha.... (big cries)
I think this might actually be my first comment on your channel ever, but Thomas - your content saved my lazy ass in the past 3 semesters! I discovered your channel during one of my famous procrastination sessions and since then everything changed for me and now I'm finally done with all my essays and just have my bachelors thesis left to write. Your videos helped me to find motivation and sometimes even be excited about my studying sessions. Keep up the good work, it really meant a lot to me! :)
KathLady I agree wholeheartedly! I am 46 and entering a 7 month extends IT training school and this is the best content I've ran across yet.
Maybe I'm kinda late at this but I agree too. He is very tactful and practical with his content that actually helps in long time goals. I'm glad I follow him because now I don't get as cluttered and stagnant as I used to.
I've spent weeks being unproductive because my room was too hot and bright that I couldn't even see my laptop screen. I couldn't just close the curtains because the wind will just blow it all over the place. I can't close the window 'cause it'll get too hot. As a solution, I took my blanket and hung it on my curtain rod as a makeshift half-curtain. I can now enjoy a nice breeze with an infinitely better lighting. Just sharing because this small change made me more willing and motivated to do work :)
Seriously. That part about laundry being distracting. We had our finals week two weeks ago (since we have a different school calendar), and weeks prior to the finals week had been HECTIC. The laundry had piled up to astronomical heights, and I kept telling myself that I had to finish all my submissions before I should tackle them, since the deadlines were coming up. So I sat in front of my desk for two hours trying to work with no dice.
I did the laundry and after that I could concentrate better. Bottom line is: a clean working environment should also be a factor in concentration. XD
That's why I always show up to my next class 15-30 minutes early. If I'm at home and have my perfect tea, The Moody Blues----the perfect study music, no televisions or laptops to distract i can still derail easily and each task will take an hour. Yet if I'm in a cold laminate lecture hall with just my head phones, the 20oz of Iced black coffee i'm always carrying to class and my notebook I can get done an entire class' worth of turning notes into questions, and questions into flashcards done in 13 minutes, leaving 2 minutes where I can get almost all the way through studying the new cards. Thats the same with my workplace, I use my coffee breaks for the same task because it's easier to motivate myself there than home.
I use different Internet browsers for fun and study. So when I open "study" one - I study. (So it is like study space too)
SnowHunter that's a really awesome tip actually
+
I have another google account with my study emails, no youtube subscription nor notification, also all the advertisements are often about what I'm working on which is funny.
Never thought of this!
Sure gonna Implement!
This is really great! gonna try that thanks
i kinda like to leave my desk a little untidy, this is mainly because when i wake up and notice that my desk is dirty it helps me to stop procrastinating with youtube/netflix and instead go and clean it which helps me to get into the zone. so i just slowly sink into doing studying or assessments!
I'm Brazilian, and I have been studying English for almost 5 years. I try to study every day and keep with a good routine, especially in these times I have many things to do. With all these things, creating a routine and organizing my stuff for sure was a great idea, even with this not being a desperate task at the moment for me, I like to be always studying and looking for new things to go through and improve my language skills. Thank you for the video man, helped me a lot!
My biggest tip - wear socks. The amount of times I'm procrastinating or not getting s**t done is because I'm not wearing socks. Not trolling.
Can confirm #same
Brooo idk how but this actually worked for me. It may be because i always tend to do academic tasks with my socks on.
Same but I need to have shoes on
omg yeeeeeees. me too. I thought I´m a weirdo for that lol
I'm trying to understand this one! Is it the same with pyjamas/comfies vs clothes appropriate for wearing in public? Like in the vein of "at home and in comfies is TV time and dressed and in public is getting stuff done time"?
Seriously thomas always in the right time
Ikr....
It's kinda creepy...
Jk 😂
Ikr I have 8 tests in 2 days .~.
I noticed how much focus and time I put into school work like research, homework, studies i.e i.e every time I'm at my school library. But the minute I get home all of those are blown out of the water, and my habit of watching tv, and gaming kicks back in. So this video maybe helpful to me.
I’m really curious how that worked out for you in 2020…
Context is amazing, my brain actually changes when I get to my study space now. Amazing video, excellent points Thomas!! Something that helped me too, I've added a few small procrastination busters to my desk - toothpicks, a nail file and lip balm, so I can quickly sort the problem out and not have to get up and go hunt for the item and break my flow. It's made a big difference.
I found this channel on the exact moment in my life, when i decided to be a organized person, and take school seriously. Thanks Man, your videos are a blessing
Great video, Tom. You have talked about how important it is to have an effective study space before and I have found that paying attention to where I was studying prepped me for deep working sessions. But the biggest thing that affects my attention is my phone. I have noticed that regardless of where I studied this is ultimately the biggest factor to how distracted I will be. When my phone is away from me I was able to do amazing work sessions.
Skip tp 9.43 for the recap
salem zeid 9:43
Thanks
Thx
Thanks
Thx dude
Nice video Frank! However, you forgot to mention "fresh air". Lack of fresh air reduces productivity as well. :)
this is very helpful and timely. semester is about to start again and the last semester left my room like world war happened here. I'm planning to do it and yesterday I started it. GUESS WHAT, after 5 mins I stopped and watch movies and YT again. I want to burn this room srsly.
I usually study at home because i feel like there is less distractions around me. This video is so valuable
same
Kinda same i dont have tv or anything
25 degrees Celsius would make me fall asleep. In England that is BBQ weather.
Michael Brown In Bangladesh it's 19 degree C
I would be sweating, could't concentrate on anything
This comment made me laugh. BBQ weather
Michael Brown In Brazil that is winter weather
Everything's relative. In the US we're cold at 25°.
I love how much you make your videos relatable for us, it's like you know we want to play something before our mum tells us to go bed or something, or how we can't always just go to the library since it's far, thanks
THe best part about these videos is stopping at the texts and reading em
Bigode Mcbeagles Yes! And here I thought I was the only one in on it
Same
One thing I would like to say- If you WANT TO STUDY you'll study ANYWHERE. No matter whether it's the road, room or even bus stand. Just that you need a strong dedication and determination!
I got so excited when you mentioned Pen Addict, I love how many people are interested in a show solely about pens!
Me too!
I'm just happy whenever somebody mentions Myke Hurley
Having a notebook exclusively for distractions is ingenuous! And switching locations like changing positions(sitting-standing) is useful
I have tried setting up my own area before and finally what got me to do my work was to approach assignments like Ray Bradbury. By setting up a study place or what it really is a "work" place, I created this area in my house that I avoided because it was "Uh, work". The crazy thing is that I enjoy the process of studying. I know it is slow and steady and as long as I do it, well, it gets done. But by creating this study place or "work" place, I turned my assignments into that: work. Not the fun processes that their actually were. So now I work wherever. And it has been life changing. I changed my assignments in my head from "work" to "play" like Bradbury. And actually by changing the scenery, it has created the assignments to be more fun because they didn't hinder my true passion: travel. When I "travel" around my town (ot world) I will do some homework wherever I am -- just tinker away at it. So even though this is the opposite of what you proposed, I suggest to people to try the Bradbury method and just treat your work like play.
I hope this doesn't get lost in the comments, but for ambient noise to work with: USE COFFITIVITY! It simulates environment noises that resemble cafés, university libraries etc. (you can pick whichever you prefer) without having actual intelligible conversations in them that could distract you. And the best part? IT'S FREE! This website (there's an app too) has given me the ability to get so many hours of concentrated work done I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH. You can also use it in combination with any music of your choice, they give you recommendations how how to mix them on their website. This is all based on studies and how your brain functions best in relation to background/ambient sounds. So in short: Coffitivify is your friend!
OMG!!!! I was beating myself up because i'm not studying well when its so cold and no sunlight at all. i thought something is wrong with me and gosh u dont know how much of help this is.this is 2yrs old video and i watch so amny videos of u but i have no clue how i have missed this... however its never too late!! Thanks a LOTTTTTTTTTT
2:50 And the thing is that simply not seeing something distracting, doesnt take much and changes everything! Taking pages, icons, pics out of sight, like putting at the top or bottom of a list or taking from your first page can be enough and do WONDERS. Especially if you see and use the other side of the coin which is surrounding you with stimuli of who you want to become, it's very hard for me to slack off or think "poor me" when Musashi or Guts is staring at me through my wallpaper. I also listen to songs that inspire me a lot (usually anime osts).
This is because you don't keep this things in at the top of your mind all the time, humans are easily forgetful but if you remember that you forget that can used this to you advantage by surrounding yourself with good reminders or reciting to yourself, forgetting and digressing can be a cue in and of itself, and you can count on forgetting bad cues.
This is the first video I watched of you not looking directly at the camera all the time. It's like we're conversing naturally. I love it! Continue doing it please.
This really helps because of COVID and having to switch to community college and stay at home, the only place I can study in IS my bedroom. Do not have the choice of libraries and coffee shops at the moment. This really helps!
These tips are GOLD! I’m the kind of person that has to change their environment when it comes to studying, I didn’t know that was a thing!
I'm currently redecorating a space in my room last week and making it my study space and then your vid showed up like magic. Thanks for this! Your videos are truly helpful. Continue making more!
Thomas, I love the recap section at the end of this video; I would love to see it in future videos!
25 deg C is quite cold though when you live near the equator :)) great vid, thomas! :D
I literally live right at the Equator, in Ecuador, and that's way too hot for me. My ideal temperature is 16 °C.
I don't even live near equator but temperate region. 25°C is a bliss.
36°Celsius and 78% humidity here. I never study.
it's quite hot when you live far from the equator hahaha
that tip about breaking down of tasks to help reduce Internet usage was simply great
I always found myself unable to study from home since I only had one big desk where I had my stationary computer. The desk was big enough to set up my school laptop as well and thus have 3 screens which might be good whilst working but the urge to "just play one more game of X" always got the better of me so what I did was going to coffee shops where I sometimes had 10-12 hour sessions.
However, I wanted to find a way to study from home those days where I felt lazy and did not want to leave the house so I decided to buy another "study-desk" and it worked wonders. The one I got is Micke from Ikea which really is amazing; it got nice storage and most importantly, it has got a magnetic whiteboard as the background "slab" and after some customizations this study space really does its job.
I've been watching your videos for about 6 months now, your tips have helped me ALOT, and I thank you for it. What I've always wondered is, what are your dreams Thomas ? As someone that takes so much time to increase productivity, what is your end goal ? Cheers !
I just wanted to say you help with my anxiety. Your videos relax me so much.
YES FOR THE RECAP!
I know it was intended for general public but your videos help me to manage ADHD. While I try a medical treatment in this strange times I am here trying to learn basic manageent skills to do basic things.
Thanks Thomas.
My weird little way of study space layout is this. I just turned my desk around so that it was in a place where i could see my door. One, i struggled working when my space infront of me was a wall. And two its nice be in the corner of your room. And also my tv hides my bed so that im not tempted to think about sleeping. And another great thing is that i can put my feet up on my bed while i sit. Just abit of thinking helped me alot. Praise God
Hey man thomas i love your content you’ve helped me sort out my life thanks alot and please keep making such awesome videos
Thankyou so much! I'm gonna use this tip right now and forever "One place for studying and nothing else"
You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to my school life, you’ve made College so much easier. Thank you so much!
Thank you for this video! Very timely indeed! I've been contemplating whether or not to write outside my house. I'm dealing with a bad case of writer's block and I find that I'm more inspired and productive when I write somewhere other than my desk (e.g. the public library, coffee shops, etc). Thanks for the interesting tips! I'll definitely try #7 👍
...shivers in the cold up until ...04:38... then turns up the heat to 77 degrees... asks self, "what? you needed permission?!?"... rolls eyes at self... shoulder shrugs... it's warming up a bit!
Being a grad school student getting a degree online, I have to find a place outside of academia. This is rough. Being married, pets and a house filled with distractions, studying anywhere is challenging. My office isn't comfortable enough to read for long durations, but is fine for writing. I love my standing desk for my online classes as it makes me focus on the discussion vs screwing around on the computer. I find reading significantly easier at Starbucks. Too quiet is an issue too. Libraries make me more distracted than less. As you said. It's a work in progress.
Another option like Cold Turkey Writer is an app called Self Control, I use it all the time. You can blacklist websites or whitelist websites and that way you can either eliminate distractions or focus solely on one thing online! Great tips also!
Glad I found your videos. Every video is loaded with great advice. Your channel is in my top 3.
Bradbury's quote @ 1:00 pretty much sums up a self-critique of my being and existence.
That SMOOTH transition to the promo
I like listening to you speak. your voice is calming. I listen to you when I study. I hardly hear what you saying but the background voice is fun to hear
I've struggled on and off about studying in my room/apartment, but what brings me back every time is food. The easiness of grabbing a snack or meal once I'm hungry is too much for me to bother going somewhere else (especially since I don't need to spend money). Whenever I go to the library, my downfall + reason to go back home 90% of the time is that I get hungry and can't focus. Just,,, having a food selection nearby, without having to worry about carrying it around,,,, is too tempting
This is my second comment to count but I've watched almost every videos uploaded by you. And I must say, it has been a great help. It made me more productive and made me want to study more and love what I study. Thank you, really. And oh, belated Happy Teacher's Day! I've learned a lot from you so I feel the need to say that. From the Philippines.
Procrastinating loads of hw by watching this, I hate myself! 🤦♂️
Thank you for the summary at the end. The entire video is amazing, that summary is definitely the cherry on top of the cake.
This is the best advice for studying I've ever met on TH-cam. Concise, direct and applicable. However, I'd like to enjoy your video in slower pace. I think it might be more enjoyable to watch you talk slowly.
This is actually legitimately helpful. I was expecting something obvious. Thank you for this!
Second time I stumble upon this guys videos and it's like a punch in the gut how gorgeous this man is.
Ha-ha! Living in Sweden, my latest optimization is, as I usually code at night, candlelight programming :)
Where my Ravenclaws at? ;)
Whoa, UI design, web programming and playing the guitar? Those are exactly the things that I like to do!
Thank you sir, you saved my life from being a poverty stricken , unfocused student jusy because I kept my table dirty and not putting grit at work
Thomas tips are universal helpful.I from Brazil and all his tips really help me,so I appreciate for all his video , there are great.
Absolutely shocked that the guy who has a whole TH-cam channel dedicated to giving tips on being smarter, and studying better is a Ravenclaw. Mind blown.
It is possible one place to be for chill, study and so on, but it takes time to build the habits to distinguish them and to self-control yourself
I love how you did research and talk about it! Love to learn! Watching from Sweden :)
drafting and doodling, taking notes about concepts: me waking up in the middle of the night to do it, drawing and writing on my bed, drawing and writing while taking a sh*t, taking my sketchbook outta my bag while standing on a crowded bus
studying structural engineering math: nope
Great video, great tips, thank you, Frank, very cool.
9:44 Recap
When I was a kid, I was able to do my homework (and yes, get good grades) with music, TV and people noise going on all at once. Now, I can't even listen to instrumental music while reading!
I like the tip of making your space purposeful. I will have to try that.
I'd give anything to have natural light. I live in a basement. I barely get any light at all. And I hate fake light in general.
My dream is to one day have a proper standing desk. My back has problems. I didn't know the prices had come down so much!
Great Video!
You need to upload more..tbh you're a great excuse for me to stop studying..
Use a smart lightbulb to give your desk a warm color when working and a cold or exotic color when doing other things
Wow you almost gonna reach 1 million subscribers !!! I feel like a proud mother
I work from home and will implement these tips!! Thank you
If I were to be a student taking his class and I have to write something relevant to A letter grade, the most distracted place would be the most productive place to study or do homework, why thats, peace and quiet isn't possible or achievable these day, even if those were the case, you don't maximize your brain out put unless it running in a chaostic war zone...forcing yourself to act like you behave and smart is very good, its the first piece to solving the lazy millennium disease puzzle, act fake to myself, I'm loving this, its not that difficult
I really like your ads. They’re amazingly natural and smooth.
Also thanks so much for the tips I’ll most definitely try them out.
I am studying applied sciences and at the same time working part time as Android developer and I noticed that I am most productive in my office so I started doing my work and school projects there because it's probably the only place where I'm 100 % focused :-D
How funny that i study in cologne and that i will use your Tips to study better at that same exact University :) Thanks a lot from germany!
Also if you can't control the temperature in your study environment, change up your study clothes. My college's library has tons of great study spots, other than the fact that they keep it like a walk-in freezer in there. So I just bring a sweatshirt and a hat in my backpack (even though it's 90 degrees outside) so I can study in comfort.
Thank you my friend. I'm an young entrepreneur and this is really useful!
If you work on computer try up and sit position helps to stay focused and engaged. Buy adjustable desk❤
I love the quick recaps at the end :)
Thank you for pointing out having something to recording destractive thoughts. I do that all of the time and it has helped me to stay on task.
This was so spot on. I’ve noticed some of these to be true for me but I never did the research but yes yellow light for me makes me relax and not focus well. Great video new Subbie 👍🏻
Who would toss out a perfectly good shoji screen? Those things are awesome
i just found my perfect study space when you uploaded this!
Great video. Thank you so much for mentioning Cold Turkey writer. I had never heard of that app before.
Ty Thomas
Thank you to Mr.Thomas Frank sir for giving good information video on productive study space.
I hate how I am watching your video and not studying. Other than that, I love your videos and your book recommendations. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Thomas. This is what I need for a long time
The review at the end of the video is really nice. I like that feature.
You put so much work into your videos I love it
Cleaning off my desk when I’m done blew my MIND lol
The house I grew up in was not condusive to study - the rest of the family really liked T.V. - the louder the better. Really distracting. I was lucky the college I went to had a good library for studying. Thanks Thomas, good advice.
I like the part about writing down the things that distract you, that's good!
You want to cultivate the ability to do deep work anywhere under any conditions at any time. Like, at Time's Square when not having eaten for 3 days and sleep deprived
Going to use this when planning my new video studio...
@7:58 when Thomas is talking about turning off the internet, my wifi just stops working lmao