How to Motivate Yourself to Study for Tests in High School

The last thing most students enjoy is buckling down and studying for a test or exam. Many procrastinate until the last moment possible and try to cram all of that knowledge into long term storage in one or two sittings. Although the temptation is there to utilize this method, it really is not an effective means of attaining high grades. What is the alternative? How do you motivate yourself to study effectively for testing? It takes some effort and planning. It takes some internal pep talking to keep yourself going. Organizational skills come into play also which can break your work into smaller chunks and make the task of studying less onerous. Read further to discover some key strategies which will help to motivate you to study for your high school tests and exams.

1. You suffer from Lack of Focus.

• You lack long term goals which help you understand where all this hard work is taking you.
• You lack short term goals as simple as passing your courses to get your high school diploma.
• You have no idea what you want to do in the future and thus cannot see where all the work and studying will benefit you.

2. You lack Interest.

• You are bored with the course material perhaps because you can't see the long term benefit of them.

3. You lack Drive.

• You find it difficult to work on your own.
• You lack self-discipline to stick to a schedule and get the work done.
• You believe you can "charm" your teachers into giving you a pass without working for your grades.

1. Admit you have a problem with study motivation.

• Seek out the help and support of friends, guidance councellors, teachers.

2. Set a target for yourself regarding your desired/realistic grade in each subject area.

• If you are aiming for entering post secondary education aim reasonably high as the competition to enter many programs has become fierce.
• However, that being said, know your own personal limitations and set a realistic grade goal for each subject area.
• Set mini goals for each week or month: "I will work one hour on my assigned homework." "I will study for 20 minutes each night on my quiz on Friday."
• As your mini goals are achieved you gain confidence and focus.
• You will gain the focus to set larger goals the next week or month.

3. Visualize yourself achieving these goals.

• Believe you can do it.
• Focus on finding the best ways to achieve your goals.
• Make achieving your goal a daily habit.
• Think about the consequences of NOT achieving your goals. Fear is a powerful motivator.

4. Set realistic milestones to achieve your goals.

• Set up a calendar of weekly studying sessions.
• Schedule daily or alternate day studying sessions.
• Schedule more frequent but shorter studying sessions to reduce your stress and increase retention.
• Stick with your schedule.
• Make sure to include regular breaks and rewards in your schedule.

5. Study with a friend if it helps you stay on task and keep focused.

• Studying with one or two friends with whom you share a common goal can increase your focus and interest in the course material.
• Small group studying provides alternate viewpoints and sharing of studying styles.

6. Create a comfortable work space.

• Check out the hub, How to Make a Comfortable Workspace for Your Homework.
• It contains some great tips for creating a comfortable, distraction-free study zone

7. Organize your notes for studying.

8. From friends and teachers learn and utilize efficient study methods to make your task of studying for tests and exams easier and more effective.

Motivating yourself to keep on task while studying for tests and exams may seem like an onerous task but it can be accomplished. Believe in yourself, seek the help of friends and teachers, and utilized various studying methods including studying with friends to break up the monotony. You will find it easier to keep yourself motivated and on task. It is a worthwhile process and the payoff is huge no matter what your future may hold.

3. Set realistic milestones to achieve your goals.

• Set up a calendar of weekly studying sessions.
• Schedule daily or alternate day studying sessions.
• Schedule more frequent but shorter studying sessions to reduce your stress and increase retention.
• Stick with your schedule.
• Make sure to include regular breaks and rewards in your schedule.

4. Study with a friend if it helps you stay on task and keep focused.

• Studying with one or two friends with whom you share a common goal can increase your focus and interest in the course material.
• Small group studying provides alternate viewpoints and sharing of studying styles.

5. Create a comfortable work space.

• Check out the hub, How to Make a Comfortable Workspace for Your Homework.
• It contains some great tips for creating a comfortable, distraction-free study zone

6. Organize your notes for studying.

7. From friends and teachers learn and utilize efficient study methods to make your task of studying for tests and exams easier and more effective.