HOW TO STUDY JOYFULLY

The article provides a comprehensive set of suggestions. However, it is important to begin

with just a few simple ones which you think are most important for you, and do not take
much time. Try these for a week or two. After you see beneficial results of these, you may
like to include some more.

My 40 years of experience shows that students who consistently perform much better than
their apparent capability across the academic spectrum have this unique capability of studying with
passion irrespective of whether they think that a particular course is useful for their aspirations or not.

How to study most efficiently is a very important art which must be learned from wise and
successful mentors. First pray for knowing such mentors. Ask many persons about them. Then pray
for their happiness and success. Seek their appointment and politely appreciate them and request for
help. Express sincere gratitude for their help. Keep in touch with them with feedback of how things
are going.

Study for what you want to be in life, not just for grades. This long term focus helps you in
overcoming distractions. Keep reminding yourself about this daily.

It is not the most intelligent or most hard working persons are the most successful. Some
degree of intelligence and dedicated work is important. However, along with that, the most balanced
and having robust processes are the most successful. This article discusses precisely these aspects.

Check Motivation and Goals:

Have a dialogue with yourself every day, and particularly when you don’t feel like studying,
or don’t find joy in the same. “Coming to IIT was a dream and I am very happy to be here. My studies
here is an investment for a brighter future. I am committed and obsessed to do my best and get the
best out of teachers, and all the resources here. I love to study joyfully because this habit is essential
for improving my capacity in many ways. This capacity to joyfully study subjects which others find
boring is my strength and it gives me tremendous satisfaction. My studies improve my knowledge
base, analytical skills and concentration skills. These prepare me for good quality jobs. If a teacher is
bad, I just need to be more self-reliant and put in some extra efforts.” These things bring out a
fundamental identity change in you to a sincere, confident, wise and a happy student. This is the
foundation of everything good in life, not just studies.
When you don’t feel like studying, write down the reasons to have clarity of the exact
reasons. Then ask yourself: “Do you choose to find solutions to improve matters taking you towards
your dreams, or choose to allow things to worsen taking you away from your dreams?” You must
visualize the future scenarios with bright future resulting from good studies, and bleak, depressing
scenarios with bad study habits, where you getting even a low paid job is difficult, and your image
with parents and others, and difficulties in finding a suitable partner.
When you don’t feel like studying, coax yourself to do it only for today. If study period
appears to be too long, coax yourself to do it only for an hour. If you are comfortable, request yourself
to continue for 15 minutes more. Keep on doing as long as comfortable. It is important to pat yourself
on the back by saying “Good job! Keep it up!”
If you are able to study but concentration is not good, reducing the efficiency of the effort,
coax yourself to be curious and mindful just for 15 minutes. If you are comfortable, request for doing
it for another 15 minutes. Pat yourself for each period of concentrated study saying “Good job! Keep
it up!”
These incremental challenges help you in dividing a big task into very small sub-tasks which
are easily achievable. Moreover, the feeling of completion of small tasks is like a reward which makes
you automatically try for more. This overcomes the brain and mind resistance and builds up positive
momentum.
If you are in a particularly bad mood and find all subjects or a specific subject, or some
chapters boring or tough, or problems tough, accept that feeling without argument. After a while, ask
“this is true, but what do I choose? Remain passive and negative and allow things to worsen and get
off the track towards my dream, or take some small steps to improve matters, so that I remain on track
towards my dreams?”

Being Positive towards Studies:

Apply the serenity principle to Studies. Since you are now registered for the courses, you
have to have exams/viva/ reports and assignments. The most efficient way to do these by dropping all
the negativity about them like: The Course is boring. It is of no use. The teacher is bad. The
evaluation is bad. The questions are very tough. It is too much of work load. I have other important
things to do. The teacher and TA don't cooperate. Instead of a 'complaint factory' start a 'gratitude
factory'.
Once you decide to do it, the entire responsibility of finding joy in these efforts is yours. You
need to change attitude towards this objective. It is a reprogramming of the mind-set. Use prayers and
affirmations of the following type, and do it as many times a day as is practically possible. Do it with
immense feelings (even if it may not be true right now). Slowly it will happen.
Use positive Self-Talk Visualization of past good study efforts before sleep, after waking up,
and just before commencing studies.

Sincerely believe that you can improve in every respect with hard work. Be curious to see
how you cope up with incremental challenges. If you have made mistakes in the past (small or big)
learn lessons but be extremely compassionate and loving towards yourself. Remind yourself about
seeds of excellence lying dormant within you and that your improvement can start anytime and from
anywhere. It’s just a matter of consistent choice to be positive. This is the best way to motivate
yourself.
Being lovingly mindful in studies can improve efficiency tremendously. Before sleep, after
waking up and before study session, affirm intention regarding the same.
In addition to doing the following at other times (before going to sleep and after waking up), do
these compulsorily at the beginning of your preparation.
1. May God give me the strength and wisdom to find joy in this study and wisdom to do my best.
2. I love being mindful and creative in my studies.
3. Through my love, I attract adequate, appropriate help in this preparation. I am grateful for the
same.
4. I feel energetic, peaceful and confident.
5. May all the students also do well and find joy in these tasks.
6. I love this preparation/task, it is very interesting and useful.
7. I love the teacher, he/she is doing his best.
8. Show immense gratitude for the teacher, TAs, helpful friends, books, and other resource material.
Whenever you detect worries, anxiety or negativity about the future performance, or when the
past bad performance haunts you, change your thoughts using the slide or substitution strategy
described in the main article. Lovingly, come back to the present task as quickly as possible. If
nothing works, do deep breathing with a smile to become peaceful. Always, learn from the past to see
what worked well and what didn't and why.

Study Planning: Please read an article on Goal Setting, Planning and Time Management
Do proper planning for all tasks: For all the courses, understanding concepts, preparation of
notes, solving problems, writing lab reports, assignments. You must also factor in time for exercise,
meditation, entertainment. Have weekly, daily and hourly plans with specific allocations for all
activities. During implementation, you can be flexible with plans, if it is helpful. But balance out all
activities over a week.
Boredom is the biggest enemy of efficient studies. Hence, bring in some variety in the studies,
both in content and approach.

It is better to keep place, and time of study fixed for forming a good habit. You must choose a
place which is most effective for efficient study. Keep the study place clean, and keep only the
material required for the specific study module on the table. Arranging this much before the
commencement of study creates serious intention. Having a fresh flower and lighting an incense stick
also improves your mood. You can also use a head phone not for listening to the music but improving
the concentration.
It is best to study alone. You can of course seek help from friends in understanding concepts,
or solving problems later on.
Before you commence studies at the allocated time slot, review what exactly you want to
achieve and how, in this period. Break up the total time into modules to have a detailed idea about the
same. The activities may include reading lecture notes and books to prepare brief notes, solving
tutorial or book problems, writing lab reports or doing assignment or project work. Pray for joyfully
completing the tasks as per plan. Pray for others doing well in the same. Visualize how you will feel
when you are very happy with your study efforts in the short term and the bright future in the long
term. This lifts your mood for studies. Always keep all the material required ready before beginning
the activity. It is very important to pick up the modules of study having the maximum impact on the
desired best outcomes for the day as per plan. You must give the best time (when you feel most
cheerful and energetic) to these activities. Another important thing is to strictly stick to the allocated
time for each module even if you are not able to complete it to satisfaction. In the beginning, you may
feel this to be ridiculous. However, very soon you will learn the most important skill of trying to
complete things in allotted time rather than the luxury of exceeding the same and disturbing the plan
for other activities in a chain reaction.
You will obviously use the good/bad experiences for improving planning. Keep separate time
for taking help from friends rather than rushing to them during planned study time. These things help
in keeping sharp focus and avoiding distractions. You must keep the phone and laptop off, and
sufficiently away during this period to avoid distraction. Tell relatives and friends about not
disturbing during study hours, unless it is essential. You can find innovative ways to avoid
distractions because you only know your weaknesses best.
Share your study plan in writing with positive friends and relatives who motivate and keep
checking how you are doing. Psychology research has shown that it has tremendous benefits for
remaining on track.
In a journal keep a target study plan for the period before every exam. Divide it into
monthly/daily/weekly/hourly plans. Keep a progress chart right below it to know how you are
progressing. Add every bit of progress in it. You feel good doing it. This is important for corrective
action. Even if the progress is slow, compliment for what is done and note the need to accelerate. Be
realistic in goal planning. Even if you fail to implement plans, don’t get frustrated. Share with wise,
positive seniors and ask for help.
A fast browsing of material for the next lecture from a book or previous years notes is a very
good habit. There is no need to understand it, just awareness is sufficient. It gives you tremendous
confidence boost in the next lecture. You can even have a list of bullet points from this which you can
read at the commencement of the next lecture.
Keep your study time in harmony with your temperament and body energy cycle. If you are
struggling to put in 2 hours of study/day, don’t attempt to jump to 4 hrs. First, focus on 2 hours of
focused study in a good mood. Then increase by ½ an hour and see how it goes for a week.
Help each other within your capability. If you can’t do much, at least pray for others and
reassure them when they are feeling depressed. Give whatever tips you can.
 Reassure yourself that you are studying to do your best under all circumstances. Hence, don’t
worry about exam results.
You have to mostly rely on the short notes before the exam because of paucity of time.
Moreover, you can't solve fresh problems before the exam. You can just review the concepts and
strategy in problems you have already solved.
Keep “If-Then Rules” ready for countering bad habits or distractions. If a friend asks you to
leave study and come for a chat/game/movie/mall, say that you can’t come today, and try some other
day.

Preparing Lecture Notes/Abstract:

Reading, notes preparation, problem solving is an art. If you are passionate to learn it, you
will get help from those who are good in it. It is a great asset in life.

Before beginning study, from your daily study plan, write down what exactly you wish to
achieve in this period. Breaking it down to 15 minute modules brings in maximum focus. Even jot
down what resource material (book, notes) you are going to use. Having such a detailed clarity
improves mood and efficiency.
During allocated time for a task, read the recent class notes again. See whether you need to
refer to books or any other additional material which might make the understanding easier. While
reading, use pen/pencil to run over every sentence (without marking). Highlight or underline
important matter. This helps in sharp concentration and speed reading. Use your own books, notes for
such marking. It is very important. Refine your notes accordingly. Share with close friends and bring
in good points from others' notes. Make very brief abstract of the lecture (max 1 page). Read this
before the commencement of the next class. Moreover, simultaneously, prepare brief notes (slightly
more detailed) for reading before the exam.

While studying derivations, be curious and mindful about logic in every important step. If it is
not clear, check theory in the chapter or ask others. Write comment against each such step in the
book. Just look at them before the exam. Then you don’t have to memorize them and you can derive
them any time without efforts. Understanding derivations and problem solving make most of the
concepts in theory clear if you try to understand them.

Solving Numerical Problems:

Ability to solve numerical problems is one of the most important outcomes of almost all
Engineering Courses. You must start enjoying this even if it is tough to begin with. With smart work
plan, persistence and determination, this will surely happen.

If you like only easy topics and easy problems, you reduce your potential, and if you like to
study difficult topics and solve difficult problems, you enhance your potential.
When you are comfortable with the concepts of a particular module in a subject, try to
understand the solved problems from some good books/lecture notes. Both theory and numerical
problems are essential for understanding the subject matter. Next, take up unsolved problems from the
books/tutorial sheets. Begin with simpler ones and gradually move on to the more challenging ones.
However, before beginning this study, from the plan drawn out for the day, note down which specific
problems you to solve (book, tut sheet), and what resources you will need for the same. Identify 15
minute module plans. This brings in sharp focus, and improves efficiency. Try things independently at
first. But whenever required, never hesitate to take help from friends, TAs, and teacher later on.
Approach them with love, and express gratitude for the help. Form a group of likeminded friends.
Help each other in all study matters and also enjoy life in general together. If you have large no. of
problems to solve from a tutorial sheet or other sources, it is always helpful to distribute these in a
group of not more than 3, and explain the solutions to each other. This is always good from time and
energy point of view. Try and see previous exam papers for the course. Although, these can differ
depending on the teacher concerned, and the exact content covered, however, the bulk remains the
same. After you are satisfied with the problem solutions, prepare a brief note (algorithm) about the
important elements of the solution process for reading before the exam. This is because you will never
have time to solve problems before the exam. Make a separate note book for the same. It is a very
precious resource.

Be extremely careful about the units in formulae. Examiners deliberately give data in
different units to check whether you use them blindly or not. Many students throw away easy marks
because of being careless in this.

Some students find reading just theory very boring, and they can’t then progress to numerical
problem solutions. For such students, it is better to start right away with solved problems. Look for
theoretical concepts required to understand these. Then take up unsolved problems from book/tut
sheet. Start with the simpler ones first, and again look for theoretical concepts required. Another
excellent strategy is to get hold of question papers of the course in last few years and start writing
answers for each question on fair sheets. You can freely use books and notes and there is no time limit
like in the question paper. This brings in sharp focus and creates interest and motivation. Similar
approach is used by all coaching classes.

Theoretical Questions Preparation: List the content of the answer in bullet points. For each
bullet point, understand the content and try to write in your own language. Trying to memorize such
answers stresses memory. Remembering bullet points is much easier. If concepts of each bullet point
are understood, writing in our own language is much easier.
Periodically, topic wise, find out from the teacher, the nature of questions in the examination,
and prepare accordingly. The teacher never likes to answer these queries just before the exam. Avoid
work accumulation to the extent possible. Even if you have slipped in many ways, just note, and learn
lessons. But don't flog yourself. See what best you can do from that point onwards. This applies to
slippages due to health or any other reasons as well.

Remain Energetic:
Diet is extremely important for keeping brain alert, and body energetic during the studies.
Depending on the time of study, check your energy levels and take some healthy snacks, drinks, and
fruits to the extent possible. Don't miss your major meals, and breakfast never.
Dehydration is a major cause of fatigue. Hence, right from waking up keep yourself hydrated
adequately. Always keep a water bottle in your bag.
When you detect lack of energy, have some healthy snacks or drinks. In addition, if needed,
have a short nap for 5-10 minutes. These can be extremely refreshing. Never exceed 15 minutes
because you feel drowsy after that.
When you have to work for long hours, you must take some deliberate short breaks to reduce
stress. After every half an hour of study, take a 2 minutes break. In this, you can take deep breaths
with a smile for a minute, make some prayers and affirmations about love, peace and harmony, or
anything which will make you feel good. You can just get up from the chair and stretch arms and legs.
However, don’t touch phone or laptop in this period. After 2 hrs of study, you can take a 10 minutes
break in which you can go to the washroom, and do the above as well for slightly longer periods.
After 4 hours of study, you must take at least 30 minutes break in which you must go out of the room
for a short walk outside in a peaceful area, in addition to doing above things. You can also check
phone for important calls or messages. You can listen to music as well. These measures improve
energy and mood as well improving your study efficiency.
If you feel like taking a break in study which is not as per plan, lovingly tell yourself “Surely,
but after ½ an hour.” If comfortable after that, compliment yourself and request for ½ an hour more.
Continue doing it as long as comfortable.

When you are unwell, don’t give up studies completely. Do something light like just going
through the notes of friends, for missed lectures, and studying easy topics you like. Take rest and
work again for short duration. You can also try report writing, or doing simple assignments if
possible. This avoids heavy work accumulation, and prevents breaking down study momentum
completely.
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Review:
At the end of every day, review how you performed over the day against the study plan.
Comment on what went well and what did not, and the reasons for the same. Identify your major and
minor areas of concern. Note down any bad habits which are harming you. Think of how you can
improve matters by at least 1 % in every possible area. If you can’t figure it out, take help from good
mentors. Repeat such an exercise every week, and every month. The longer term reviews allow you to
know how slippages can be distributed over that period. Review strategies which are not working, and
change them.
It is not just the study output, but the overall mood and thought process is also very important.
Whether you are feeling good and upbeat, or bad must be noted. Go back to the main articles to know
how to improve.
Trajectory of performance over a period is important. Tiny gains and losses can accumulate
over a period of time. Through this process, you are ensuring that you are working towards achieving
your identity. Complement yourself for your efforts, working process, and sincerity, not for output
and grades.