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Time spent studying

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delta910
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 Message 1 of 10
19 June 2009 at 8:37pm | IP Logged 
What does everyone, or anyone, think about dividing up your time studying. For example, through out your day have four thirty minute study sessions rather than studying for two straight hours. The reason for dividing up active study time is because, most of the time, people have a short attention span and it's hard for some to "stay awake" in the active studies. You are still studying for two hours throughout the day but in waves.

I was watching a video by Professor Arguelles, in the video "Shadowing Step by Step", and he gave this suggestion later in the video.
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William Camden
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 Message 2 of 10
19 June 2009 at 11:00pm | IP Logged 
This might be a good idea. Nobody, I think, has a two-hour attention span, and you are very lucky if nothing disturbs you in all that time.
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Katie
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 Message 3 of 10
19 June 2009 at 11:15pm | IP Logged 
Definitely agree with the more frequent, shorter spans. Because of my work situation, it's also easier for me to 2 or 3 30-40 minute time slots instead of 1 block of time.

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ptrk7
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 Message 4 of 10
20 June 2009 at 3:46am | IP Logged 
I try to study like that. I also like to wait until later on in the day, I'm usually not
nearly as distracted, and it can soak in while I sleep.
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delta910
Diglot
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 Message 5 of 10
20 June 2009 at 3:50am | IP Logged 
Today was my first time studying like this and I'll have to say, it has helped me a lot. By helped I mean that I didn't loose motivation while studying, I didn't have to sit down for such a long time in order to study, and I retained more. For starters, I did four thirty minute sessions, which added up is double of what I normally study in one day. I'm thinking about doing more sessions.
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Splog
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 Message 6 of 10
20 June 2009 at 11:44am | IP Logged 
My own experience is that a single two hour stretch is indeed possible - but it leaves my brain unable to take further study that day.

Having experimented with this a great deal over the years, I have found that frequent distractions are essential to keeping going. Furthermore, the periods of study shorten and the rest periods lengthen throughout the day.

Here is my own daily schedule of language study that I have found to be optimal (and I use an alarm clock to ensure that I stick to it):

50 minutes of study
10 minutes of distraction
50 minutes of study
10 minutes of distraction
50 minutes of study
60 minutes of distraction
45 minutes of study
30 minutes of distraction
45 minutes of study
45 minutes of distraction
30 minutes of study
60 minutes of distraction
15 minutes of study

If I try to do more than this, unfortunately my brain blocks further absorption of material, and (even worse) this blockage will often leak over into the next day.

Edited by Splog on 20 June 2009 at 11:46am

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Dark_Sunshine
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 Message 7 of 10
21 June 2009 at 1:54pm | IP Logged 
hmmm.... I know the short and frequent method is supposed to work better, but I spend so long procrastinating after each break that it doesn't leave much time for actual study if I break it up that way. But I guess I'm lucky that I can concentrate for 2 hours, as long as I have cigarettes and coffee to hand.
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Yukamina
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 Message 8 of 10
21 June 2009 at 5:51pm | IP Logged 
30 minutes feels a bit short to me(depending on what you're studying I guess). Sometimes you need a more time to 'get into it.'



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