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Introduction

All around us are one line formulas for success. But in reality, it’s not actually that simple. If you are constantly bombarded by a million little jigsaw pieces for productivity, ultimately, the puzzle will remain unsolved.

That is why today we have compiled this list of the TOP 3 best and most easily impactful study tips for high school students looking to augment their productivity and time management abilities. We do this not to circulate a million MORE puzzle pieces around your nauseated brain, but to show to you how to change your MINDSET about studying into something more tangible that you can actually USE to develop better habits long term.

Tip 1: Develop a System, Not a Goal

Everyone has their own goals. Yet the problem with such lofty ambitions as to ‘achieve a 5.0 GPA this semester’ or to ‘get a 1600 SAT this year’ is the blatant lack of clarity associated; these aren’t goals that clearly hold you accountable to necessary actions right this moment. That is where systems come in. Systems can be as simple as just studying flashcards for 2 hours every day, and are implemented in place for an extensive period of time in order to work someone’s way up to their ultimate achievements. As articulated so elegantly in the book “Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes: Remarkable Results” by James Clear,

“you do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems”.

So does this mean you should just abandon your vision altogether? Absolutely not. In fact, the goals are still very much required. When developing these systems, it is important to start at the end and work your way backwards, developing nested systems within systems until you have a clear starting point to work from. For example, let’s say that you are struggling with figuring out how to start your Science Fair Project and haven’t yet signed up for a science fair masterclass. You know that your goal is to qualify for the International Science & Engineering Fair, but that is all you’ve done: established your ambitions. Here’s how you can proceed:

Step 1: Scale Your Goal Down:
➢ Start at a local level and work your way up

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Step 2: Seek guidance:
➢ Think systems. For this example specifically, you should set it as your goal to watch and take notes from one Rishab Jain video a day of his science research playlists to get a better idea to how to map out your project, and contact specialized professionals in your area for further assistance.

Step 3: Implement small daily/weekly systems:
➢ This is the big part. During the bulk of the project, you can set up a system like “finishing one slide every day” or “conducting one part of the experimentation week” in order to have a small task to accomplish in mind that you must carry out until the end.

Step 4: Polish things up
➢ It is here where you can look back at your initial goal, and if you are serious about achieving it in its fullest, can book a consultation call or browse through a free student guide to upgrade your project one last time. Even here, you should set a system every day (e.g. get project reviewed by at least 1 person every day for the next week).

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Tip 2: Enjoy What You’re Learning

It’s one thing to learn because you have to, and it’s another to actually like doing it. No doubt, the latter is preferable in encouraging you to complete your work faster, but how can you get there?

Two Words: subliminal stimulation. In short, subliminal stimulation is an underlying way to almost “trick” your brain into conceiving something that sparks/stimulates an involuntary change in its behavior. It is something of psychology, and thus, something that can be manipulated to our benefit.

But how exactly do we do this? Using science, Harvard Undergraduate and Neuroscientist Rishab Jain cracked down on this question, and created a specialized video highlighting the means to incorporate subliminal stimulation in our lives as well as another special psychological technique known as the Zeigarnik effect to help readily recall information as a result of interruption. We highly recommend that you watch the video in full in order to truly grasp exactly how this critical technique works completely.

Tip 3: End on a Win

This one is possibly the most controversial tip, but also one of the most helpful. When
students receive a poor grade on a test or a rejection letter from a program they’ve applied to, that one loss often sabotages their brains and leads them to develop imposter’s syndrome. This results in hopelessness that compounds upon itself, eventually descending into unsalvageable territory. All because of one loss. Now, although most cases of this phenomenon aren’t as steeply dramatic, they follow similar trends.

Thus, whenever you go through a roadblock in school or even life, you MUST try to stay
optimistic and end on a win. This win can be as small as being able to call a family member who you haven’t spoken to in a while, or finishing your homework before it becomes too late at night.

Sometimes, the win can even be intrinsic, like with meditation. Academically, something like purchasing an SAT or ACT improvement package to give yourself the sense of security that in the future, your educational pathway will make strides for the better, is enough to make you feel as though you’ve concluded your day in a positive way.

Resources

Want to join a community of learners in S.T.E.M and enrichment? Check out Rishab Academy and the Rishab Jain Youtube Channel to get inspired and access the materials mentioned in this article and more. This community can help sizably mitigate the struggles associated with high school, and like Mr. Jain mentioned himself in a video to discourage procrastination,

“If you’re feeling lazy, have a lack of motivation, or want someone to work with you, then let’s study together”.