How to Organise your Study Space for Maximum Productivity

As you prepare for exams, one thing you might not have considered is how to organise your study space to maximise efficiency and productivity. However, you may be surprised at the difference this can make to your focus and motivation.

This article is correct as at 11 June 2024.

Here are our top tips for sorting out where you work:

Clear the clutter

We’ve all heard the jokes about creative types and mess, but having an untidy room or desk is likely to be stressful. It will be far harder to locate anything you need, and easier to put off your revision. Clear the clutter before you do anything else, and move, store or get rid of anything you can that you don’t actually need for studying. That should probably extend to your phone and TV, so you’re not tempted to flick them on…

Spend five minutes daily keeping your work area orderly, and have a quick tidy-up before stopping each day.

Get comfortable

Remember you’ll be spending hours on end in your study space. Famous writers, from Proust to Orwell, are known to have penned some of their literary masterpieces in bed. We’re not suggesting you do the same, but you should be comfortable nonetheless – with the right room temperature, a comfy chair promoting good posture and a desk that’s at the right height.

Equally, set up your computer (ideally a desktop monitor rather than a laptop) with the screen at the most comfortable angle.

A sofa with throws, blankets and cushions might create a good spot for reading. Equally, you may want to add a few mood-enhancing personal touches such as photos or a favourite mug.

Let there be light

Lighting is key when it comes to setting a room’s ambience. Try and find somewhere to work that maximises natural light. Your room shouldn’t, of course, be so dark that you end up straining to read anything, or so bright that you get headaches or start to feel visually over-stimulated.

Celebrate the Art of Noise

Everyone has their own preference when it comes to background noise. Some actively need it; others can only work in total silence. The trick is to find a level that’s consistent and which suits your tastes.

For most people, that’s likely to mean being slightly apart from the rest of the household if you live with others, to minimise distraction.

As for working while listening to music, that’s an article on its own! But, again, it comes down to personal choice. If you have to work somewhere that’s quite noisy, and you don’t want music, consider playing some soothing natural sounds through headphones instead.

Have the right supplies to hand

Your revision will be disrupted if you’re constantly getting up to fetch things. Have everything you need close at hand – from highlighters and pens to plenty of plain paper. (The latter is easier for revision than the lined variety, since the notes you take can be more visual.)

Don’t forget drinks and snacks, too – including water, some nuts and raisins for energy, and easy access to caffeine if you run on that, perhaps by having a kettle in the same room.

Your revision schedule should be pinned up where you can see it, and, if you’re not working on the computer, make sure you can see the time other than on a phone.

Finally, once it’s established, bear in mind that your work space is just that – a space for working in. And remember: if you find yourself reorganising stationery five times in a morning, you’re possibly not making the best use of your time…