Tips on increasing mental stamina

[AlfonsTheGuru]

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My mental stamina is low to the point where after studying for an hour, I feel compelled to watch a 45 minute long episode of my favorite TV show or some other enjoyable activity or even longer just fooling around. It's difficult to be efficient.

I simply tired out with the 50 minute work, 10 minute break strategy.

How do you guys study for long periods of time?

 

[md-2020]

Sometime when I'm distracted I'll drive to the local homeless shelter and remind myself that if I don't get into medical school I might as well move in.


Jk, if I remember correctly you're in high school? Cut yourself some slack bro, You got another decade to study your ass off 😀

 

[vantheman]

One of my hobbies is long distance running. I treat my mental stamina and running stamina the same. Practice often, push yourself to your limits, change things up, and know when to take breaks.

Essentially, force yourself to keep on studying/being productive and don't give in to your desire to watch that TV show, go on SDN, text, etc. Stay disciplined and you will find you can start being productive for longer and longer periods of time. Just remember, there are times when watching your favorite TV show (or running, socializing, etc) is important.

 

[genericpremedstudent]

Sometime when I'm distracted I'll drive to the local homeless shelter and remind myself that if I don't get into medical school I might as well move in.


Jk, if I remember correctly you're in high school? Cut yourself some slack bro, You got another decade to study your ass off 😀

you joke, but i guarantee there are some people on this forum that do this.

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

Sometime when I'm distracted I'll drive to the local homeless shelter and remind myself that if I don't get into medical school I might as well move in.


Jk, if I remember correctly you're in high school? Cut yourself some slack bro, You got another decade to study your ass off 😀

Oh god everyone thinks I'm in high school 😆

 

[xerei]

One effective way I've found to cheat is to study a page or two of notes, watch an episode of your show or play a round of a game, etc, then try and recall/write out as much of those notes as you can. If you succeed to do well, you can tell yourself you know the material and move on, if not, repeat.

 

[md-2020]

Oh god everyone thinks I'm in high school 😆

Your profile says you're 16....


Edit: I see, you're in vocational school.

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

One effective way I've found to cheat is to study a page or two of notes, watch an episode of your show or play a round of a game, etc, then try and recall/write out as much of those notes as you can. If you succeed to do well, you can tell yourself you know the material and move on, if not, repeat.

I hope that works for you, sounds amazing. I would get too lost in whatever I enjoy though :/

Your profile says you're 16....


Edit: I see, you're in vocational school.

I'd rather get a good paying clinical job than start Pre-Med so early you know

 

[frosted_flake]

I personally have no trouble studying for 6-7 hours straight IF AND ONLY IF I have a nice warm cup of coffee/hot chocolate and I enjoy the material I am studying (e.g. Embryology, pathophysiology, A&P, etc.
If it is studying a subject I have little to no interest in, I try to change up my study method. For example, I despised environmental microbiology. So, I would make flashcards, type my notes, write outlines, draw huge diagrams, make up practice exam questions, really anything I could do to keep my brain interested.
What subject are you studying if you don't mind me asking? Do you enjoy the course(s)?

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

I personally have no trouble studying for 6-7 hours straight IF AND ONLY IF I have a nice warm cup of coffee/hot chocolate and I enjoy the material I am studying (e.g. Embryology, pathophysiology, A&P, etc.
If it is studying a subject I have little to no interest in, I try to change up my study method. For example, I despised environmental microbiology. So, I would make flashcards, type my notes, write outlines, draw huge diagrams, make up practice exam questions, really anything I could do to keep my brain interested.
What subject are you studying if you don't mind me asking? Do you enjoy the course(s)?

I'm studying a simple Anatomy & Physiology course that is required to get my medical assisting license. Of course, it is not as difficult or in-depth as the courses you may take, but I have to study the basics of the lymphatic system and the valves within the heart nevertheless. I enjoy the course. I was given a lot of material in a short period of time which has caused me to cram my studying for my upcoming exam on Monday.

 

[StudyLater]

My mental stamina is low to the point where after studying for an hour, I feel compelled to watch a 45 minute long episode of my favorite TV show or some other enjoyable activity or even longer just fooling around. It's difficult to be efficient.

I simply tired out with the 50 minute work, 10 minute break strategy.

How do you guys study for long periods of time?

"WILL SOMEBODY SHUT THAT MAN UP?????!!!!"

Dude. No one honestly does the 50/10 thing. Not for very long, at least.

 

[altblue]

Stop viewing it in terms of mental stamina, doing so may cause you to end up frustrating yourself or lead to self blame
Bring music to prevent burnout
Switch up your study spot
Switch it to 25/5, or any reasonable interval you feel comfortable with
Get 7+ hr of sleep and make sure exercise/work-play balance is in order
Download keep me focused for chrome
Don't bring your phone for long study a thons

You're not supposed to study for long periods of time anyway. You get worse at it as time goes on

 

[StudyLater]

Brown noise.

I actually had this during my MCAT. The air was up super high so it helped block things out.

Our proctors were a bunch of chatterboxes and I didn't hear much, though I also had earplugs.

 

[altblue]

Brown noise.

I actually had this during my MCAT. The air was up super high so it helped block things out.

Our proctors were a bunch of chatterboxes and I didn't hear much, though I also had earplugs.

Or white noise for the sake of alertness. I find brown and pink too relaxing, lol.

 

[Meeehai]

Abuse adderall like my frat friends.

 

[StudyLater]

Or white noise for the sake of alertness. I find brown and pink too relaxing, lol.

White noise is yucky. Makes me think of that early 2000s horror movie, too.

 

[StudyLater]

Abuse adderall like my frat friends.

I thought you said fat friends and chuckled.

But in all seriousness drug abuse is no laughing matter. Keep your kids safe. Hide the pill bottle.

 

[Goro]

There's plenty of data that exercise helps with this.

My mental stamina is low to the point where after studying for an hour, I feel compelled to watch a 45 minute long episode of my favorite TV show or some other enjoyable activity or even longer just fooling around. It's difficult to be efficient.

I simply tired out with the 50 minute work, 10 minute break strategy.

How do you guys study for long periods of time?

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

I have this same problem so hard rn. I read 2 powerpoint slides and somehow always end back up on fb/sdn/reddit. My mental stamina is pathetic.

How has this affected you long-term?

There's plenty of data that exercise helps with this.

I exercise on and off, but I will attempt to discipline myself more.

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

Brown noise.

I actually had this during my MCAT. The air was up super high so it helped block things out.

Our proctors were a bunch of chatterboxes and I didn't hear much, though I also had earplugs.

I'm actually going to try pink, white, and brown noise tomorrow morning.

 

[Satire5Texul]

I have to be in a library. if not, i end up here or on youtube.
There my mental stamina and energy keep me extremely focused.
But it means driving to campus every day of the week.

md-2020's advice is not bad to be honest. When I get on here I realize once again I am not competing just with students at my school, but around the country. And I see people doing so much stuff I am not. So that motivates the heck out of me to keep going. Otherwise I feel lost in the sea of busy work and strenuous mental gymnastics. Visit the resident forum. People there sometimes have bigger issue in life that make yours seem very small.

Also, last semester i studied with a practice Step 1 exam on my screen. It reminded me that my class is not so tough. and there are bigger fish I will have to fry down the road

 

[StudyLater]

I'm actually going to try pink, white, and brown noise tomorrow morning.

But can you handle.....crystal noise??? 😱😱😱

Speaking of which, if you intend to go back in time, make sure you've got fully charged crystals in your time machine. Otherwise you'll simply end up electrocuting your whole groin area.

 

[GiveMeThatMD]

The 50/10 applied until maybe Upper Divisions, then evolved into the 5,000,000,000/10 tactic. 10 being the time I stepped on a nail and landed in the hospital, had wifi though so the academic marathon continued.

 

[HybridEarth]

It's not so much mental stamina as it is discipline. If you can't fight the urge to do other things while studying, you need to consciously force yourself to stick to a study plan for three straight weeks without deviating from it. Habit building is a lot more important, the stamina comes with experience.

 

[StudyLater]

It's not so much mental stamina as it is discipline. If you can't fight the urge to do other things while studying, you need to consciously force yourself to stick to a study plan for three straight weeks without deviating from it. Habit building is a lot more important, the stamina comes with experience.

Baaaahhhhh

 

[HybridEarth]

Baaaahhhhh

yikes, just realized the sexual innuendo in my last sentence...

 

[frosted_flake]

@AlfonsTheGuru perhaps this may help you... http://www.medicalmnemonics.com/pdf/2002_09_full_abr_a4.pdf
I find the site pretty useful. Good luck on your exam tomorrow!

 

[NotASerialKiller]

You know how baseball players put those weights on their bats when they're on deck so that it feels like it's lighter when they swing during their actual at bat? I'm developing a theory that if you study the day before a test when you're completely hammered, then during the actual test your comparative mental clarity will launch you to new academic heights. Collecting data now, I'll keep you posted.

 

[StudyLater]

I'm developing a theory that if you study the day before a test when you're completely hammered, then during the actual test your comparative mental clarity will launch you to new academic heights. Collecting data now, I'll keep you posted.

Hmmm state-dependent theory would say you'd remember better if you were still hammered on the day of the test.