Since uni work is as copious as it is, we need to find techniques to use when it’s time to buckle down.

Luckily, there’s a myriad of little things you can add to your study space to make sure your environment is promoting as much productivity as possible. More often than not, your mind will follow.

#1 Plants

Apart from being aesthetically pleasing, a little natural study buddy can actually help you be more productive.

Plants have been shown to increase attentiveness and productivity, as well as help with anxiety, lower blood pressure and more. There are so many health and productivity benefits that even a tiny potted plant is worth a try if you’re finding trouble getting work done. Just make sure to water it.

#2 A Stopwatch

This is perfect for those people that reward writing an essay heading with binging Netflix. You’ll be happy to know that one of the best ways to get large amounts of work done is to portion it into short 25 minute bursts of work, separated by a 5 minute break. This is known as the Pomodoro technique.

Have a stopwatch or phone timer ready when you study and try it out. Stick to it long enough and you’ll have a surefire way to get huge projects done efficiently. 

#3 Headphones

Music is the perfect way to create your own little headspace for studying, and the right music will get you there every time.

Classical music is the main, scientifically approved genre to get you in the study mode, but you can also give ambience, white noise or movie soundtracks a try if you’re looking for variety.

#4 Natural Light

As you may imagine, working under artificial light just isn’t as good as the real thing. Exposure to sunshine has been proven to have a positive impact on our sleep patterns, and your quality of sleep will directly bleed into your productivity levels.

So if your study space allows it, try to maximize the amount of natural light you get while you work. Plus, who doesn’t love sunshine?

#5 A Water Bottle  

As assignments and exams pile up, self care starts to take a backseat. But it’s those little things like staying hydrated that will help keep your brain on the ball at crunch time. Always make sure you have a water bottle next to you when you work, because you simply won’t be able to perform at your peak mentally if your body isn’t taken care of.

Self care aside, staying hydrated ensures you sleep better, think clearer and feel better. Whether you’re studying or not, there’s never a time where water can’t help.

#6 Your Pet

Yep, you heard that right. Research has found that the presence of pets in a working environment can help reduce stress. I’m not saying that spending all day playing with your pet counts as work, but it’s worth having your pet around while you get work done for a little productivity and morale boost.                                                       

Like many things in life, it’s the little things that will snowball into real results. If you’re in need of a boost in your study game, any of these will give you a push in the right direction.

Kim Koelmeyer is and Arts (Journalism)/Law student at Deakin University and deals primarily in memes and blogging.