4
FIND THE READING TIME THAT BEST SUITS
I personally had this challenge when I began searching for how best to read, understand and pass examinations. Because I had problems in my first year at school, I came into the second year with a determination to succeed and deal with my lecturers. I needed to look out for those who were already making headlines in our first year which wasn’t farfetched.
I discovered that each high flying student I checked was doing things that were unique of them. I’ll talk about the reading time here because it deserves mention and should be stressed that our brain clock works differently.
How do I know? At my first year in school, I began reading vehemently round the clock, but my results didn’t show I was actually reading. I wasn’t assimilating what I was reading. My result turned out poor so I caught up with my mates who were faring better. I did not actually tell them my goals but I had the intent that by hanging with them what they do could rub off on me.
One of the students I joined alliance, a young man by the name Lagos had the habit of reading from 8 am when the library opened to 8.pm when the library closed. I was actually dazed because I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay on my books that long even though I managed to try when I joined him.
I opted to join another wagon when I couldn’t cope with Lagos. He was the night owl Amos who read 8pm to 7am. I caught up with him but I observed that by 12 am I was fast asleep while he kept reading only to wake by 6.am to discover it is already morning. I always left the night class with everyone having the impression that I had read through it. I was nicknamed professor. It was a great impression though as it helped create my aura and made people think I was studious but it didn’t just work for me because I ended up wasting my time.
I observed the tall lanky Maria the lady whose story I had begun to share at the introduction and she spent only the evenings reading till when the library closes every day. I always saw her at her corner in the library and you’d find her at that particular time. I had a problem here too. I just could not use the library effectively because I was easily distracted by the plethora of books that my mind wondered into every one.
Each of these persons was peculiar in the time they chose to read and they were very comfortable that time. I knew somewhere I had to find the right time when my brain was most effective. I observed that at the period of the day when our brain is most efficient, we could do so much that time than the rest of the day when the brain isn’t functioning at its maximum.
I began to experiment with studying times till I discovered mine.
How did I experiment?
You sure want to undertake this experiment. The reason is because it will save you the stress of having to read when you just don’t have to.
I have observed that the body tries to adapt itself and finds time by itself when it can relax for gainful thinking however tight the schedule around it has being. It is that time you are actually on the lookout for. Some person have that time for an hour, some two, some three depending on how stressful their daily activities.
The body knows that at a certain time, you should be busy at active work so it calms its nerves for mental studying work till later on when you have rested. It always finds a way to adapt in such a way as to get you rejuvenated and refreshed. How do I know? The times when I had lectures from morning through to evening, It was hardly possible to understand what I read when the lecturers were not in class. This was because my body adapted to receiving lectures only during that period. I would always return home to sleep only to wake up early the next day for study.
As my years in school increased and I had more free time and fewer courses, my body began to adapt to a new reading calendar. I found out that between time 11am and 1pm were just great for personal study, because the mornings were always free off lectures.
Knowing the time I understood most helped me shelved the other task away from that time. I ensured when it’s just that time for personal study, I was at it. I always had a book around so that if I was doing something else, I’d just pick it up and read. The actual time that worked initially was 5-8am and it was just fine until I began to have more time and then also began to discover that there were other factors that affected my studying ability. I discovered I could not focus for long when I study.
I have said in an earlier section of this book that I often can’t stay on a book for so long. You may have the same problem too. Not everyone can stay on a book for so long as one hour. It takes development overtime. The reason is sometimes hormonal, or distractions around or the presence of other task that also need your attention.
The next section of this book will reveal what I do to help me focus.