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The textbooks. So heavy. So large. So many of them. Nursing students all know the back-breaking weight of the books. Some of them are required; others are supplemental materials. Each semester they would give us the reading assignment a week or two before the start of class as to provide us with a jump start on the future course. I found a few tricks and tips that I used to get through the reading.
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#1 Use a timer
I want to first state that although this list is not in order, this particular tip helped me a lot when struggling through a night with 100 pages ahead of me. This is simple. Set a time for a specific amount of time and read. Whenever I did this, I always used 20 minutes, not too long and not too short, but everyone is different, set it for 10 minutes or 45 minutes. At the end of the time get up, go to the bathroom, get a snack, a drink, fold clothes, then come back and do it again. I find that this technique allows for better concentration because it’s a short amount of time, it’s easier to clear distractions and focus when there is a definite stopping point ahead.
#2 Break up the sections
The most extended reading assignments can be incredibly daunting and overwhelming. Upon getting the reading for the week, I would look at the page numbers. Allocating some pages each day. This breaks up the pages and makes it into much more easily digestible chunks. Taking the one big assignment dividing it over a few days or the whole week will make the reading tolerable than a one-night read-a-thon.
#3 Incentives
Reward yourself. When reading textbooks find something to use as an incentive. Whenever you reach a milestone, you get the motivation. Incentives could include a snack, a change in activity, or something like a youtube video. This could be used in conjunction with either breaking up the whole into segments or using the timer, both methods will give you goals or milestone.
#4 Take reasonable breaks
Don’t forget to take breaks. When you have a large sum of pages to read it helps to take brief breaks. They allow you to reset your brain and give your eyes a break. For me after a while of reading my eyes began to dry up and become unfocused. The break should be short. A short break will ensure that you will continue the reading. Take this as an opportunity to get up and stretch. The break will make all the reading refreshed and keep your brain absorbing information.
#5 Read out loud
If you find your mind wondering, read out loud. Reading out loud will keep your focus. The nights where I find myself rereading the same paragraph repeatedly, somehow unable to keep the focus on what I was reading or even comprehending the content. Reading out loud will force your brain to focus and by listening to yourself reading the information will be a second way to take in the data.
Reading is a part of the Nursing school. Any way to get through the text and absorbing of information to pass the program.
Hey, look over here, read these too,4 Tips on time management for students & 3 Ways I studied for Nursing School