Starter Kit: Study smarter with these tech essentials

Studying is one of the most important parts of student life, but it’s also one of the most difficult — especially if you don’t always have the discipline or desire to hit the books. That’s why it’s so necessary to do what you can to set yourself up for success whenever possible. When you make the effort to remove distractions and implement the right habits and tools, you’ll have a much better chance of hitting some solid study sessions.

How do I start studying smarter?

“Your body has a certain amount of energy and resources to allocate to biological processes, including brain power,” explains Dave Asprey, bestselling author of the book Smarter, Not Harder. “The first thing you can do is to remove friction and the things that are sucking your energy, like poor sleep, stress, or a diet full of toxins. This way you can free up energy for studying and being productive.”

From there, you’ll have the space to implement smart habits and practices that will make studying smarter easier —like tech and gear that’ll put you in the headspace to study. Studying is challenging enough as it is without all the obstacles modern students face when trying to get things done — but finding smart solutions and implementing habits and workflows that lessen the friction is well-worth putting in the effort for.

What do I need to study smarter?

“Whether it's a dorm with paper-thin walls offering no escape from noisy neighbors, or endless distractions pulling your attention away from the books at a coffee shop, carving out effective study time can feel like battling a losing war at times,” says Michael Robert, tech experts and cyber security specialist at CyberArk. You’ll want to think about the pain points you experience when studying — what holds you back from getting into the zone or really focusing and how can you mitigate the issue with a smart piece of tech?

Here are some of the best tech essentials to get your started on studying smarter this semester: