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Setting Academic Goals for Study Time

There are just a few months left until school is out for the summer. As winter slowly fades away and transitions into spring, the warmth is reminiscent of the summer months to come. It is not uncommon for the change in weather to make adolescents and teens anxious for their summer vacation from school. As a result, study habits might start to slack off and dedication to schoolwork may start to slack. For teens and adolescents who are living in active addiction, schoolwork may constantly take a backseat. For teens and adolescents who are living in active recovery from addiction, schoolwork is a priority, but normal teen tendencies, like slacking off, can still happen. Sometimes study habits need freshening up and a change of pace in order to become efficient again. Working with your child to examine which study habits are working and which study habits are not working can help you create a new plan for studying. Professionals have recommended that studying be done intervals rather than giant blocks. Make room for breaks that include getting up, walking away from the study material, focusing on another activity, and healthy snacks which promote brain function.

Start with goals

Too often we assimilate the goals of studying into something convenient like Get good grades or Do well on a test. Vague goals are unmanageable goals. Increasingly, the philosophy on goals is that goals need to be both specific and attainable. Setting and creating micro goals creates what is called micro progress which adds up to big accomplishments. For study sessions both daily and weekly, create small goals: read X amount of pages, make X amount of note cards, memorize X amount of notecards, do X amount of research for a paper, write X amount of pages for a paper, etc. Then, set goals academically. Many teachers offer point based breakdowns of what it takes to earn certain grades. Earn an A by midterms. Raise C  to B by end of spring term. Rather than put all the emphasis on endless study sessions, setting goals helps create a sustainable work flow with intermittent accomplishments worth celebrating.

Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center is a family based treatment program offering long term residential treatment and academic support to adolescent or teenage males struggling with addiction. Located in Mississippi, our sprawling estate serves as the perfect location for your boys to learn how to live again, through a foundation building, life cleansing program of care. Call us today for information: 662-598-4214