How to create a study-friendly environment for you or your teen

Many people often get quite upset at the state of their (or their kids’) rooms or desks! With papers everywhere, homework going missing, and uncomfortable sitting positions, many students of today dread the idea of cleaning up their study spaces. And, yes, the rumours are true - the right environment can make all the difference in staying focused, retaining information, and performing at your best in the HSC. While motivation and discipline are crucial, how your study space is set up—and the resources available—can make studying easier, more efficient, and less stressful.

Here’s how to create a study-friendly environment that keeps you on track.

1. Design a Dedicated Study Space

Having a consistent, clutter-free workspace helps signal to your brain that it’s time to focus. Whether it’s a desk in your room or a shared study nook, make sure your setup includes:

• A comfortable chair and desk at the right height
• Good lighting to reduce eye strain (yes, you can spoil your eyes - and get tired faster - working in the dark means your body releases sleep hormones and your eyes strain more to pass inputs, including maths equations, to your brain…)
• Minimal distractions—avoid high-traffic areas or studying in your actual bed, where you’re less comfortable and more prone to falling asleep!
• Easy access to all necessary materials (pens, notebooks, calculator, etc.) - this way, your flow won’t be interrupted by a frantic calculator search halfway through the past paper!
• Avoid making messes or leaving things in a really untidy state - studies have shown that prolonged exposure to messy environments with unwanted objects, trash, old food, bacteria, or mould can sap motivation, lower mood, and reduce concentration - in addition to possibly being hazardous to your health and causing damage to your property!

Bonus tip: Noise-canceling headphones or soft background music can help block out distractions (just don’t start streaming loud or distracting music with lyrics if you need to concentrate - music can block out the distraction, or it can be the distraction!).

2. Set a Consistent Routine In Your Environment & Minimise Distractions

Even the best study space won’t help if there’s no structure to your study sessions. Build good study habits by:

• Setting dedicated study hours (with flexibility for breaks) - and yes, taking breaks in a different place to your studying can be beneficial for some people, but we understand not everybody has the space or flexibility to make this a reality!
• Keeping physical distractions (like hobbies, physical toys, games, and anything else you’ll just stare at rather than do your work!) out of your room during study time
• Balancing study with hobbies & exercise (in a different environment) to avoid burnout

For parents, support is key—guide and encourage, but don’t hover!

3. Make Organisation Effortless (using space and software!)

Scattered papers, missing notes, and lost resources can make studying stressful. Stay on top of things by:

• Using binders or digital folders to organise subjects (and keeping these in places you remember and can go through easily)
• Writing summary notes after each topic (shorter = easier to revise later) and leaving them on top of your desk to get you started on study and into the flow of things as soon as you enter your study space!
• Using note-taking apps like Notion or OneNote to keep everything in one place online, and getting rid of easily damaged and lost paper worksheets or booklets

A well-organised system means less time searching and more time actually learning.

4. Encourage Self-Reliance & Smart Study Strategies

The best way to improve isn’t just a room redecoration, getting your hands on a labeller, or Marie Kondo level de-cluttering skills —it’s developing problem-solving skills and independent thinking. Some key strategies include:

• Teaching others—explaining a topic out loud helps reinforce knowledge
• Active recall & practice testing—retrieving information from memory improves retention
• Using multiple learning methods—videos, flashcards, and practice questions keep things engaging

Access to the right study resources helps you take charge of your own learning—so you can study smarter, not harder.

Final Thoughts: The Power of the Right Study Support

A great study environment isn’t just about having a good desk and lighting—it’s about eliminating distractions, reducing busywork, and making sure you have the right tools to succeed.

At Notes2u, we provide high-quality notes, exemplar essays, and curated study materials to help students learn efficiently and perform at their best. We also offer a unique dashboard system where you can access all of your purchased resources and notes online, at any time, from any device - instead of wasting hours compiling and looking through a massive mess of resources, you can focus on recalling, understanding, applying, and excelling.

Check out Notes2u today and take control of your study success!