To study you need only your study materials and a place to use them -- and theoretically that could be anywhere. But the practicality of this is that people who have a good dedicated area for their studies have a greater chance of being able to complete their study sessions quicker because they can create an environment that works for them and allows them to focus.

Some people are able to switch off to what's going on around them, but most people need to have as few distractions as possible. There are people who work well with music, some who study better with silence, and then others who can concentrate on their bookwork as they follow their favorite soap opera on TV! Each person needs to discover the kind of study environment that works for them and then set up a real study area within that environment.

Your study space should consist of a desk or table so that you can set out the things you need for your studies. If you have things such as a laptop, or desktop computer, ideally this should be able to be left in your study area when you're not studying. Your desk needs to big enough to have any computer equipment you need, plus your books and a place to write. If there are no drawers on your desk or table, find an appropriate sized box and keep this under the work surface with your spare stationary materials such as additional pens and paper.

As you get older, studying involves longer periods sitting at your desk with your books and so you really need to find a comfortable chair. A computer chair may seem the more appropriate, but sit on it and see if you think it will still seem comfortable after a couple of hours. It could be that a dining room chair with a cushion is actually gentler on your bones!

Apart from comfort you need to think about the height of the seat against the height of the desk/table. If the chair is higher, you may need to consider having it lowered. If the desk is higher, then this may need lowered. Taking the time to sort this at the beginning of your studies will mean you won't be likely to have needless hours sitting in an uncomfortable position.

The last thing that you absolutely must have is adequate lighting. This could be natural light or electric, the source isn't as important as making sure that you can study without straining your eyes. Learn what kind of light works best for you. It could be that you work best with an up light rather than one that floods your area with direct light. You may work best with a tube light or enjoy the cozy feeling created with a table spot light. If you find you are getting headaches after studying, one thing you can try is to change the kind of lighting you're using to see if that helps.

Creating a permanent study space that's always available for you whenever you feel the urge to get out your study materials is one of the easiest ways of putting your focus into study mode. Make sure that if your designated area is in a general area in the house, it's kept a "no go" zone to the rest of the household otherwise you'll find yourself having to remove all the non-study related items before you can study, and that's counterproductive to what you're trying to achieve. Make your study nest that fits your study habits and you'll find your concentration and even motivation to study increase.