More important than anything else, however, is whether the place you have selected enables you to work with the greatest amount of concentration and the fewest distractions. For this reason, the ideal place for study is a quiet area away from the disturbance of other people, television, and stereos. By selecting a place with few distractions to begin with, most of your mental energy can then be used for learning instead of for blocking out distractions. If you are an individual who has learned to study with some noise in the background and prefers it this way, don't worry. Television, radio, and music with vocals certainly can have a negative impact on learning, however.
Study involves thinking about and processing both written and spoken language.
Students often deal with varying study demands by having more than one place to work. The most effective approach is to have two or three possible study areas, but no more. The small number is important because of what psychologists refer to as a conditioning effect created between you and your place of study. As you become familiar with and build the habit of studying in a particular place or places, potential distractions are reduced. At the same time, if you nap or socialize while in your place of study, you can also become conditioned to do that instead of concentrating on your work.