Why would you want to study smarter and what does that mean to you?
Studying is not just for school. Most people realize that the more you know about something, the more fulfilling your life is, and the more you can potentially earn. This is true in school by way of good grades leading to a better paying job. This is more true in life, where being well versed in something makes you more confident in that subject and affects your confidence overall. As well as the fact that you will be looked upon as someone who does not speak "off the cuff", but does know what they are talking about.
It is fact that the more you know about something, your job, a hobby, etc., the more you can enjoy it, i.e. the more you know about football, cooking, money, etc., the more enjoyable it is. Not to mention the potential to make more money at your job or hobby.
Everyone has a system of studying, a system they came up with themselves or something that they learned. Some work better than others. The thing to do is figure out what works for you. What works for one person may not work for another, but if you were to analyze what works you most probably will find a few commonalities. They do not include spending twice as long looking at the material, staying up all night, or giving up your life so you can just study.
You can find many different "tricks" on the internet, they may or may not work for you, but there are a few things that apply to pretty much everyone.
The most important thing is to figure out what kind of learner you are, auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. Do you learn by watching, listening or touching. Figuring this out is a big step in helping you study smarter. A few other things that contribute directly to your learning is being in the correct frame of mind to learn, deciding what it is you are going to study at that time, making a learning environment that is good for you, and focus
The hardest yet most important part is the focus. The other things are easily observed and figured out but if you do not or cannot focus then you will have a much harder time in your studying.
Sit down and decide to focus and your success in studying smarter is almost guaranteed. Spend a little time investing in yourself by understanding how you learn and you will not be disappointed.
Make studying a part of your life and you will not regret the positive results in all aspects of your life.