What to Do About Low Study Efficiency? Yu Hexagram’s Six in the Second Place Says “Jie Yu Shi” — Stay Seated Steady to Absorb Learning

Have you ever felt this way?

You sit at your desk for hours every day, books spread open, pen in hand, looking fully prepared. But you know deep down—nothing’s sinking in. You check your phone every ten minutes, grab a drink every twenty, take a bathroom break every half hour, and start craving a rest after just an hour. By the end of the day, you’ve barely flipped a few pages or worked through a handful of problems; all your time has just slipped away.

You’re consumed by anxiety. Why am I so inefficient? Am I just not smart enough? Am I cut out for studying at all?

You hunt for study methods everywhere, buy all kinds of courses, and try every trick in the book: the Pomodoro Technique, the Feynman Method, mind maps, Cornell notes… you’ve picked up a ton of methods, but your efficiency still won’t budge.

Where’s the problem?

The second yin line of the Yu Hexagram (Enthusiasm) has this line text: 「介于石，不终日，贞吉。」 (Steady as a rock, not lasting the whole day; perseverance brings good fortune.)

Wen Laoshi says the root of low study efficiency isn’t your methods—it’s your focus. If you can’t stay seated, can’t calm down, and your mind is scattered, no method will do you any good.

What does 「介于石」 (Steady as a rock) mean?

What kind of hexagram is Yu? It’s the hexagram of ease, of favorable circumstances, of comfort. The entire hexagram talks about how people should conduct themselves when life is going smoothly.

When everyone else is indulging in pleasure, relaxing, or slacking off, what’s the state of the second yin line?

It’s 「介于石」 (steady as a rock)—standing firm like a stone, not following the crowd, not joining in the commotion, not giving in to indulgence along with everyone else.

Why can it do that? Because there’s a stone in its heart.

What is this stone? It’s your goal, your direction, your reason for studying. Why do you study? For an exam? For a promotion? To switch careers? For the sake of interest?

You have to think this through clearly, thoroughly, and firmly. Once you’ve figured it out, you’ll have that stone. You can study when others are playing, stay seated when others are lying down, and stick to your own pace when others are anxious.

Because you know what you want, you know where you stand, and you know what you’re doing.

What does 「不终日」 (Not lasting the whole day) mean?

Having the stone isn’t enough; you also need 「不终日」 (not lasting the whole day).

What does that mean? It means don’t waste time, don’t wait, don’t procrastinate.

If you catch yourself zoning out, pull yourself back right away; if you notice you’re in a bad headspace, adjust immediately; if you realize you’re heading in the wrong direction, correct course at once. Don’t wait until the end of the day to regret it, don’t wait until the semester is over to panic, don’t cram at the last minute when exams are right around the corner.

A lot of people with low study efficiency share one common trait—they love to “wait.” Wait until they’re in the right mood to study, wait until they feel motivated, wait until the environment is perfect. Wait and wait, and the whole day is gone.

The second yin line doesn’t do that. It doesn’t wait all day, doesn’t wait for the perfect state of mind, doesn’t wait for everything to be ready. The moment it catches itself distracted, it snaps back to focus; the moment it notices it’s being inefficient, it adjusts right away.

That’s what 「不终日」 (not lasting the whole day) means—you don’t have to wait until dark; you make the change right now.

Why you can’t focus on your studies

Let me tell you a real example.

A friend of mine was preparing for graduate school entrance exams. He bought a stack of books, signed up for two courses, and sat in the library for ten hours every day. He was physically sitting there, but his phone was right beside him—scrolling through Moments now and then, checking group messages every so often, getting up to grab a water every now and again. By the time he went home at night and tallied it up, the actual time he spent truly absorbing the material was less than two hours.

He was really frustrated and came to me for help. He asked, “Am I using the wrong methods? Should I sign up for a better prep class?”

I asked him, “Why exactly do you want to go to graduate school?”

He froze for a second and said, “Everyone else is taking the exam, so I thought I’d give it a shot too. You never know, I might get in.”

You see? That’s the problem. He hadn’t even figured out why he was studying—how could he have any focus? There’s no stone in his heart, so he blows over at the slightest wind and gives in to every temptation.

When you can’t focus on studying, it’s not because you’re lazy, and it’s not because you’re stupid. It’s because you’ve lost your “center” and your “correctness.” What does that mean? It means your mind is in chaos, your direction is blurry, and you don’t know what you’re really studying for.

Maybe your parents are forcing you, maybe you’re just studying because everyone else is, maybe you’re grasping at straws out of anxiety. What you’re studying isn’t what you truly want, isn’t something you’ve firmly chosen. That’s why you can’t stay seated, that’s why you can’t focus.

The Xiang Commentary says: 「不终日贞吉，以中正也。」 (Not lasting the whole day, perseverance brings good fortune, because one holds to the central and correct path.)

When you have a direction in your heart and a firm enough goal, you’ll naturally be able to stay seated. If your mind isn’t settled, no method will work.

How to improve your focus

At this point, the solution is actually already clear. Just two steps.

Step one: Find your “stone.”

Stop studying for now. Pause, take a whole day, and seriously think it through—what do I really want? Why am I studying this? What will mastering this mean for me?

Is it to get into a good school? To switch careers and get a raise? To figure out something you’ve always wondered about? Or are you just blindly following the crowd?

Once you’ve thought this through and settled on it firmly, then sit down to study. Try it, and you’ll find—you don’t have to force yourself; you’ll naturally be focused. Because you know what you’re doing, and you know where you’re going.

People with a direction in their hearts don’t let their attention wander aimlessly.

Step two: Practice 「不终日」 (not lasting the whole day).

Don’t wait until you’re “in the mood” to study. The right state of mind comes from studying, not from waiting. If you catch yourself zoning out, pull yourself back right away; if you notice you’re being inefficient, adjust immediately; if you realize you’re heading in the wrong direction, correct course quickly.

Don’t procrastinate, don’t drag your feet, don’t wait until the end of the day to regret it.

Just try it for a week. Before you sit down to study every day, take two minutes to silently repeat to yourself—why am I studying today? What do I need to finish?

While you’re studying, if you catch your mind wandering, pull your thoughts back. What if you can’t pull them back? Stand up, get a drink of water, move around for two minutes, then sit back down and keep going. It’s that simple.

Try it, and after a week, see how your efficiency has changed.

Favorable circumstances test your focus the most

The Yu Hexagram, from start to finish, is all about favorable circumstances. The first yin line says 「鸣豫凶」 (Boasting of enthusiasm brings misfortune)—getting carried away with pride right from the start is inauspicious. The second yin line says 「介于石」 (steady as a rock)—staying clear-headed and focused in good times is auspicious.

Compare these two lines, and you’ll understand.

It’s the same with studying. Being able to study when everyone else is studying doesn’t make you impressive; being able to study steadily when everyone else is playing, slacking off, or just going through the motions—that’s what makes you truly impressive.

That’s the real meaning of 「介于石」 (steady as a rock)—unmoved by wind, unshaken by rain, no matter how many temptations come your way, you stand firm.

People like this succeed at whatever they set their minds to.

Remember what Wen Laoshi said. Low study efficiency isn’t a problem with your methods—it’s a problem with your focus. Only when you can stay seated can you truly learn; once your mind is settled, efficiency will naturally follow.

First find your stone, then practice not lasting the whole day. Get these two steps right, and you’ll achieve 「贞吉」 (perseverance brings good fortune)—stay on the right path, and the outcome will naturally be good.