Having a hard time concentrating can happen for a number of reasons. Tension, being distracted by thoughts, or physical discomfort are all possible causes. Or maybe you have a craving for a particular food, or are in a bad mood. Physical and mental health issues might even be the root cause. Whatever the reason may be, the inability to concentrate when studying is rather common among students.
Everyone knows that education is critical. What we don’t talk about enough is how to be educated in a manner that promotes mental clarity and physical well-being. There are habits we can engage in to increase our concentration while studying so that we get more out of our education.
If you’re wondering how to stay focused while studying, try these 10 approaches.
Yoga/exercise and meditation
Regular exercise helps not only your body but your brain. Yoga and meditation are tried and true techniques for boosting concentration. Just find a calm and quiet room or, if meditating outdoors, sit in nature and away from the humdrum of civilization to quiet your mind. Yoga is a form of exercise for our mental and spiritual well-being.
Research suggests that physical exercise can improve your focus for two to three hours by increasing blood flow to the brain. Regular exercise can also improve mood and sleep, and reduce stress and anxiety – all of which can improve your cognitive function.
Start with 30 minutes of any exercise to see the difference yourself.
Keep improving your sleep habits
Sleep deprivation may quickly impair concentration and other cognitive skills such as memory and attention. Failure to get a decent night’s sleep on a regular basis might have a negative impact on your mood and performance. Many experts advise getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
Try the following these sleep tips:
- An hour before bed, turn off the TV and avoid all screens
- Keep your room a pleasant, cool temperature
- Listen to calm music before bed
- Set a schedule for sleep time
- Avoid strenuous workouts right before bed
Focus on skills, not grades
A common mistake many students make is prioritizing your grades over learning skills and retaining information. The objective of education is to impart skills and knowledge. Putting less emphasis on grades and more on learning may help alleviate some of the pressure and tension associated with studying.
Create your ideal study space
To remain concentrated when studying, it is vital to create the ideal study environment. It is your personal place devoted to academic pursuits. Therefore, your study room must be the cleanest and most inviting space possible. Maintain a healthy stock of the materials you’ll need to do your work in order to make the most of your study space, and encourage creativity to flow during study sessions. Have your computer’s charging cable plugged in, the textbooks and resources you need nearby, pour a fresh glass of water, and don’t forget to have snacks with you!
Keeping distractions at bay
Distractions disturb your attention and reduce your concentration. If you have a smartphone, your life is probably filled with really tempting distractions! From Facebook, to Twitter, e-mail, YouTube, Instagram, or a never-ending stream of phone calls and text messages, these distractions take your focus away from your studies. When you’re always attending to these distractions, it makes it difficult to achieve your academic objectives.
Even little interruptions can have an influence on how you digest information. When you are diverted, you have to restart when you get back to studying. This requires a lot of effort. It is thereby critical to identify and overcome the factors that distract you, and avoid becoming distracted in the first place.
Attend study groups
Studying is tedious, but doing it alone is far more monotonous than being part of a study group. Joining a study group in which every student has the same ambition as you is a more effective way to study, as everyone in the group has the same drive.
The finest aspect of group study is interacting with and learning from others. Studying in a group is a multidirectional study strategy, where everyone actively contributes to enhancing one another’s learning. This means that sometimes you will be explaining a concept to someone else, and other times you will be on the receiving end of an explanation. Teaching and being taught promote different pathways of retaining information in our brains, and are helpful study techniques.
Adhere to a regimen
To improve your focus while studying, it is a good idea to set a time constraint or deadline for yourself. This enhances your ability to concentrate. Prior to commencing your studies, you should create a plan and list of priorities. Prioritizing your studies requires developing and sticking to a study program. You can begin with the most challenging subject and gradually progress to simpler ones. Also, it is recommended to do the most challenging jobs first, so that you feel more accomplished and relaxed as you go on to the easy ones.
Exercise your mind
How can I improve my focus while studying? One of the distinctive ways is a mental exercise. Play various sorts of games that can aid in enhancing your attention to achieve this goal.
You might also:
- Do sudoku or crossword puzzles
- Play chess
- Play memory games
- Solve jigsaw puzzles
- Try word searches or scrambles
Concentration may be improved by doing brain training activities for 15 minutes intervals, five days a week. You may also use brain training games to increase your short-term memory, processing speed, and problem-solving ability.
Learn the significance of taking a break.
You’re probably wondering how taking a break while studying can help you concentrate. This concept may appear strange, but experts claim it works.
Consider this scenario: you’ve been studying the same subject for a few hours and you’re starting to lose interest. Even if it is tough for you to stay concentrated on the material, you stay seated at your desk, forcing yourself to try and do so. However, this battle just adds to your tension and anxiety over not completing your assignment on time.
Instead, the next time you notice your attention slips, stand up and take a little break. Grab a refreshing drink or nutritious food, go for a stroll, or go outside and enjoy the sun without your phone.
When you return to work after a brief pause, you will be astonished by your replenished energy, and by how you feel more motivated, driven, or even creative.
Maintain your health
Good health is essential for focus. Eating well can have an impact on your academic performance. Regular exercise and healthy eating habits are known to have a positive impact on mental health. Staying hydrated is also important for the body to function optimally.
Avoid processed foods, excessive sugar, and foods that are extremely oily or fatty. Consume the following foods to improve concentration:
- fatty seafood (think salmon and trout)
- eggs (white and yolk both)
- blueberries
- spinach
Eat a healthy breakfast first thing in the morning. Go for a meal that’s low in added sugars and high in protein and fiber. Oatmeal, plain yogurt with fruit, or whole-grain toast with eggs are perfect breakfast choices to improve your focus.
Meaningful change takes time
Never overburden yourself, since this might lead to more tension and poorer concentration. It is sometimes acceptable to fall short of one’s aspirations. That can give you the freedom to do well. We know, it’s a bit counterintuitive.
Reviewing your habits and progress every week or month may assist you in identifying your workflow trends. It will assist you in identifying inefficiencies, changing behaviours, and improving processes. Track how you are doing and what you’d like to improve your productivity. See if you can implement some of the 10 tips from above.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to productive study. Everyone’s strategy differs. With a little trial and error, you can develop a focused study routine that works for you.
Brain training continues to confuse experts. According to studies, the majority of these tactics can help people focus more, and employing them should not have a negative impact on your academic performance.
Are you still facing difficulty in studying? Consult your doctor. There may be something else that’s underlying these concentration issues, and it might be worth talking about. You deserve to be successful, and it is critical to get support for brain injuries or other serious disorders.
Our success coaches at LaunchMyCareercan assist you with time management, planning, and other strategies to get the greatest outcomes from your schooling. They will motivate and encourage you to follow your career objectives. Talk with us today.
