Let’s be honest: studying can be dull, boring, and uncomfortable. You have to deal with tons of information, assignments, and deadlines. Avoid checking your phone, viewing movies, or conversing with friends. You must force yourself to sit and concentrate on something that may or may not be of interest to you.
What if I told you studying doesn’t have to be hard and boring? What if I told you there are easy and efficient techniques to make learning more entertaining and productive? You can learn how to focus on your studies without getting distracted and ace your exams without losing your sanity.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, it’s not. This article will show you some tips and tricks on how to focus on studies and enjoy the process even with all the distractions around you. Science, personal experience, and common sense inform these suggestions. They will help you improve your concentration, memory, and motivation even when everything around seems to be distracting you. They save time, energy, and tension when learning.
So grab a pen and paper (or your laptop) and get ready to learn how to focus on your studies like a pro.
Why should you care about focusing on studies?
You may be wondering: Why should I bother focusing on studies? I don’t understand why I can’t just wing it and see what happens. Why can’t I study when I want and do anything else I want?
Well, here are some reasons why focusing on studies is important and beneficial for you:
- It helps you learn better and faster. Focusing helps you comprehend, recall, and apply what you’re learning. This will help you ace your tests and assignments, and also use what you’ve learned in real-life
- It helps you save time and energy. Focusing on one item at a time helps you finish faster and easier. You don’t waste time switching between different tasks or losing your train of thought. You don’t get tired or stressed easily. Also, your interests, friends, and family have more time.
- It helps you develop good habits and skills. Studying requires discipline, perseverance, and self-control. These traits will help you in work, relationships, and personal growth. Learning how to focus on studies also teaches you how to focus on your life’s objectives and aspirations.
How to focus on studies without getting distracted: 10 tips
Now that you know why focusing on studies is vital, let’s discuss how. To focus on studies without getting distracted, you’ve got to create a study plan, get rid of distractions, use active learning techniques, take breaks in between studies, change your environment where necessary, get enough sleep, and engage in active meditation. Let’s dive into the details.
Here are 10 tips that will help you concentrate better while studying.
1. Make a study plan
A study plan is a roadmap that shows you what, when, where, and how to focus on studies without getting distracted. It helps you plan, prioritize, and track your study goals. To make a study plan, follow these steps:
- Identify your objectives for each subject or course. What do you want to achieve? What should you know?
- Break goals into doable tasks. List the actions and activities that will help you achieve those goals.
- Allocate a specific time slot for each task. When will you do each task? How long will it take?
- Choose a suitable place to study. Where will you do each task? What materials and resources will you need?
- Review your plan regularly. How are you doing? Do you need to make any adjustments?
2. Get rid of distractions
Distractions are anything that takes your attention away from your studies. They can be external or internal. External distractions are things like noise, people (could be your girlfriend or boyfriend), phone calls, or social media notifications. Internal distractions are things like thoughts, feelings, or urges.
To get rid of distractions:
- Identify what distracts you the most
- Remove or reduce them as much as possible
For example:
- Turn off your phone or put it in another room.
- Close other tabs or apps on your computer.
- Wear headphones or earplugs to block out noise.
- Tell your family or friends not to disturb you during your study time
3. Use active learning techniques
Active learning techniques are methods that involve engaging with the material actively rather than passively. They help you process the information deeper and make connections between different ideas. They also make studying more fun and enjoyable. Some examples of active learning techniques are:
- Summarizing what you’ve read or heard in your own words
- Asking yourself questions about the material and trying to answer them
- Making flashcards or mind maps to review key concepts
- Teaching someone else what you’ve learned
- Doing practice tests or exercises
4. Take breaks
Taking breaks is essential for maintaining your focus and energy while studying. In fact, studies by the University of Illinois’ psychology professor, Alejandro Lleras, show that taking brief mental breaks while doing intensive studies or carrying out a single task over a prolonged time will boost your focus. Too much studying without breaks tires your brain and lowers your performance. However, taking pauses lets your brain rejuvenate. This will keep you focused throughout your study time.
As a good rule of thumb, give yourself a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes of studying. Stretch, stroll, meditate, or listen to music during your break. Ensure you are doing something that makes you relax. If you are taking enough breaks, you are beginning to master how to focus on your studies without getting distracted.
5. Reward yourself
Rewarding yourself is a way of reinforcing your positive behavior and motivating yourself to keep going. Rewarding oneself for a job well done boosts self-esteem. This can boost your sense of self-worth and make studying more enjoyable. Reward yourself by:
- Eating a healthy snack
- Watching a funny video
- Playing a game
- Reading a book
- Calling a friend
Consciously rewarding yourself for keeping to your study plans shows you are on the path to focusing on studies without getting distracted.
6. Set a timer
Setting a timer is a simple but effective way to focus on studies without distractions. It aids in generating a sense of urgency and preventing procrastination. It breaks down work into digestible portions and tracks progress.
To use a timer, first, decide how long you want to study. Set the timer for that long, and then get to work. Continue until the timer rings. Take a break and repeat until you complete your assignment.
Use any timer app on your phone or computer, or you can use a real timer like a cooking timer or an alarm clock.
7. Change your environment
Sometimes, changing your environment can help you focus better on studies. This is because your brain gets used to the same surroundings and becomes less alert and attentive. Changing your environment stimulates your brain by exposing it to new sights, sounds, and smells. This can boost your mood, creativity, and concentration. You can achieve this by,
- Studying in a different room or place
- Study at a different time of day
- Do it with different people or
- You may try studying with different music or no music at all
Two things are involved here, either you move away from your current environs, or you change the way you do things entirely. That’s how to focus on studies without getting distracted.
8. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial for your focus and memory. Your brain consolidates everything you’ve learned throughout the day and prepares you for the following day as you sleep. Without adequate sleep, your brain cannot work correctly, and you will have difficulty focusing, remembering, and solving issues.
An average adult should target between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night; however, this might vary based on your age, lifestyle, and health condition.
To get enough sleep, try to:
- Have a regular sleep
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
- Turn off screens and devices at least an hour before study time
- Make your bedroom dark, and quiet.
- Relax before bed with a warm bath, and meditation.
Learning how to focus on studies without getting distracted involves mastering our sleep lives. You don’t want to undersleep or oversleep either. Just ensure you are getting enough sleep.
9. Exercise regularly
Exercise is beneficial for both your physical and mental well-being. The brain receives better blood flow during exercise, which increases both its performance and functionality. The pleasant and stress-busting molecules called endorphins are also released during physical activity.
Additionally, exercise boosts self-esteem, confidence, and motivation. All these benefits can help you focus better on studies without getting distracted, and achieve your academic goals.
You’ve got to;
- Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week
- Do some strength training exercises at least twice a week
- Choose activities that you enjoy and suit your fitness needs
- Vary your routine and try new exercises with friends or join a club
10. Meditate
Meditation requires concentrating on one thing, such as your breath, phrase, or sound. Meditation calms, reduces tension, and improves focus. Meditation also teaches your brain to be more present in the now and less distracted by thoughts of the past or future.
The art can also improve your learning, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Harvard University found that meditation thickens brain areas involved in attention, memory, and learning. Another study by Southern Illinois University found that deep breathing meditation can help students cope with academic stress and improve their performance.
To meditate,
- Find a quiet and comfortable place to study
- Set a timer for 10 to 20 minutes
- Close your eyes and focus on your breath or recitations.
- If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the object of focus
- When the timer goes off, slowly open your eyes and notice how you feel.
The Bottomline
Focusing on studies can be challenging, but attainable. These strategies will help you focus and study better.
Remember that focusing on studies is a skill that you can develop with practice and patience. Don’t give up if you encounter difficulties or distractions along the way. Just keep trying, and you’ll see the results in your grades and learning.
I hope this article has helped you learn how to focus on studies without getting distracted. Please leave any questions or comments in the section below.
