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Improving Concentration

It’s okay. Everyone checks out at some point. Our minds wander, and we don’t always pay attention. Everyone has walked into a room and forgotten why they went there in the first place.


But it's tough when this happens during a test or study session.


Look at the following tips to ensure your mind doesn’t take a vacation when you need it working.


Reduce Interference

  • Where you study often determines whether you study
  • What are the people around you doing? Are there people around you?
  • The goal is to find a quiet place as distraction-free as possible
  • And where is your phone? What are you doing with it?
  • Two hours of studying with your phone to distract you could be completed in one hour without your phone
  • Doing one activity at a time improves concentration, improves productivity, and increases your ability to recall that information when you need it


Think out loud

  • If you feel yourself wandering, speak your actions out loud
  • This forces you to wake up and pay attention
  • Been staring at your notes for 5 minutes? Tell yourself you are reading, or writing, or organizing them


Use Your Body

  • While our minds wander easily, our bodies… not so much
  • To refocus your attention, bring your mind back
  • Focus on the feel of the chair you’re sitting on, the pen in your hand, the snuggly warmth of your fluffy sweater or your breathing
  • Attention is also increased by the position in which we study. Sit straight, leaning over your work or stand—it is harder to lose focus and get sleepy that way

 

Deal with Distraction

  • Life is busy… both personal and academic
  • Can’t study because you have all these other things to do? Get them out of the way first. Make that dentist appointment. Schedule an oil change. 
  • If this isn’t possible, make a list of all the personal tasks you need to complete. Once they’re out of the way on paper, then you can focus on schoolwork

 

Sources
Cuseo, Joseph B, Aaron Thompson, Michele Campagna, Viki Sox Fecas. Thriving in College and Beyond: Research-Based Strategies for Academic Success and Personal Development. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 2016.
Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2016