Project Materials

How to Avoid Distraction While Studying

Every student knows the importance of studying and how much it is important to imbibe this diligent culture for success. How well you are able to study will determine to a large extent how well you as a student will be able to do in your tests and examinations. After getting yourself to pick up your books to study maybe for some minutes or hours, your level of assimilation and how much you are able to sink in in the time dedicated to the study becomes another thing to consider. Your level of concentration, your mind atmosphere and how present you are where you are studying is very key to the rate at which you assimilate and how much you will be able to cover. If concentration is not there, you might be reading one line two times or having your mind wandering here and there instead of having your whole self solidly awake to the book in front of you at your study time. If you have been suffering from absent mindedness and lack of concentration or other things that affect concentration while reading, then you should read this article to the end on how to practice concentration while studying. The following points are some ways in which you can improve and practice concentration while studying:

1. Preparation

Enhancing concentration while you are studying will demand that you prepare for your study period. It will be too distracting for you if you have to get up once and again to pick one thing and another thing that you need while studying. You should ensure that before you start studying, you get all the materials that you need ready. Consider what course you want to study, think of all the things the materials that may be relevant to the course and make them available.

2. Don’t multitask

Avoid doing another activity along with a serious study time. Try to finish up all the works that are very important for you to attend to before settling down to study or study when you will not have to be attending to any work yet. To have the best experience from your study with a good flow without interruptions, avoid multitasking.

3. Take good sleep

One thing that can affect your concentration is when you keep depriving yourself of necessary sleep. Your mind may not be collected as expected and you might not be at your optimal state. You should ensure that you sleep when you ought to, when you do this, your mind will be calm enough and will find it easier to retain the information you are going through. Continuosly depriving yourself of sleep can affect your memory. You can form a habit of going to bed around a particular time daily.

4. Pen down your purpose for reading

You should pen down the serious reasons why you are studying, remind yourself of these reasons when you see yourself trying to lose focus from studying. Itemise reasons that you can control other than just eventual results that you expect. For instance something like ‘I am studying because I want to be as knowledgeable and value loaded as possible’ is a reason within your control, you can keep studying to know more and add more academic value to yourself, other than a reason like ‘I want to have excellent grades’ this may not really be within your power.

5. Relocate your devices

When your temptation to get distracted into checking social media or chatting is out of sight, then it likely will help you to focus and concentrate more. So you could decide to put all your digital devices like your phone and the likes in a separate place different from where you are studying, so that the temptation can reduce. You can also decide to put your phone in silence or do something to it that will just help you to concentrate more.

6. Avoid your bed/create a proper environment

Don’t make your bed your study space, your bed is a place you likely consider as a place to relax, so trying to study on your bed may not be the best idea, your posture may not be too helpful for maximum focus, also what if you drift into an unintended nap? Create an environment that will enhance comfort and concentration, try to use a desk and a chair while studying with a well-lit room and put away all the distracting elements from that room.

7. Have a partner

When you are two with a similar goal, it gets better. Try to have a study partner with whom you can study. Having someone around you with whom you can go through the course together could help you to focus more. When you are choosing a study partner, don’t go for someone who could distract you, rather try to find a serious-minded colleague.

8. Take breaks

Taking short breaks in between your study can help your concentration. You could decide to study for like an hour and take a ten minutes break. You could try to walk around and get your body stretched and allow your mind to calm down a bit for you to be able to refocus and assimilate better when you return to your study.

9. Study actively

While you are studying, try to engage the material you are going through, don’t just read through, why not ask questions about the concept you are studying, challenge things stated in the material, you could also try to link what you are studying to day to day life situations. This will engage your mind more and you will be actively involved.

10. Do exercise

Exercise is one good way you can use to help your concentration level as its improvement in concentration is one of the advantages of exercising, and better still exercise can increase your energy levels.

11. Study at the right time

You will need to observe yourself and know the time of the day when you are most alert and at your optimal state. Let your studying be done at such a time when your mind is at its best.

12. Get your family to know

Let your family know when you want to study, if they know that you are studying, then they might distract less at that time and they could even serve to help you stay focused if they know when you should be studying.

13. Use music

If music works for you, you can make do with a good background music to help you flow better with what you are studying.

14. Set a time to stop

Studying all through the day might not be the best, you should have a time to relax and get yourself refreshed again to be optimal the next day. Also, when you have a time you will stop an activity, that will help you to concentrate on the activity you are doing at the moment.

15. Try earphones/headphones

Listening to good music while studying, you may want to use earphones or headphones, this is even better as it helps shut out some level of noise and gives an idea to people around you that you are engaged.