no matter if studying biology or playing pool,
is to focus on the task at hand and eliminate distraction
We all have the ability to concentrate -- sometimes. Think of the times when you were "lost" in something you enjoy: a sport, playing music, a good game, a movie. Total concentration.
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But at other times,
Your mind wanders from one thing to another
Your worries distract you
Outside distractions take you away before you know it
The material is boring, difficult, and/or not interesting to you.
See the Flash distraction (needs high speed connection)
Some important and best tips
What you can control in your studies
Best practices
What you can control in your studies:
"Here I study"
Get a dedicated space, chair, table, lighting and environment
Avoid your cellphone or telephone
Put up a sign to avoid being disturbed or interrupted
If you like music in the background, OK, but don't let it be a distraction. (Research on productivity with music versus without music is inconclusive)
Stick to a routine, efficient study schedule
Accommodate your day/nighttime energy levels
See our Guide on Setting goals and making a scheduling
Focus
Before you begin studying, take a few minutes to summarize a few objectives, gather what you will need, and think of a general strategy of accomplishment
Incentives
Create an incentive if necessary for successfully completing a task,
such as calling a friend, a food treat, a walk, etc.
For special projects such as term papers, design projects, long book reviews, set up a special incentive
Change topics
Changing the subject you study every one to two hours for variety
Vary your study activities
Alternate reading with more active learning exercises
If you have a lot of reading, try the SQ3R method
Ask yourself how you could increase your activity level while studying? Perhaps a group will be best? Creating study questions?
Ask your teacher for alternative strategies for learning. The more active your learning, the better.
Take regular, scheduled breaks that fit you
Do something different from what you've been doing (e.g., walk around if you've been sitting), and in a different area
Rewards
Give yourself a reward when you've completed a task
Best Practices:
Do Today What You Can Do Tomorrow
In simple terms: avoid procrastinating. The earlier you start working on your goals, the better you’ll be able to gain focus and concentration. If you leave things too late, you’ll end up being stressed, pressured, and bothered by the ticking deadline. If you work early on the other hand, you’ll be more able to focus and concentrate because there’s nothing else to worry about except to get the job done.
Once you do develop the right habits to be able to gain focus and concentration easily then don’t take your ability for granted. Practice, practice, and practice some more!
You should notice improvement in a few days
But like any practice, there will be ups, levels, and downs:
It will benefit other activities you do!
Be here now Worry time Tally Card Energy level Visualize
Be Here Now
This deceptively simple strategy is probably the most effective.
When you notice your thoughts wandering astray, say to yourself
"Be here now"
and gently bring your attention back to where you want it.
For example:
You're studying and your attention strays to all the other homework you have, to a date, to the fact that you're hungry. Say to yourself
"Be here now"
Focus back on subject with questions, summarizing, outlining, mapping, etc. and maintain your attention there as long as possible.
When it wanders again, repeat
"Be here now"
and gently bring your attention back, and continue this practise, repeatedly. It will work!
Do not try to keep particular thoughts out of your mind. For example, as you sit there, close your eyes and think about anything you want to for the next three minutes except cookies. Try not to think about cookies...When you try not to think about something, it keeps coming back. ("I'm not going to think about cookies. I'm not going to think about cookies.")
You might do this hundreds of times a week. Gradually, you'll find that the period of time between your straying thoughts gets a little longer every few days. So be patient and keep at it. You'll see some improvement!
Do not constantly judge your progress. Take it easy on yourself. Good practice is enough to say that you did it, and that you are on the road. The mind is always different and the practice unfolds over time with many ups and downs.
Worry or Think Time
Research has proven that people who use a worry time find themselves worrying 35 percent less of the time within four weeks.
Set aside a specific time each day to think about
the things that keep entering your mind and interfering with your concentration.
When you become aware of a distracting thought,
remind yourself that you have a special time to think about them,
Let the thought go,
perhaps with "Be here now,"
Keep your appointment
to worry or think about those distracting issues
For example, set 4:30 to 5 p.m. as your worry/think time. When your mind is side-tracked into worrying during the day, remind yourself that you have a special time for worrying. Then, let the thought go for the present, and return your focus to your immediate activity.
Tallying your mental wanderings
Have a 3 x 5 inch card handy. Draw two lines dividing the card into three sections. Label them "morning," "afternoon," and "evening."
Each time your mind wanders, make a tally in the appropriate section. Keep a card for each day. As your skills build, you'll see the number of tallies decrease
Maximize your energy level
When is your energy level at its highest? When are your low energy times?
Study your most difficult courses at your high energy times. Sharpest early in the evening? Study your most difficult course then. Later in the evening? Work on your easier courses or the ones you enjoy the most.
Most students put off the tough studies until later in the evening when they become tired, and it is more difficult to concentrate. Reverse that. Study hard subjects at peak energy times; easier ones later. This alone can help to improve your concentration
Visualize
As an exercise before you begin studying, think of those times when concentration is not a problem for you--no matter what situation. Now try to feel or image yourself in that situation. Recapture that experience immediately before your studies by placing yourself in that moment.. Repeat before each study session.
Portions adapted with permission from
Help Yourself. http://www.k-state.edu/counseling/concentr.html University Counseling Services, Kansas State University.
"Be here now" corresponds to Bhuddist insight strategy
More helpful tips
Man is endowed with a rare organ called ‘brain’, which is responsible for all his personal and official activities. Your creative talent and reasoning power etc, all depend upon the memory system of your brain. But your memory system is sometimes treacherous. Your children fare badly in the exams and score poor marks. You are failing in job interviews due to your poor memory system. Hence, naturally you are in a dilemma how to overcome your drawbacks and improve your memory system.
The following five tips will certainly be helpful to improve your memory:-
Helpful # 1) Play indoor games like chess and carom, which will stimulate the performance of your brain, your thinking and planning capacities and your organizing abilities. Similarly physical exercise is good for your physical and mental health. Walk thrice in a week, at least half an hour a day, which will increase of your power of concentration.
Helpful # 2) Pay attention to minute details when you go to a place or when you meet a person. For example when you meet a person, observe the size and color of his dress, his height, his complexion, the place where you meet him, the door number of the house, the name of the street, its location etc and try to recall them when you go back to your residence. It is a kind of exercise to the brain to enhance the memory power of your brain.
Helpful # 3)In order to keep your brain in good working condition and sharpen it, you have to do some brain exercises time and again, like playing word games, thinking games and above all by doing a most effective exercise called ‘laughter’ which is capable of stimulating the whole body of a human being and refresh your memory system.
Helpful # 4) You should try to indulge in new activities as often as possible and take up your favorite activities like cooking, painting, gardening etc and try to do them in a different way whenever you embark upon these activities.
Helpful # 5) Good memory is about method. You need to constantly work on it with some new techniques. Try to do simple tasks in your day to day life like putting your two wheeler key or a car key at a particular place and do some important memory tasks every day like remembering some key words and codes etc. As far as children are concerned, to improve their memory system, try all the above mentioned ideas in a play way method.