When you need to study - or work - would you rather scroll through your Instagram feed than actually start? Are you constantly distracted by people or sounds from your surroundings when you have just spent 5 minutes working or learning? Don't worry, because luckily you are not the only one. But how can you concentrate better? We have listed 10 concentration tips for you for more focus and motivation.
10 Tips for concentration
By adopting the following 10 tips for concentration, you will make the first step towards greater focus:
1. Choose a good spot to study
2. Activate 'do-not-disturb' mode
3. Make a to-do list
4. Set learning objectives
5. Do the most important things in the morning
6. Take breaks in time
7. Discover your concentration span
8. Study actively
9. Reward yourself
10. Evaluate and look ahead
Need more explanation on the tips for concentration while learning? Please, read on.
Choose a good spot to study
A good study spot is half the battle if you want to improve your concentration. So try to find a place that is quiet and has enough daylight. You may choose to isolate yourself by wearing earphones or headphones.
Activate ‘do-not-disturb’ mode
Put all your devices on a do-not-disturb mode. By not seeing notifications coming in, they are also less likely to distract you. If you do want to stay reachable, you can also always choose to put your phone upside down or out of sight.
Make a to-do list
Make sure you know in advance what you need to do and prioritize. This will actually make you calmer and will therefore give you better concentration.
Set learning objectives
If concentration has been a problem for some time, it is useful to set learning goals. Not only does this make your progress measurable, but it also provides motivation.
Do the most important things in the morning
In the morning, you are often the most rested and therefore have the most concentration. Therefore, try to do the most demanding things in the morning. Not only will you be most productive then, but it will also make you feel a lot calmer during the rest of the day.
Take breaks in time
It's no use to anyone if you push yourself too hard and end up feeling exhausted: after all, you won't absorb any more study material. So take sufficient breaks and keep moving during an intense study day. An effective technique is the Pomodoro technique, in which you divide your day into several small study sessions. This is a highly advised method by scholars to maintain mental health support for students.
Discover your concentration span
Everyone learns in a different way: where one person can read for hours on end, another loses concentration after half an hour of reading. So try to find out for yourself which learning style suits you best.
Study actively
Active learning means that you are actively learning the knowledge. You can actively learn in several ways, namely:
- Learn the material by writing a summary;
- Make connections in a diagrammatic summary
- Make a mind map.
Reward yourself
Reward yourself when you finish your work with something tasty or fun. For example, after summarising your study material, watch an episode of your favourite series or enjoy a tasty snack. This way, all those study sessions will feel a lot more positive.
Evaluate and look ahead
At the end of your study session, look at the result achieved: are you satisfied with how it went today or are there areas for improvement? Write this down briefly and take that on board for the next session. This way, you stay in the right concentration flow and automatically increase your motivation.
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