How to Develop Better Concentration While Studying
- Think of concentration improvement as a three-step process:
- 1) Learn the causes of poor concentration and decide which apply to
you;
- 2) Understand what you can do to control these factors; and
- 3) Make your control habitual.
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LEARN THE CAUSES |
CONTROL THE CAUSES |
| External Causes |
Environmental distractions: TV, chairs that are
too comfortable, snacks, other people, etc. |
Leave or re-arrange a distracting environment. Go to a library
or a classroom when you seriously intend to study. |
| |
Noise: Music with words, conversations |
Train yourself to study away from others and in silence. |
| |
|
|
| Internal Causes |
Physical distractions: hunger, drowsiness. |
Plan to study when you are most alert. Eat a high-protein snack.
Do five minutes of light exercise to wake up. |
| |
Boredom, dislike, disinterest |
Find a reason which satisfies you for taking the class; talk
with other students and the professor. |
| |
Anxiety about studies |
Make sure you know how to study effectively. Put the course in
perspective. |
| |
Intimidating study tasks |
Break up large tasks into achievable subtasks. Do the most
intimidating task first. Give yourself rewards for progress and
punishments for avoidance. |
| |
Daydreaming |
Separate daydreams from studying. When your mind starts to
wander, write down the interrupting thought and continue studying.
Or recall important points and then turn away from your book and
continue to daydream. When you're ready to read again, do so. The
trick is not to daydream and read at the same time. |
| |
Personal worries |
Identify and define the problem and develop a concrete, specific
plan to resolve personal worries. Talk with someone who can help: a
friend, a counselor, a specialist. |
MAKE CONTROL HABITUAL
Even if you lapse into old habits of distraction and daydreaming, keep
insisting of yourself that you concentrate using these controls until you
can routinely concentrate well on your studies for fifty minutes of every
hour.
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