Can not you study? Learn how to concentrate to study For an exam is one of the best habits you can adopt; You will get better grades and you will also have more free time.
In this article I will try to bring you some light by providing you with a guide with which to work from a series of points that are Facilitators of the actual study.
Only this data will encourage you to concentrate better: to reach an optimal state of concentration takes about 10 minutes. If you break that state, you will have to start from 0 and need another 10 minutes to re-concentrate.
It's like driving; You need to start from the first march, going through the second, third and fourth to get to the fifth. But if you suddenly fall from fifth to first, you will have to start over.
This guide can help you if you have encouraged to return to the studies after a time without studying, if you have to Deal with a lot of subjects and you do not have a method that you feel comfortable with or if the method you've been using so far does not Has turned out as effective as you would like.
The deficit in organizational skills is one of the many causes of the existing low academic performance nowadays. In addition, we should add the poor functioning of an educational system that neither motivates nor arouses the interest of many young people.
Of course, many other causes could be added, as this is a very complex issue, but the purpose of this article is not to Detailed analysis on the subject.
On the other hand, the situation of economic crisis and lack of employment in which we find ourselves is encouraging (or pushing) many people who stopped studying Many years ago to do it again. If this is your case, the steps that we offer below will help you recover the habit.
Good planning, adequate choice of study space, Take care of food And rest, to work on the basis of a structured and To enjoy the road are the pillars on which this guide is held.
You may also be interested in These tricks to study better .
10 Steps to Concentrate to Study Better
1-Organize and plan your study
The first step to Increase the effectiveness of your study Is to organize you. Be informed of all matters relating to the subjects you are going to evaluate: dates Examinations, evaluable subjects, bibliography you might need, parts of the subject highlighted by the teacher, etc.
Make sure you have all the necessary material to study: notes, books, videos, etc. If you are missing something, try to find it as soon as possible possible. Having all the material prepared will help you to focus your attention on the study.
A problem very frequent among the students is the excess of material and for that reason we dedicate a point to him later.
Time is one of the keys For a good organization . Plan with realism both the time you spend studying and the approximate calculation Of the agenda that you can do in that time. If you are too ambitious and you set very difficult goals to achieve, both your motivation and you Confidence in the method of study will be adversely affected.
It is important that when preparing your calendar consider the possibility of unforeseen events that make you late. Reserve each Certain time, time to cover those eventualities. If these unforeseen events do not happen, you can use that time to review content, Advance or just give yourself a break.
Logically, if you leave everything to the end, you will not have time to plan and organize your study, let alone solve unforeseen... so do
Case to your teacher and do not leave it for last minute!
2-Study in an appropriate place
To get the most out of your study time, you will need to find (and / or adapt) the place where you are going to work. Some Characteristics that must have that place are:
Make it quiet, no noise or distraction.
Have space to put all the material you need (notes, books, notes, computer, etc.).
Good lighting and good temperature: studying in low light conditions and / or poor air conditioning favors early appearance Of fatigue.
Have a comfortable chair: If you are sitting with an incorrect posture or using an uncomfortable chair, you can feel Discomfort in your back soon.
Something that we would also like to recommend is that you wear comfortable clothes when you have to spend time to study. Wear tight pants Or uncomfortable shoes is not a good idea, since you will spend many hours sitting and those discomforts will take some of your energy.
3-Controls the distracting elements
The mobile is undoubtedly the star of distractors. Calls and messages from friends, people talking about one of the many groups of WhatsApp you have, Emails, notifications of different applications, etc. If you want to concentrate, accept that your mobile is your enemy.
Turn off the mobile and leave it in a place away from your chair, which you can not reach without getting up and walking a few meters. This will give you a few seconds to Control your impulse Which will be very useful to you.
If you work with the computer and that always leads you to end up in Facebook, Twitter and other websites that take away study time, we suggest you Install some anti-distraction program.
SelfControl Is one of those programs that will help you fight your distractions with the computer, since it blocks your entry to certain websites and Programs and you can edit the list of distractions yourself.
You must take into account everything that distracts you, not just the mobile and the Internet. Do you have a pet and play with yourself instead of studying? Do you study in a place where it is easy for other people to interrupt you? Analyze your distractions and alienate yourself during your study time.
4-Take frequent breaks
It is much more effective to study 30 minutes focused on the task than to do it during 60 with low attention. So if you need a few minutes of rest Every X time, take them. It is an investment and the quality of your studio will be increased with total security.
Just do not delay one of those Breaks to infinity. If you are having a hard time keeping your attention right now, start resting for 5 minutes Every 20 minutes of study and you see stretching the study blocks as you get accustomed.
5-Select the material well
As we mentioned in one of the points above, many students have a problem of over-notes: they take notes of - absolutely - everything That the teacher says, print the slides that the teacher gives, make summaries of complementary readings, etc.
At the other pole you will find Those who have a deficit of material: they do not take notes in class and are limited to studying with the minimum (for example, the slides that the professor Sample in class).
Selecting the material you are going to use to study is a very important task. Whether you end up having too much material, as if you have too much Little, your effectiveness will be harmed.
The objective is that you have the necessary information to acquire the knowledge that corresponds to each subject, without that means that So deep that it takes a lot of time and you have to remove it to another matter. If you do it because you are passionate, leave it for a period in which Have less work or study it in your free time
6-Use your own method
You have to discover the method of study that best suits your tastes and needs. For some, the best way is to read or Underline notes, while for others it may be to make abstracts, diagrams, concept maps, PowerPoint presentations, etc.
Try for a while the different study methods And choose the one that fits you best. Depending on the subjects to which you are Facing in each moment, one method or another will be more effective.
Abstracts and diagrams usually work well for materials of high theoretical content that You have to memorize (for example, history), while concept maps can work with more practical content (eg marketing).
7-Take care of your body
Restful sleep, good food and an active lifestyle are three pillars that should accompany you throughout your life. Living with these three Elements will help you achieve a Emotional well-being .
Fatigue is a great enemy of students. If you are tired, you will be easily distracted and it will be difficult for you to assimilate the information with which you are working. A balanced diet, good hydration (a bottle of water while studying will never hurt you) and your 8 hours of rest Will give a plus when it comes to studying.
Exercising regularly will allow you to work your muscles, Eliminate stress And distract your attention.
8-Exert yourself, but do not exceed your limits
Effort, commitment and perseverance increase the chances that you will succeed in what you are proposing. Having a high level of Self-determination is positive, but do not forget that it is very important that you enjoy the way.
If you think goals So demanding that they are practically Unattainable and you forget to enjoy the road, Your motivation You will be quickly resentful and you will find it impossible mission to reach your final goal.
So, when you get one of those days that we all have in which nothing comes out as we want, take a break. If you have one of those days, Relax and do not feel guilty. If you have been following good planning, you can easily recover this day Off .
9-Find your element
When the subjects you have to study deal with some subject that interests you, everything becomes much easier. Explore what your passion is, and when Discover, go for it without letting you be guided by questions such as the work exits that have certain studies or the salary you will receive.
Unfortunately, that is not often. Many students, especially during compulsory education (but also at university level) Study with the sole objective of passing a test and achieving a certain degree.
If you do not know what your passion is, do not worry. Not many people are lucky enough to have it clear. Something that could guide you is to answer this question: what Would you do it voluntarily?
However, as much as you like what you study, you will always end up going through times when you are faced with hard topics or that you do not They attract too much, so you'll need to be prepared and have a method to deal with.
The nine points that have been described in this guide are intended to give you guidance to help you create your own method of study. Each person has Some tastes and certain needs, so for some it can be very important, for example, the fact of being in a quiet place and without noises To study, while for others that may not be a relevant point.
We hope this guide can help you achieve your academic goals successfully. And if you have read this article and have missed some point that you It seems interesting or you would like to explain your experience after applying these tips, do not hesitate to write us in the"Comments"section.