Train Your Brain: How to Stay Focused While Studying

Want to study diligently but end up scrolling for hours?

Looks like a typical yet unresolved problem faced by many students, RIGHT?

It is indeed a task to learn how not to get distracted while studying during the designated study hours.

But it’s not as simple as it often sounds to be.

Let’s join hands and look for some solid ways that can teach you how to focus on studies without getting distracted.

Read on.

What are Distractions in Studies?

In simple words, distractions take away our attention from an ongoing task. These can be both internal and external.

Internal distractions are thoughts, stress levels, worries, hunger pangs, or any personal challenges. At the same time, external distractors can be noise, dirty surroundings, mobile phone notifications, social media alerts, etc.

Most students struggle to understand how to avoid distractions during study as they battle with these distractions day in and out.

Let’s jump to the best ways to learn how to stay focused while studying.

How to Avoid Distractions While Studying? (For Traditional and Online School Students)

Create Study Schedules Mindfully

Set your goals, and keep aside time for each topic as per your mastery levels. Try to assign the tough topics first. And go back to your schedule to review it every week.

Be open to changes if things seem out of hand. Create a schedule with break time, revision slots. And allocate some buffer time to collaborate with friends for group study sessions. All this will keep unnecessary distractions at bay.

Improve Your Concentration Level

This age of handheld devices comes with short attention spans, and a constant struggle to focus.

So, the answer to your question, how to avoid distractions during study, comes from the steps to improve your concentration. Get into the habit of exercising regularly, meditating, and identifying all distractions around you to create a workable action plan. All this will help you to focus better, and you will eventually learn how to focus on studies without getting distracted.

Say ‘No’ to Devices

Do you know that almost 30% of students are distracted due to the use of digital devices?

Yes!

This means that there is no alternative to limiting screen time, and we need to learn a better use of digital devices. By setting limits and switching off devices during dedicated offline study hours, you can learn how to avoid distractions during study.

These habits will lead to good results in the long run. And you will be able to pull off complex topics within your productive study hours.

Let’s be logical here, when you study at home, it can be difficult to stay away from distractions. But again, it is possible to make things work by building good habits and making the most of technology through wiser use. Start with small things like turning off your notifications, focus on smaller tasks at a time. In some time, start putting your mobile phone away while studying.

Plan in Advance

Most students who know how to stay focused while studying have strong planning skills. Manage your time well, and organize your study sessions to achieve your learning goals from the start. Before you end your day, review your planner for the next day for the topics/academic content planned for the next day. Break down each task, and mix up things in a way that the most complex topics fall during your peak productivity hours. Stick to your planner, and follow it to learn how not to get distracted while studying at home.

Other than all this, simple to-do lists and calendars can help you align your goals and promote self-reflection.

Pay Attention to Sleep Hygiene

Sleep matters!

And being the world’s 2^nd, most sleep-deprived country, it is an urgent need to fix the sleep cycles of our students as well.

Do you know that 80% of the melatonin (the sleep-regulating substance) is produced by our body during the night?

However, only 2 hours of device usage can reduce the production of melatonin by up to 40%.

Sleep deprivation leads to dizziness during the daytime. And this way, the struggle to learn how to avoid distractions during study continues without any improvement during the day time.

Shun Multitasking

Multitasking reduces our productivity by almost 40%!

It is highly distracting and increases stress levels as well. If you wish to learn how to focus on studies without getting distracted get into the habit of doing one thing at a time. This habit of single-tasking will improve your attention span. And your brain will gradually be able to focus on the cognitive tasks better.

Get into the habit of checking e-mails periodically (at a defined time), and turn off unnecessary notifications/sounds to be productive.

Try Brain-Training Activities

Games, puzzles, meditation, crosswords, and learning new skills are great to learn how not to get distracted. These activities will keep your brain sharp. And you can boost your memory along with the brain’s thinking speed. Try chess, sudoku, scrabble, or download some highly rated games to train your brain within the permitted screen time.

Divide Your load

If you battle with the problem, how to avoid distractions during study, start breaking down your load into manageable chunks. Modules, lessons, subunits, and important parts can all come down to a size that is easier for your mind to process.

Take up all this with a planned approach. And keep anxiety at bay with smaller cognitive loads.

The Bottom Line – It is Possible to Limit Distractions!

With our digitalized lifestyles, it is often difficult to focus for a long time. While it is not easy to block all distractions all the time, it is still possible to have control over our study schedules. And limit distractions with some effective strategies.

We hope you will use these tips in the upcoming exam season to reach your academic goals.

All the best and thanks for Reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Distractions in Studies?
The most common distractions are noise, fatigue, mobile phone notifications, stress, and uncontrolled thoughts during study hours. These distractions make it difficult for students to learn how to stay focus when studying.
How to Avoid Distractions While Studying?
Learn how not to get distracted while studying by switching off digital devices during study hours. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, and take a good night’s sleep.
How to stay focus when studying?
When you study, switch off or put the devices away. If you are an online school student do this during your self-study duration after arranging for handouts and physical books. Create hand notes, stick to single-tasking, and follow planners to concentrate on your studies without any distractions.

Train Your Brain: How to Stay Focused While Studying?

What are Distractions in Studies?