Trying to concentrate when you’re studying is so difficult. There is a long list of things that can distract you and you probably won’t work that hard to avoid them if you don’t want to be studying in the first place. It might be your phone or social media, or even just staring out of the window. Whatever it is, you just need to find a way to maintain your focus and be more productive. There are quite a few different ways to do this. Finding the right work space is a start, but if you’re still struggling, you can try some of these handy tricks.

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Shut Off Your Phone

Your phone is one of the biggest distractions there is because there are always notifications popping up and you won’t be able to resist picking it up to check it. Once you’re on your phone, it’s easy to waste half an hour without even realizing. That’s why it’s a good idea to switch it off whenever you’re trying to study. If you still need the phone on in case you get a call, you can download some great apps to stop yourself from getting distracted. You can block everything apart from phone calls and shut off all of the notifications. If you try to open your phone and start procrastinating, it simply won’t let you once you’ve activated the app. You can turn it off, of course, but it’ll make you wait for a minute and then ask you again if you really want to open your phone. Most of the time, you’ll realize that you don’t really need to use it anyway and get back to work.

Take Regular Breaks

The biggest mistake that people make when they’re studying is thinking that if they have fewer breaks, they’ll get more done. But you can only concentrate and work effectively for a short period. If you carry on working after that, you’ll still be working but you won’t be productive. But if you have a small break and then come back to it, you’ll get a lot more done. Don’t think that working for 8 hours straight without taking a break is going to help you get more done. You’ll just end up getting stressed out and that’s the worst possible thing for studying. You need to take regular breaks and do an activity that relieves stress. When you come back to work afterwards, you’ll be a lot more focused.

The Right Background Sounds

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Some people prefer to work in silence but some people find that even more distracting and they prefer a bit of background noise. Picking the right background noise is essential because it can do more harm than good. Music with lyrics in it can be a big distraction so if you are going to listen to music, something instrumental is best. You can also listen to specific music designed for focus. Certain tones and melodies impact the brain in different ways so there are pieces of music that are composed with the sole purpose of improving concentration. If you do a quick search on Youtube, you’ll be able to find plenty. Get yourself a decent quality pair of headphones from this website so you can shut out any other noise from the outside and focus solely on working. Listening to the background music for video games is another tip that sounds pretty odd but it really works. The soundtracks are designed to keep you engaged so you play for longer so they’re actually great for improving concentration.

Meditation

You probably haven’t considered meditation before and most people associate it with spirituality and religion, but it’s actually a useful tool for everybody. Meditation is a great tool for relaxing and de-stressing when you aren’t studying, but it’s also great for improving focus beforehand. The Calm app has loads of guided meditation programs that only take 5-10 minutes. There are ones for relaxing and reducing stress as well as ones that improve focus. If you do this before you sit down to study, or when you find yourself getting distracted, you can get back on track. There are some great ones that help to improve your sleep which is very important when you’re trying to be productive.

Dress For Business

The clothes that you wear have a big impact on your attitude. If you’re wearing pajamas, you’re not going to be in a working mindset and you might find it harder to stay focused. But if you dress like you would if you were going into an office to work, you’ll be a lot more motivated. That doesn’t mean you need to put a full suit on every single day but you should take pride in your appearance and you’ll find it a lot easier to work hard.

Get Some Plants

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Putting some house plants in your room is a great way to brighten the place up but it’s also good for productivity as well. Studies show that it improves your overall mood and increases productivity by up to 15 percent. It also helps to clean the air and improve air quality in your study area which is always a bonus. Creating a comfortable and inviting workspace is important and this is one of the easiest ways to do it.

Exercise

Exercise is important for your general wellbeing and it can really help you to improve your studying as well. A regular workout will improve your overall motivation and energy levels which make it easier to study. You should also consider doing a workout immediately after you’ve finished studying. Research suggests that exercise improves brain function and helps you to retain information. If you do a workout immediately after you’ve finished studying, you’ll remember a lot more of the information the next day. Exercise is also a great stress buster so it’s the ideal way to end a hard day of studying.

Staying organized and creating a good workspace are both important when you’re studying but if you’re struggling to concentrate, you can use these simple tricks to improve productivity.