How to study with concentration? It must be your concern if you are someone who has a hard time keeping your eyes glued to textbooks for more than five minutes. Even if you can, do you often zone out or find yourself unable to recall any of the content you read.? If yes, this blog is for you. Concentration determines how well you absorb what you read. It makes your study time more productive and helps you score better. We often blame different environmental distractors such as noise, and activity for our poor concentration levels. While they have a role to play, these factors are not the only reasons behind poor concentration.
How to study with concentration?
By looking at some solutions that can answer your question of how to study with concentration, let’s also understand other factors that affect concentration levels.
1. Make your environment study-friendly
As mentioned above, the environment does play a role in helping you concentrate. So, before you sit down to study, find a place that is quiet, well-lit, and ventilated. If you like soft music playing in the background while you study, turn it on. Make your study space personalized. There is no universal rulebook for how your study space should be except for some influencing factors like noise, light, and activity. In fact, sometimes changing your study space also refreshes you and positively impacts your concentration. Pro-tip: Keep your mobile phone away or turn it off during study time. This can save you from a major distraction.Â
2. Be well-equipped
When your brain finally starts to register the meaning of what you are reading and you feel the urge to highlight a point, you look around, and oh! there is no highlighter. At this point, you give away a significant portion of your energy in either trying to locate that highlighter or giving up on highlighting something that could help you learn better. This is why being well-equipped matters when it comes to concentration. You must gather all your study material and place it neatly on your desk when you get down to studying. This small yet smart effort can help you see remarkable changes.
3. Focus On What Is Important
Another pro-tip on how to study with concentration is to filter what you read. Extract and note the important information from your study material and elaborate on the rest on your own. Of course, you must thoroughly read your chapters for conceptual understanding, but that doesn’t mean imprinting every word in your memory. This can cause unnecessary mental exhaustion which results in breaking your concentration. Word-for-word memorization indeed works for many people, but if you have a hard time concentrating, you must avoid it. Instead, make your study a meticulous scanning process. Note the important points and use bullet points to further explain those headings. Use as many visual markers as you can. They save you from feeling monotonous.Â
4. Take Enough Breaks
Taking short breaks between your study time rejuvenates you and your brain. Some people might think that breaks can cause distraction, but that’s when your short break becomes a three-hour-long movie time. The best way to break for a while from your study is to do any of the following activities, you may add your own!
- Eat a meal: Lunch, evening snack, coffee or tea break, etc.
- MeditateÂ
- Watch an episode of a sitcom that lasts for 20-25 minutes. This will require self-control.
- Take a walk in your garden
- Listen to some music
How to study with concentration? Some More Tips
5. Meditate
Meditation calms your state of mind and makes it conducive to learning by giving you relief from a rush of mental activity. You must learn the right techniques for meditation. If you simply sit in a quiet corner and close your eyes, it is not what meditation is about. It is a slow process, but once you grasp how it’s done, it can have a remarkable impact on your concentration. You can learn the right meditation techniques from some trusted health and yoga channels on YouTube, or visit a yoga instructor to know more.
6. Take Out Time To Exercise
Like meditation keeps your mind refreshed, exercise rejuvenates your body. The only difference is that while exercising, you will first feel exhausted. But, it’s all worth it. Your body needs regular exercise to function optimally. It also positively influences your brain’s capacity to concentrate. You can choose any form of exercise you like: yoga, sports, cycling, etc. Thirty minutes to an hour of exercise daily will solve most of your concerns about how to study with concentration.
7. Get In Touch With Nature
Spending time in nature soothes your mind and body. The greenery of trees and grass, the fragrance of flowers, the sounds of birds, and just the natural air can improve your overall health. The power of nature is recognized by healing programs like naturopathy. The air you breathe amidst nature is full of fresh oxygen which improves your brainpower, and concentration levels. All it will take for you is to go for a walk in your nearby park or your garden.
8. Manage Your Diet
Food has a huge impact on who we are. Our choices of food affect our physical and mental health. Like our body, our brain also requires a certain type of food that decreases the risk of developing neurological problems. Besides all these, our brain keeps sending signals to all the parts of the body to keep functioning. It requires a healthy brain that can memorize things and helps us focus and concentrate. So, try to have brain foods like almonds, walnuts, green leafy vegetables, and more – to increase memory power and concentration. Read More: 12 Best Brain Foods To Increase Memory Power & Concentration
Takeaways on how to study with concentrationÂ
The most common concern that students have is how to study with concentration. To solve this, you need to make simple lifestyle changes and inculcate better study habits. Good concentration is vital to performing well in various activities. Be it studies, sports, or something as simple as listening to someone speak, concentration makes your brain receive and process information optimally.Â