According to research, students usually get distracted for at least five minutes every 15 minutes they set to study. The duration may add up depending on a learner’s ability to focus.
Distractions are everywhere. It could be a buzzing phone, a dog barking nearby, or someone watching TV in the background. While these distracters are common in regular households, there are ways to block distractions and maximize your study hours. For instance, you can consult professional academic tutors and experts for guidance if you cannot avoid distractions. Most top-ranked experts offer comprehensive support to help students achieve their academic goals. So whether you need expert help for preparing an effective study routine or handheld support to brainstorm dissertation topics in public health, you can trust top-ranked academic professionals’ expertise.
Blocking Distractions: Expert-recommended Tips
It needs no mention that the syllabus in colleges and universities is vast. You will need to give your 200% effort and study long hours to complete the syllabus and achieve your program objectives. However, staying focused throughout the study hours is tough, especially when studying a complex subject like law. Most law students are known to procrastinate with their case study assignments and leave everything for the last minute. As a result, they have no option but to refer to law case study examples with solutions and free samples to complete their work before the deadline.
Whether you are a law student or not, you can easily avoid such rush and pressure at the eleventh hour if you stay focused from day one. Below, we have listed some effective tips for eliminating distractions. From law to nursing students, all can practice these strategies to make their study hours more productive.
- Identify the distracters:
You can only block distractions when you know the actual causes of study distractions. Generally, students get distracted due to social media alerts, phone calls and text messages, daydreaming, lack of interest, poor subject knowledge, and hunger and weariness. So, identify what distracts you the most and work on it. For example, writing becomes easy when you are well informed. Otherwise, you will be distracted and lack motivation for the task. That’s why, determine the distraction sources and overcome them with improved attention and self-control.
- Ignore your social life:
A lot of students have the annoying habit of constantly checking their phones for social media updates when they should be paying attention to their lecturers. If you are one of them, close your social media apps and sites to avoid social media distraction. Several apps are available for both Android and iOS, designed to help you monitor and limit your social media use. You can also create a social media schedule to keep your hours of usage in check.
- Make a realistic schedule:
Sure, you have much to study and multiple assignments to complete within a limited timeframe. However, if you push yourself beyond your limit and set impossible daily targets, you will struggle to focus and deliver your best effort. By looking at the number of assignments, you will lose interest in meeting your regular learning target. That’s why you set a target you can achieve. Setting realistic goals will give you a clear picture of what you need to study, motivate you to stay focused, and push distractions away.
- Start with something easy:
Starting with a difficult assignment or lesson will drain your brain, making you easily distracted. We advise our students to start their study hours with something less complicated. So go through the lessons you need to study and note the ones you can complete quickly. When you start completing assignments and meeting your study target, you will gain a sense of accomplishment, boosting your confidence.
- Find a quiet spot:
Even though the “perfect spot” is subjective, find a private, distraction-free place to study. If you sit in common areas of your house, like the living room or dining room, where people are talking and doing their usual chores, even unintentionally, they can be distracting. Find a quiet spot and let everyone know that you are working on an important task so no one distracts you with matters of no significant importance.
- Avoid multitasking:
Multitasking is a skill one can master after continuous practice. You cannot do two or three tasks simultaneously if you want to lose focus. Multiple survey reports suggest that multitasking is one of the biggest distracting factors among students. Hence, avoid multitasking so you can give your entire focus on one task at a time and complete it perfectly. That way, you can eliminate the chances of getting distracted and get more things done within the targeted time.
- Join a study group:
Surprisingly, a significant group of students avoid group studies because they find it distracting. They prefer to study alone instead. Nonetheless, having a partner is a great way to exchange ideas and solve study concerns faster. You see, there’s always someone more organized and smarter than you. Learning with them is more productive than your regular self-studies because you can explore different perspectives on the same topic and develop an in-depth understanding of the context.
That said, please join a small study group with students who are focused and dedicated to their studies. Avoid teaming up with your best friend, as you will be chitchatting instead of focusing on the lessons.
- Take breaks to refuel:
No human mind can concentrate at a stretch. Your brain needs to rest after 45 minutes to study to recharge and process whatever you have studied. Take a 10-15-minute break after 45 minutes of study and do something that helps your brain to relax. Like many successful students, you can follow the POMODORO technique to improve the effectiveness of your study hours. As per the method, you study for 25 minutes and take 5 minutes. Repeat the cycle four times and increase the break time to 10-15 minutes once you complete an hour of study. With this practice, you can break the monotony and return to your academic tasks with renewed energy and focus.
- Don’t get stressed:
Looking at the pile of assignments and the amount of study you must do can trigger stress and make you anxious. But the secret is not to panic even if you have more than 50% of the syllabus to complete or multiple deadlines to meet. Instead of getting worked up, keep calm, plan your assignments, and study. If you need additional assistance to complete your assignments on time, don’t hesitate to seek help from subject-specific professionals. They will offer handheld support so you can complete your assignments and accomplish your study goals without anxiety and stress.
Learning how to limit study distractions is essential as it can help you gain a detailed understanding of what you are reading. Plus, you can achieve your study targets faster. Therefore, use the tricks we have discussed above to increase the effectiveness of your study hours and become a better student.
Cheers, and Good luck!