Let’s Help You Get Focused: Advice to Ensure Better Studying and Concentration

Let’s face it, all students have struggled to keep focus from time to time. As a college student especially, staying focused can be a hassle. There are so many opportunities for a student to become distracted: from their extracurricular responsibilities to social duties to balancing a whole semester worth of classes. However, there are ways that a student can be proactive in ensuring stability in their studies.

One idea is to eat foods that assist with improved focus and attentiveness.  One option, of course, is the consumption of caffeine. Although overindulgence can be negative, incorporating at least one cup of coffee a day is known to be beneficial, serving as a method to stimulate the brain and make a person feel more energized and alert.

Also known to help with concentration is dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains a large amount of antioxidants, caffeine and plenty of other substances that act as stimulants.   Nuts can also be a powerful little snack, mainly when it comes to brainpower. Nuts contain protein, aiding the body in providing that much needed energy when preparing for that upcoming exam or paper.

If you are not a fan of the nutrition choices, have no fear, there are other ways to optimize your time efficiently. Additional tips to help with focus are to clear all unnecessary distractions and try not to multi-task. Creating an environment that minimizes distraction, such as studying in a quiet place can help immensely in directing your attention back to the task at hand.

Research suggests that some of the biggest distractions for students can be background noise, such as television, music, video games, even social media. The best alternative would be to gradually wean off of these interruptions. Try to go about an hour or so without any background noise and see how much work can be accomplished in that time.

Another tip is to take breaks. It is okay to step away from the books from time to time. Taking time off recharges and refreshes the mind.

Rachel Smith, an English major here at Frostburg State University feels that her strongest motivator for staying focused in school is for her parents.  Smith said, “Staying focused to me means that my parents are supporting me and paying for my education, so I do not slack on my school work, or else I would just be wasting the money they are paying for me to receive my education.”

Nonetheless, having focus is imperative for every student and keep them well motivated.