Today you’re going to learn how to avoid distractions while studying for exams.
You know you need to do well in school. Perhaps your parents are putting pressure on you, or perhaps you have made a commitment to yourself to perform better.
However, you are still distracted!
You can cut back on the distractions you can control and reduce the ones you can’t completely eliminate if you try to develop a focused mindset, create a study routine, and choose the ideal learning environment.
How To Avoid Distractions While Studying For Exams:
1. When you are aware of particular distractions, mute them.
Suppose you are trying to study in the library and you keep getting distracted by texting. Make a note of that particular distraction and promise yourself that you will overcome it.
The next time it happens, will you promise yourself not to text? If you do this every time a distraction arises, you will quickly lose control of it.
2. Take some time off.
Life can be chaotic, so it’s understandable if ideas about other things are pulling you away from studying. Give yourself time off instead of pretending that all those other things you want don’t exist.
Take 5 minutes to think about everything that’s going on, but then convince yourself that it’s time to get back to the actual work: studying.
3. Make studying a priority by setting a key goal.
When an exam is coming up, it’s tempting to get caught up in the idea that you have to study everything. Breaking everything down and focusing on just one key objective makes it easier to cope with and less likely to get caught up.
You don’t have to cram everything into one study session if you have a chemistry test coming up that covers three chapters, for example. Focus on the areas that are bothering you at first. Taking notes and using flashcards can also be beneficial.
4. Give up established habits.
Texting, social media, phone calls, and other electronic distractions are some of the most significant obstacles to staying focused while studying. Fortunately, the solution is simple and completely in your hands. Unplug from the world!
Turn off notifications on your devices. (Try using the “Do Not Disturb” option if your smartphone has it.) Better yet, turn them off completely.
Please, no calls or messages. If you can, turn your phone off or set it to silent mode and hide it away.
If you can’t stop yourself from getting distracted, check out apps or browser plug-ins that may block social media, certain websites, or other sources that distract you from studying.
Keep your phone in another room so you aren’t tempted to use it while studying.
5. Pay attention to your energy level.
It’s natural to want to put off the most difficult or unpleasant responsibilities. However, since your energy level will be higher at the beginning of a study session, it’s a good idea to start with the most difficult tasks.
Instead, put off the easy chores. This will help you maintain your attention when you need it most.
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6. Take a break from studying from time to time.
It may seem contradictory, but taking a break from studying every now and then can be more useful than trying to do everything in one sitting. Get up every hour or so and take a 5-minute break. This will refresh you enough to get back to studying with renewed vigor.
It’s really worth getting up and moving around a bit, such as a short walk.
7. Don’t try to do more than one thing at a time.
Some people find that doing multiple tasks at once helps them work faster. If you try to do multiple tasks at the same time (1), such as finishing your homework while watching TV or shopping online, you will lose your attention. Instead, focus on doing one activity at a time.
8. Use the “be here and now” strategy to stay on track.
Stop and remind yourself to “be here and now” every time your attention begins to wander. You may have to repeat this process many times, but you will be gently reminding yourself to focus on the work at hand.
If you do this regularly, you should notice that you spend less and less time distracted.
9. Make a study plan.
It can be hard to get through everything when you have a lot of courses or classes to study for. Create a study plan for yourself, with specific times allotted for learning different topics. This will make learning not seem so difficult and make it easier to stick to it.
For example, on Monday evening, you might study geography for an hour and then learn a foreign language for an hour. On Tuesday afternoon, you will study biology for two hours.
Maintain your routine, but be flexible when necessary. For example, if you have a foreign language test on Tuesday, you can study it for two hours on Monday evening and postpone geography until Tuesday.
If you are studying with others, post your lesson plan so they know when you should not be interrupted.
10. Every two hours, switch topics.
A little variety in your learning keeps you energized and focused. Your energy and concentration levels will drop if you try to study anything for a long time.
To counteract this, change topics. For example, after two hours of biology, rest a little before moving on to math.
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11. As a reward, give in to your distraction.
Distraction can be really beneficial and motivating when it comes to getting through learning. Let’s say you have an hour to learn programming, but you keep getting distracted by humorous videos of kittens.
Tell yourself that if you can study for an hour without getting distracted, you can watch as many cat videos as you want.
12. Look for a place that inspires you to learn.
If the literature and seriousness of the library make you feel like it, boldly focus on math. Head to a nearby coffee shop if nice seats and coffee are what you need to get through your English reading. The most important factor is that the environment encourages you to study.
Most people like a temperature that is neither too cool nor too hot.
The noise level in the study area should be kept to a minimum. Some people like perfect silence, while others like a little background noise (2).
If you are easily distracted by studying, sit against a wall rather than by a window, hallway, or other chairs.
13. If you study at home, let others know.
Write a sign on your door indicating that you are studying. This will prevent them from bothering you while you are studying.
You can also send a message to your friends, letting them know when you will be studying and asking them not to disturb you.
14. Listen to music only if you are sure it will help you focus.
The evidence on whether music can help you concentrate while studying is conflicting. You can use it if you find that listening to music motivates you and keeps you focused on your studies.
Remember, however, that the music should be fairly quiet.
Listening to music without words will reduce the likelihood of detachment. Instead of music, you can listen to “white noise” songs as background noise.
Thank you for reading this article about how to avoid distractions while studying for exams and I really hope that you take action my advice.
I wish you good luck and I hope its contents have been a good help to you.
