David studies all night and scores only 33%, whereas Josephine studies a mere two or three hours and tops the class, gaining 80% marks. Is David dumb, or is Josephine very sharp? We leave that for you to answer! In this article, we will explore some easy ways to improve concentration.

Finish your homely chores first.

The human brain does not like to stay on a single thought. Whenever you try to focus on a point, it will suddenly trigger, ‘’Hi, you must eat something first’’, “Are you sure the door is locked?’’ These little distractions sound harmless at first, but practically, they break up the tempo. That is why you must set aside study time after completing your home chores. Make sure you have eaten properly, too. Otherwise, these disturbing thoughts will keep on babbling, and you will not be able to concentrate.

Have a proper sleep.

Having proper sleep before initiating your study schedule is a must. Many students may think they will have more time to study if they sleep less, but it goes the opposite way. An improper sleep span affects concentration, creativity, memory, performance, reflexes, and understanding. Experts recommend 7 to 8 hours of sound night sleep for adults to perform their cognitive functions.

Add some music

Students should make their study time cheerful by adding background music. Experts say classical music is usually good for concentration. Nowadays, many apps are available with a variety of Beta and Gamma study/relax music tracks. Background music calms anxiety and keeps a person in a refreshing mood. However, it is a tricky aid, for music may sometimes be distracting. Do not select a track that you love or hate. Relaxing nature sounds is ideal for studying.

Fill your brain with thoughts, not words!

A common problem among people of all ages is that they read many pages when they begin to study but need help remembering what they just read. If that happens to you, it is normal! Mainly, this occurs at the beginning when your mind has no study-related thoughts. The human brain loves to be busy, so what it does is force your eyes to see over mere words while letting itself think about, “Which movie should I watch this weekend?”

The best way to tackle this problem is by making a warm-up study plan. How can you do that? Well, techniques may differ from person to person, but to be on the generic side, you can try the following:

• Do not read a page at all. Instead, look for some keywords that refer to the principal thoughts or ideas explained on that page.
• Skim over the pages by looking at headings, subheadings, graphs, pictures, or other visuals.
• Focus on phrases rather than reading word by word.
• Categorize each thought you read either by creating a visual image of what you read or pairing up the collected information with personal knowledge or experience.

Remember that it does not matter how long you take to memorize a book or chapter; instead, the mental effort you invest in it on the actual grounds counts.

So, these were some ways to improve focus. We hope they helped you. Remember, concentration is not a gift but a skill. There are no hard and fast rules to master it. Some people suggest you play mind games as a jigsaw puzzle, while others recommend meditation. Follow whatever you are comfortable with, but make sure to do it all by heart. It can be tough initially, but the continuous effort will eventually bring results.

Image courtesy: Getty Images