Concentration

Staying concentrated is very hard in today’s society, so these few tips might help with studying.

If we focus on 1 thing, it only takes 40 seconds of focus before we’re distracted / interrupted by doing something else, with slack open this lowers to 35 seconds. The reason is not that our brain is getting distracted, it is a symptom for the deeper problem. Our brains are overstimulated, we crave distraction.
Novelty bias, our minds rewards us with a little dopamine, when we for example check facebook. The moment you start to slide, you’re shoveling against the tide.
– Take a break
– Don’t study for too long if you are not enjoying it
– The moment you feel that sense of I’ve read it but it’s not coming through, take a break
– Take short breaks after 20-30 minutes
– Instead of studying for 8 hours with your concentration getting worser, it is much better to take breaks
– Study for 25 minutes and than take a break for 5 minutes
– Fix a study place, the best would be a separate room
– Study lamp: when that lamp is turned on, you are in study mode
In combination with all of the above, eliminate distractions, have a single target of focus, don’t multitask and set a daily priority.

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This will help focus your brain on what matters, tackling the big jobs first and leaving the small stuff till later. Break large tasks into smaller bytes so that you will not be overwhelmed. Identifying true priorities can help relieve distracting anxiety, and achieving small daily goals can wire your brain to achieve success.

Train your brain

The goal of playing these games is not to get better at them, but to get better in the cognitive activities of everyday life
Mindfulness is about focusing attention on the present moment, and practicing mindfulness has been shown to rewire the brain so that attention is stronger in everyday life,” says Kim Willment, a neuropsychologist with Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She recommends sitting still for a few minutes each day, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breathing as well as the sounds and sensations around you.
have a single target of focus.

Focus exercise

Neuropsychologist Kim Willment of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital suggests a single-task exercise like reading. “Read something for 30 minutes, setting a timer to go off every five minutes. When it goes off, ask yourself if your mind has wandered. If so, just refocus on what you’re reading,” she says. “By training your brain to monitor if your mind is wandering, you strengthen the monitoring process and the ability to maintain focus on a single task.”
Keep practicing
Building your mental focus is not something that will happen overnight. Even professional athletes require plenty of time and practice in order to strengthen their concentration skills.
One of the first steps is to recognize the impact that being distracted is having on your life. If you are struggling to accomplish your goals and find yourself getting sidetracked by unimportant details, it is time to start placing a higher value on your time.
By building your mental focus, you will find that you are able to accomplish more and concentrate on the things in life that truly bring you success, joy, and satisfaction.

Literature

https://www.verywellmind.com/things-you-can-do-to-improve-your-mental-focus-4115389
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/tips-to-improve-concentration
https://www.betterup.com/blog/15-ways-to-improve-your-focus-and-concentration-skills

Study Less Study Smart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlU-zDU6aQ0&t=2136s