Don't miss a beat while studying over the holiday period with these top tips for maintaining focus.
With the Christmas break nearing, we find ourselves more distracted than ever. Keeping up with your studies can be tricky and stressful, with upcoming exams and seemingly endless heaps of homework. Here are some tips to help you keep up with your studies when in the Christmas spirit:
Choose the perfect work area
Studying and working in a room you associate with sleep and relaxation can lead to a lack of motivation. On top of that, there are endless distractions; surprisingly, studying does not include Netflix (I know I’m disappointed too). Allocating yourself a different area for work and study really helps to tackle procrastination, while surrounding yourself with peace and quiet can significantly help your focus.
Work in intervals
Working for hours on end might seem like a good idea and to some it is. However, it has been scientifically proven that studying and working in shorter intervals with breaks in between can help you digest information more easily. A good structure for this is 45 minutes' work, followed by a 5–10-minute break. Repeat as many times as needed.
Listening to music
Music can be beneficial for improving your focus. Now when I say this, I don’t mean heavy metal music; music without lyrics is proven to be the most effective whilst working. Some people will still prefer to work in silence, but it’s worth testing out if you’re struggling to focus and need ideas.
Keep distractions to a minimum
A massive attention breaker is your phone notifications. Turning your phone off or keeping it in a different room is crucial for successful study. Phone usage has been found to impair our memory skills. We know turning your phone off can be hard, so practice doing it in intervals before moving onto longer periods of time.
Reward yourself
This might be the most critical step for studying successfully. You should reward yourself after completing even small tasks by doing something you enjoy. By rewarding yourself and taking pride in the work you’ve done, you can increase your motivation levels significantly. Rewarding yourself by resting, watching a film, or meeting friends will also boost your happiness, which feeds into your motivational levels.
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