how to focus homework

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How to Concentrate on Your Homework

Last Updated: May 6, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Josh Jones and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD . Josh Jones is the CEO and Founder of Test Prep Unlimited, a GMAT prep tutoring service. Josh built the world's first and only score guarantee program for private GMAT tutoring. He has presented at the QS World MBA Tour and designed math curricula for Chicago Public Schools. He has over 15 years of private tutoring and classroom teaching experience and a BA in Math from the University of Chicago. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 434,018 times.

Focusing on homework can be tough, especially when you’d rather be doing anything else. Maybe your attention keeps wandering back to your phone, your stomach is growling, or you just want to put your head down and take a nap. The good news is that you can beat these distractions and get back on track with a few easy changes to your study routine.

Move around or stretch while you work.

• Try sitting on an exercise ball or wobbly chair when you’re doing your homework. The movement may help you stay focused.

Fuel up with water and healthy snacks.

• Apple slices with peanut butter
• Nuts, especially almonds
• Greek yogurt
• Fruit salad
• Dark chocolate

Put away anything that might make it hard to concentrate.

• Some people actually concentrate better with a little noise in the background. If it helps you to have some quiet music on, that’s totally fine! But if you find that it distracts you, turn it off.

Block distracting apps and websites on your computer or tablet.

• For example, you might need to block apps or websites like Facebook or YouTube while you’re working.
• If you get alerts or notifications on your device, turn them off so they won’t distract you. The last thing you need is your tablet blowing up with Facebook notifications while you’re trying to work!

Work on one assignment at a time.

• Don’t try to text your friends or have a conversation with a family member while you’re doing homework, either.

Break your assignments into smaller tasks.

• For example, if you’re supposed to read a book chapter and write a report, start by skimming the chapter headings for important points. Then, read the whole chapter and take notes. Next, make an outline for your report. After that, write the report, and finish up by checking it for mistakes.
• If you have more than one assignment to work on, make a to-do list and put the hardest or most important projects first.

Redirect your attention if you notice your mind wandering.

• It can help to pick a specific thing to focus on to bring yourself back to the present. For example, pay attention to your breathing or to any sounds you can hear around you.
• If you’re working with a friend or family member, ask them to help you stay on track. They can say something like, “Are you focused?” or tap you on the shoulder if they notice you getting distracted. [9] X Trustworthy Source Understood Nonprofit organization dedicated to resources and support to people with thinking differences, such as ADHD or dyslexia Go to source

Fidget with something to help you focus.

• Fidgets are great concentration aids for some people, but are distracting for others. Don’t keep using a fidget if it’s taking your mind off your work.

Turn your homework into a game to make it more fun.

• You can also turn it into a game with a friend or family member. For example, take turns quizzing each other and give points for each right answer. Whoever gets the most points wins the game.
• Or, if you’d rather not play a structured game, try making up a story about what you’re doing. For instance, if you’re studying history, imagine yourself living in the time period you’re learning about.

Try working with a study buddy.

• You could even get together with a small group. Trade notes, quiz each other, or just hang out quietly while you all do homework together.

Take a break at least once an hour.

• You can also use a timer to make sure your breaks don’t go on too long. Remember, the sooner you get back to work, the sooner you can get it done!
• If you’re feeling really restless, frustrated, or distracted, it’s okay to take a break ahead of schedule. Give yourself a few minutes to unwind, then try again.

Pick a time when you feel awake and rested if possible.

• Make it a routine to do your homework at the same time each day. For example, if you’re an evening person, try doing it right after supper every night. [16] X Research source Having a schedule will make your work feel less overwhelming.
• You can’t always choose the perfect time to do your homework, but having a routine can still help you get in the zone when it’s time to work! Once you pick a time, try to stick to it.

Study in a quiet, comfortable spot.

• If you’re studying at home with your family, ask them to keep it down while you work.
• Be careful studying in your room—if you use a space where you usually sleep or relax, it’ll be hard to get into homework mode! Set aside a spot just for homework, and don’t do your work in bed. [18] X Research source
• Finding a good study space can be tough, especially if there are other people around. If you can’t find a quiet spot, put on some noise-canceling headphones. Listen to white noise or peaceful music without vocals to help you tune out background sounds.

Organize your study supplies.

• If you like to nibble while you study, set your snacks out before you get started.
• If there’s stuff in your study space that you don’t need, take a few minutes to clean it up or put it away before you start working. Put completed assignments in their folders and throw away any trash.

Move to a new study spot if you’re feeling bored.

• Even changing your usual study space a little can help. For example, put up some new decorations or move to the other side of the dining table.
• It seems weird, but just the right amount of background noise can actually help you concentrate! That’s one reason some people work better in coffee shops or study halls.

Reward yourself with something fun when you’re done.

• For example, you could watch an episode of your favorite TV show, play a game you like, or call up a friend.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

• Try mindful meditation to help you focus and relax. [21] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source Look for mindful meditation videos online or use an app like Calm or Smiling Mind to help you practice. The more you practice, the easier it’ll be to use your mindfulness skills when you need them—like when you’re doing homework. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Take detailed notes in class to help you. If you are able to, type on the computer rather than handwrite (it won't make your hand ache, and it's faster, so long as you don't get distracted). Also, don't wear your most casual clothes for homework, as this will relax you and will make you focus less. Don't look at how much more you have to do; look at what you've done already, as this will make your assignments seem less daunting.
• I used to have some trouble focusing on homework because I would always try to watch YouTube while doing it. It helped me to set a timer for 20 or so minutes and work on homework. Then I would take a 10 minute break. It helped me do homework without frying my brain.
• When rewarding yourself, don't reward yourself with television or games. Sometimes it'll turn into procrastination. Instead, reward yourself with small stretches or a favorite snack.
• If you need to use the bathroom or anything while you are working, assign a number of questions that you have to finish to use the bathroom. This will make you want to work harder!
• Put your phone on airplane mode. This will mute your phone and you will have to manually put it back to regular mode. Only switch it off when you're done with all your work.
• If you have something that you seriously don't want to do, take small 5-minute breaks between steps. This will calm your stress and help you concentrate more.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/movement-and-learning/
• ↑ https://www.sacap.edu.za/blog/applied-psychology/how-to-concentrate-on-studies/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/focused.html
• ↑ https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/5-ways-to-help-students-manage-digital-distractions-and-stay-on-track
• ↑ https://today.uconn.edu/2015/07/multitasking-increases-study-time-lowers-grades/#
• ↑ https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/tips-for-helping-your-child-focus-and-concentrate
• ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_focus_a_wandering_mind
• ↑ https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/add-adhd/how-to-improve-focus-in-kids
• ↑ https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/distractibility-inattention/child-trouble-focusing
• ↑ https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/10-ways-fun-study/
• ↑ https://www.washburn.edu/academics/center-student-success/student-success-collaborative/Navigate-Study-Buddies.pdf
• ↑ https://time.com/3518053/perfect-break/
• ↑ https://www.uindy.edu/studentcounseling/files/studyingfromhomeduringcoronavirusdukekunshanu.pdf
• ↑ https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210114-why-youre-more-creative-in-coffee-shops
• ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_practice_mindfulness_throughout_your_work_day

About This Article

To concentrate on your homework, start by settling into a quiet place and putting your phone away so it's not a distraction. Then, tackle your hardest or most time-consuming homework assignments first to get them out of the way. Try to finish each task before moving onto something else since jumping between assignments can disrupt your focus. Also, take 5-minute breaks every 30 minutes so your homework doesn't feel endless and you have something to look forward to. To learn how to stay motivated while doing your homework, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Focus on Homework and Actually Get Things Done: 12 Hacks for Busy Students

• September 15, 2022

Chances are, you’ve had some days when you felt overwhelmed after a long day at school. You couldn’t imagine doing anything other than plopping down in front of the television, let alone finding out how to focus on your homework. 

How can you overcome the resistance and get it done? How do you get your mind to include this task in your day as well?

With just a few adjustments, you will be able to expand your capacity to concentrate.

Why Can’t I Focus on My Homework?

Countless factors constantly fight for your attention : social media, people, overthinking, and anxiety. All of this can make you feel as though you have little control over your mind. 

If you want to start to focus better on your homework, you’ll need to set your mind up for success. Remove all distractions .

Here are two key principles that can help you be more successful in your studies:

1. Identify the distractions in your surroundings

What are the things in your daily life that take your mind away from your studies? Clearly identifying these distractions can help you understand both the problem and what causes it.

Among our environmental distractions, digital distractions are one of the worst kinds, and according to a number of studies , their effect is on the rise in the classroom.

If you’re looking to gain more concentration and, thus, form better study habits, question your online behavior first and foremost.

2. Limit the use of technology to find focus

What’s the role of social media in your daily life? Have you ever sat down to calculate how social media distracts you from doing the things you should be doing?

When you are wondering how to focus on homework long after you’ve put your phone away, you’re still thinking about the last posts you saw on Instagram. The sound of new notifications can be enough to reroute our attention from the task at hand.

And then comes the information overload, the fear of missing out, and the all-too-common signs of addictive behavior. Technology is affecting your mind more than ever, and it’s taking your focus away.

How to Focus on Homework: 12 Things You Can Do to Be More Indistractible

Here are 12 tips on how to stay focused while completing your homework, taught by superbrain coach Jim Kwik and habit transformation expert Nir Eyal .

• Make a routine
• Set up a study-friendly environment
• Avoid heavy meals
• Organize your study notes
• Tell others to stay away
• Listen to study music
• Set deadlines
• Take brain breaks
• Use discomfort as motivation for productivity
• Use time blocking
• Let go of thoughts that distract you
• Reimagine your task

Let’s look at each study hack in more detail.

1. Make a routine

Routines help you be productive without exerting as much effort. When you have homework to do, a study routine can be the reason you actually sit down, set enough time aside, concentrate, and stay focused until you complete the project.

This process doesn’t need to be complicated: just tell yourself that you will sit at your desk at home once you’re back from school. Put your phone on silent, make an outline of the work that needs to get done, and simply begin with what’s most important.

2. Set up a study-friendly environment

A place for everything and everything in its place. That applies to studying, too.

Lying in bed with your notebook is considered a distraction, as is being in the living room with your laptop while others are doing their activities.

You need an isolated place when you decide to focus on your homework. Make it feel comfortable, keep it organized, keep it clean, and consider putting up some motivational posters or positive affirmations .

3. Avoid heavy meals

It’s not advisable to have a big meal beforehand. Big meals can ruin your focus and make you feel sluggish and lazy because it takes a big amount of time and energy for your body to digest. A snack is okay.

There are also some foods , though, that are just plain bad for your productivity. For example, soda, candy, and fried foods are all full of sugar and have no nutritional value. They make your insulin spike up, but then it crashes very fast, which makes you feel depleted of energy.

4. Organize your study notes

Prioritize your work. Keep lists and place the most important items on top. Then work on the items that you should get done first.

It helps to outline what you need to do, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Use colors to highlight the essentials . 

This makes it all look much simpler and you’re more likely to actually get started. The brain loves organization and it won’t be so likely to procrastinate when it knows you have a structure set in place.

5. Tell others to stay away

Don’t be afraid to let others know that you’re studying and require some time and space to get your work done. Decide on fixed hours for studying and tell your friends and family members that you won’t be available during that time of the day.

If others respect your study time, you’ll be more inclined to respect it as well. 

6. Listen to study music

There are many tracks out there designed to help your mind focus. Whether you use binaural beats or just instrumental music, the right sounds can really help to tune your brain into a productive frequency.

This meditation is also great to listen to; it puts your mind in a clear, concise, and ready-to-take-on-the-world mode:

7. Set deadlines

Even if your teacher has already given you deadlines for each assignment, set new ones yourself at earlier dates.

This helps you build discipline, learn how to focus on studying, and prioritize every day.

8. Take brain breaks

Frequent breaks actually increase your productivity and focus. You’ll see that after each study session, the brain needs to be engaged with something different —  you need to activate other parts of your brain before going back to your studies so that you can reach top performance.

You can also use the Superbrain Yoga Technique. In the Superbrain Quest, Jim talks about implementing it during your breaks. It goes as follows:

• Massage the left lobe of your ear with your right hand, and the right one with your left hand
• Inhale and squat down
• Exhale and come back up while continuing massaging your opposite ear with the opposite hand
• Keep going for a few minutes

As your body moves, your brain grooves. — Jim Kwik, trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Quest

9. Use discomfort as motivation for productivity

The brain is wired to protect us from danger, and our ancestors needed this function of the psyche to survive. Discomfort is associated with danger, and whenever they felt it, they knew it was time to run away or protect themselves in one way or another.

In today’s world, danger isn’t so imminent. However, discomfort is, and the brain still works to protect us in the same way. 

So why not use it to your advantage?

Once you have this mindset shift, you can see the discomfort that comes with doing your homework as fuel for moving forward, from pain to pleasure. So instead of procrastinating and avoiding the discomfort, just use it as motivation to get things done.

And maybe you can even save yourself a fun activity to do later in the day, so you have something to look forward to.

10. Use time blocking

You can use time blocking and set a specific amount of time for parts of your homework that needs to be done. For example, you block 30 minutes of reading, then another 30 minutes of writing down highlights from the text. 

This method will give you more structure and support you when you need to focus on school work, as you will have a dedicated structured time to do so.

11. Let go of thoughts that distract you

When you need more concentration, but your thoughts keep getting in the way, here’s a fun visualization exercise you can use:

• Before you start working on your homework, close down your eyes and imagine a flowing river in front of you. 
• Now, place every thought on a leaf and let it run down the river while watching it move away from you. 

Do this repeatedly for 5-10 minutes and see how your mind becomes clearer, more productive, and more inspired.

12. Reimagine your task

How can you make the process of doing your homework more fun? Is there any way you can think of to make it more exciting and engaging?

As you introduce play and fun into any task, your capacity to stay focused will increase. So just try out different methods to engage more in your homework. 

For example, what if you made a trivia quest about your history lesson homework? Or what about riddles to make you remember all the characters from the novel you have to read? 

Once you play around with these kinds of games, you might find that focusing on your homework isn’t as boring as you thought it would be.

Unleash the Power of Your Focus

Discovering how to focus on your homework can go beyond schoolwork and actually support you in many other activities you want to do. Concentration is one of the best skills to nurture for your growth.

If you need a little guidance at the beginning of your focusing journey, Mindvalley has it in store for you. 

By unlocking your FREE Mindvalley access , you can check out sample classes from quests that help you develop better focus and study habits, such as Becoming Focused and Indistractable by Nir Eyal and Superbrain by Jim Kwik. You can also immerse yourself in beautiful sounds and guided meditations designed to improve concentration and help you enter the flow state.

The earlier you start, the greater your journey of self-discovery will be. Welcome in.

— Images generated on Midjourney.

Recommended Free Masterclass For You

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Jim Kwik is the trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain and Super Reading quests. He’s a brain coach and a world expert in speed reading, memory improvement, and optimal brain performance. Known as the “boy with the broken brain” due to a childhood injury, Jim discovered strategies to dramatically enhance his mental performance. He is now committed to helping people improve their memory, learn to speed-read, increase their decision-making skills, and turn on their superbrain. He has shared his techniques with Hollywood actors, Fortune 500 companies, and trailblazing entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Richard Branson to reach their highest level of mental performance. He is also one of the most sought-after trainers for top organizations like Harvard University, Nike, Virgin, and GE.

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Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Daniel Wong

How to Focus When Studying: 20 Uncommonly Effective Tips

Updated on August 28, 2023 By Daniel Wong 129 Comments

Do you find it hard to focus when you’re studying?

There are so many distractions these days: text messages, videos, email and social media.

Not to mention your own wandering mind.

Over the years, I’ve taught many thousands of students how to study more effectively.

One of the best ways to improve your grades is to learn how to focus better while you study.

I’ve come up with this list of 20 tips and techniques to help you concentrate while studying.

(To get 5 additional tips, download the free PDF below.)

Enter your email below to download a PDF summary of this article. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus  5 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

How to focus on studying.

You can learn how to focus better by trying some of these techniques during your next study session.

When you find one that works, make it a part of your routine every time you study.

1. Use your phone camera or webcam to record yourself studying

This tip may sound strange, but it works.

Set up your webcam or your phone camera to record a video of yourself studying.

The idea is to create accountability.

Instead of having a friend check on your progress, you have a camera watching everything you do.

Knowing that you are being watched will remind you of your objective.

Just when you’re about to get distracted, you’ll remember that everything you’re doing is being recorded.

It’s a useful reminder to yourself that you’ve made a commitment to study.

2. Use Focusmate

If you want to take it to the next level, use Focusmate instead.

With Focusmate, you make a pre-commitment to study for a 50-minute period at least one day in advance.

You then get paired with a real-life accountability partner.

You must turn on your webcam during the 50-minute session. This means that you and your study partner can see and hear each other during the study session.

If you leave your desk without giving an explanation, your study partner can report you, and vice versa.

Similarly, if you don’t turn up to your study session or if you are late, your study partner can report you.

Non-compliance results in the system marking you down. If your score falls below a certain level, the system will eventually lock you out.

But if you keep your commitments and complete your study session, the system will reward you with points.

3. If you don’t feel like starting work, take 1 minute to prepare yourself mentally

Sometimes you may not even feel like getting to work.

When this happens, take a minute to prepare yourself mentally.

Set a timer for a minute and tell yourself that you’ll start work when the timer goes off.

By doing this, you’ll be much more likely to get to work at the end of the minute.

This is called an “implementation intention”.

Any time you signal to yourself an intention to do something, it makes it easier to begin that task.

In this case, the implementation intention is to set a timer for a minute before starting a study session, if you feel like procrastinating.

So, if you find it hard to motivate yourself to start studying , take a minute and prepare yourself mentally.

By doing this, you will eliminate the resistance you were experiencing.

4. Before your first study session of the day, create a plan for the day

Make the plan as detailed as possible.

There’s a good reason for this. You must be clear about what you’re going to achieve during each study session.

For example, “study science” is not a sufficiently detailed study plan .

Here’s an example of a plan with enough detail: “Read pages 25 to 32 of the science textbook and create a summary diagram.”

When you break a task down into detailed components, you will have a better idea as to whether it’s achievable within the specified study period.

Another advantage of creating a detailed plan is that it becomes easier to assess your progress.

If you’re halfway through your study period and you’ve already completed half of what you planned to achieve, you’ll know you’re on track.

A key part of studying effectively is setting specific tasks to work on during each study session.

5. Write down exactly why you want to study hard

Another way to stay focused when studying is to be clear about why you want to study hard in the first place.

Write down the reasons you want to study hard.

Keep the list handy so you can remind yourself of these reasons when you find yourself losing concentration.

For example, you might write down:

• “I want to become a more knowledgeable person.”
• “I want to become a more self-driven person.”
• “I want to cultivate the habit of always doing my best.”
• “I want to make the most of my educational opportunities and learn as much as I can.”

Try to focus on process-oriented reasons rather than outcome-oriented reasons.

Because outcomes are often beyond your control, whereas the process is always within your control.

For example, the outcome of getting A’s for all your subjects is, in some ways, beyond your control. But studying for a total of at least 2 hours every day is a process that is within your control.

Here’s another reason to focus on the process rather than on the outcome.

The outcome could be something that may only come to pass in the distant future.

On the other hand, the process is something you engage in every day.

It’s far more effective to measure the achievement of the process than the achievement of the outcome.

6. Keep track of all the tasks you’ve completed

Keep a record of all the tasks you complete each day.

This is important for two reasons.

Firstly, it allows you to monitor whether you are meeting the objectives set in your study plan.

If you are not meeting your objectives, you may have underestimated the time required for the tasks.

But if you are completing your tasks with time to spare, you may be able to set your targets higher.

Secondly, it’s important for your morale to see that you are making progress.

Studying is an activity where progress isn’t always easy to measure. But when you keep track of the tasks you have completed, you’ll be clearer about the progress you are making.

This will remind you that you have been productive, which will keep you motivated.

7. Put only the materials you need for your current task on your desk

The brain is able to process information more effectively in an uncluttered environment. This is what researchers have discovered .

As such, it’s a good idea to place on your desk only the items that you need to complete the task at hand. For example, this might consist of the assignment, a pen, a pencil, an eraser, and a calculator.

Make a list of what items you’ll need during your study session. Make sure you have only those items on your desk.

If your study area is disorganised, take a couple of minutes to tidy it up before you start work.

Having things neat and tidy has a calming effect on your mind and will help you to concentrate.

8. Get your brain ready by doing deep breathing exercises before each study session

Deep breathing exercises increase the ability of your mind to focus.

Researchers at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience have studied the effect of breathing exercises on the body’s production of noradrenaline.

Noradrenaline functions as a neurotransmitter, which affects your concentration.

By regulating your breathing, you can optimise your levels of noradrenaline.

The researchers concluded that “there is a strong connection between breath-centred practices and a steadiness of mind”.

Here is a simple breathing exercise that will bring calm and focus to your mind before you study:

• Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose for 4 seconds.
• When you feel that your lungs are full of air, hold your breath for 2 seconds.
• Then slowly exhale through your nose for 4 seconds.

Do this exercise three times in succession before the start of every study session.

Try it out now to see how relaxed it makes you feel!

9. Don’t study in bed

Don’t try to do anything productive while lying or sitting in bed.

It’s important that the place where you study is not the same as the place where you sleep .

You won’t be able to study effectively in a place that you associate with relaxing or sleeping. In fact, this is my first suggestion when students ask me how to avoid sleepiness while studying .

Also, if you study in bed you will either be lying down or sitting cross-legged.

Neither of these positions is conducive for maximal focus. These positions may even result in neckaches and backaches.

What’s more, you may end up taking unintended naps!

So do your work at a proper study desk, every single time – this is a good habit that every student should cultivate !

10. Adjust the temperature of your studying environment

Make sure the temperature where you are studying is optimal.

Researchers at Cornell University found some interesting results when office temperatures were raised from 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F).

Typing errors fell by 44% and output increased by about 150%.

Most research shows that the temperature most conducive for working and studying is in the range of 22°C to 25°C (72°F to 77°F).

So if it’s possible for you to adjust the temperature of your studying environment, keep it within this range.

11. Write down exactly what you’re working on at the moment

Every time you begin a study session, write down the task that you’ll be working on.

Do this on a rough sheet of paper and leave it on your study desk. This way, it will serve as a constant reminder about what you should be doing at the moment.

Just as you need a detailed plan for the day (Tip #4), you also need a detailed plan for each study session.

For example, if you write down “Do math assignment” for the current study session, it’s not specific enough.

“Do math assignment, questions 1 to 3 ” is more specific, so you’re more likely to stay on task.

12. Tell your family your study schedule for the day

Post your study schedule on your bedroom door or on the fridge door in the kitchen.

This way, your family will know when they shouldn’t disturb you.

There’s another benefit to doing this. It also gives you a greater sense of accountability.

By making a pre-commitment to your family about when you’ll be studying, you’ll be more likely to stick to your study schedule.

All in all, this is a simple tip that will enable you to concentrate when you’re studying.

13. Put all of your digital devices in another room

This might seem like common sense, but I’m surprised how many of my teenage coaching clients were not doing this before I started working with them.

The old adage “out of sight, out of mind” applies here.

Leave your tablet and phone in another room and put them on silent mode.

Minimising temptations is one of the keys to being productive.

In addition, even if you feel tempted to check your phone, you probably won’t do it because the effort required to walk to the other room is too great.

14. Use these two apps to eliminate digital distractions

The first app I recommend is Forest .

With this app, your study session “becomes” a tree.

At the beginning of the session, you plant the tree and it starts to grow. But if you close the app, the tree dies – and nobody wants their precious tree to die!

By using the app, you’ll have a more productive study session.

Of course, having your phone next to you while you study could be a distraction (as mentioned in the previous tip).

This means that you’ll need to be careful not to use your phone for anything else.

The second app you can use to remove digital distractions is Freedom .

You can schedule this app to block other apps such as YouTube, games, and social media to keep you on track.

15. Listen to classical music while studying

Listening to classical music is another way to help you focus when studying.

Dr. Masha Godkin , professor at Northcentral University, has researched the effects of music on our brains.

She found that classical music can take you from the beta brainwave state to the deeper alpha state, and even further to the theta state.

According to Dr. Godkin, the ability of music to stimulate both sides of the brain is why music helps you focus and also improves your memory .

Classical music with a fast tempo, such as Beethoven’s Für Elise, is effective in helping students to concentrate and remember more information.

16. If you don’t like classical music, listen to music/sounds from these two websites

If you don’t like classical music, try using Coffitivity instead.

Coffitivity simulates the sounds you would hear in a cafe to boost your creativity and brain function.

It’s designed based on research at the University of Chicago. This research shows that we think better and are more creative when there is a moderate level of background noise.

Alternatively, try listening to Brain.fm .

Brain.fm offers music engineered to help you achieve and sustain deep focus.

Personally, I use Brain.fm almost every day, and I’ve found it to be useful. By listening to Brain.fm, I’m able to stay focused for about 50% longer than before!

17. Use earphones or headphones while studying

If you intend to use Tips #15 or #16, then you’ll probably want to use earphones or headphones.

But even if you don’t want to listen to any type of music, using earphones or headphones is still a good way to improve your concentration while you study.

Because they insulate you from the outside world.

Using earphones or headphones is a signal to others that you are occupied.

This reduces the likelihood that others will interrupt your study session.

Wearing earphones or headphones will also remind yourself that you are in the middle of a study session.

18. Count how many study sessions you complete each day

There’s a saying that “what gets measured, gets done”. This principle applies to study sessions too.

Keep track of how many study sessions you complete each day.

This way, you’ll become more intentional about getting to work.

Let’s say that you typically study in blocks of 30 minutes.

Before you begin your first study session of the day, you might decide that your goal for the day is to do at least 3 sessions of 30 minutes each.

As the day goes by, count how many sessions you’ve completed.

By keeping score in this way, you’ll focus on the process of doing the work. As a result, you’ll get more work done!

19. When you feel as if you’re about to get distracted, write it down

It’s inevitable: From time to time, you’ll get distracted during your study sessions. So you need a strategy for dealing with these distractions.

Here’s a technique that works well.

Let’s say that you’re reading your science notes when you get the urge to check your text messages.

Instead of giving in to the temptation, write down on a rough sheet of paper: “Check text messages.”

Once you’ve done that, you’ll find that it’s easier to go back to studying.

During your next break, you can go ahead and do what you’ve listed on that rough sheet of paper. In this case, you can check your text messages.

Why is this technique effective?

Because instead of simply trying to resist the urge, you get to “take action” by writing down the distraction. In doing so, you’re acknowledging the urge without giving in to it.

This leaves you free to go back to what you were doing before – studying.

20. Set an end time for when you’ll stop studying each day

This might not be the advice you were expecting.

After all, shouldn’t you be trying to study for as many hours as you can every day?

No, because the idea is to study smart, not just hard.

Of course, you need to work hard. But it’s also essential to lead a balanced life.

So set a strict deadline, such as 9:30 pm, and make sure that you don’t do any work after that time. The best time of the day to study is specific to every student, but it’s important that you decide when you’ll stop studying each day.

This will give you time to wind down before going to bed. This means that you’ll be able to get those 8 hours of sleep that you need to optimise your academic performance.

There’s another advantage to setting a specific end time for when you’ll stop studying each day.

Clearly defined limits help you to concentrate on what you’re doing right now.

You won’t get distracted as often, because you know that you won’t stay up late to catch up on the time you’ve wasted because of procrastination.

The result?

You’ll learn more in less time, and you’ll get good grades too.

Staying focused while studying is something that all students struggle with.

But there are many things you can do to help you concentrate and get into a flow state when studying .

As described in this article, there are plenty of ways to harness the power of your mind and make it work with you, not against you.

So take at least several study tips from this article and work them into your routine, starting today.

If you do this, you’ll find that your study sessions will become more productive and enjoyable!

Like this article? Please share it with your friends.

May 2, 2020 at 7:18 pm

Thank you very much for your effort, its really taking me higher and making me more focused on my study. God bless you.

May 2, 2020 at 9:15 pm

You’re welcome, and God bless you too.

May 5, 2020 at 3:30 pm

They are so amazing thank you

May 5, 2020 at 4:53 pm

I’m glad you like the article.

October 6, 2020 at 11:29 am

I never thought some of these would work on me since I have autism and aspergers spectrum so I easily get distracted.

December 22, 2023 at 12:30 pm

This is so amazing and helpful may the Lord bless the work of your hands

May 2, 2021 at 1:56 pm

Hi this is Sagar, I am preparing for a competitive exam but I am unable to the focused mindset. My mind won’t allow me to sir and study as it takes a lot of time to prepare for it. Could you please guide me regarding it ?

November 2, 2020 at 11:59 pm

Thank you so much sir. I am in class 10 but I am distracted now, so I’m reading this. I feel energetic now. If I am distracted again I will read this. Thanks a lot sir…

January 29, 2021 at 6:29 am

Hello Mr Wong, may I simply ask what it is you have studied at University and if you graduated.

October 22, 2022 at 12:07 am

Thanks To you I’ve been more focused and discipline and I can see the changes in progress thank you Sir.

May 7, 2020 at 2:04 am

These tips are so much fruitful for achieving something very big in life

May 7, 2020 at 8:04 am

You’re welcome.

August 5, 2020 at 10:12 pm

reallu unusual tips but when i play the results in my mind they fall in place perfectly……..will definitely check them out!!! thanks for such a wonderful article

April 27, 2021 at 11:09 pm

Really it’s more realistic….superb…tips

May 3, 2020 at 9:27 am

Thank you for giving us the tips.. Its very useful.. I hope everyone can study easier using these tips 🌈

May 3, 2020 at 10:32 am

You are welcome, and I hope everyone finds this article useful too!

May 3, 2020 at 12:04 pm

Thank you sir 😀

May 3, 2020 at 9:34 pm

You’re welcome!

May 4, 2020 at 7:47 am

Thnku so much for tips …I’ll try it definitely …👍

May 4, 2020 at 8:43 am

May 3, 2020 at 4:05 pm

This is truly the best article regarding effective study. Reading the article was itself a big motivation. This article covers every problem a student faces with the best solution provided. I am in loss of words in expressing my deep gratitude to the writer of this article. Thank You very much! There could be nothing better than this.

I appreciate your kind words!

November 26, 2020 at 8:09 pm

I am trying to follow all the tips that you’ve mentioned sir. They are so useful to me during quarantine.

January 10, 2021 at 4:07 pm

ya you are right

May 3, 2020 at 7:34 pm

I really procrastinate during quarantine….. I have been trying these tips for some days now. And they work. Thank you do much for the tips!!

May 3, 2020 at 9:35 pm

I’m glad to hear that the tips have worked for you!

May 3, 2020 at 11:04 pm

First of all, thx for allowing comments, for me, not allowing them is “questionable” and seens to become more and more common among the media these days… Second: many of these tips are really new to me. I think this article will help a lot, thank you very much! Blessings from Brazil!

You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that.

May 6, 2020 at 7:24 pm

I m going to try this from today it is difficult.thanks Sir

May 6, 2020 at 9:50 pm

All the best!

May 3, 2020 at 11:51 pm

This tips are very usefull. Thank you

May 4, 2020 at 8:44 am

May 4, 2020 at 12:18 am

In recent days… Procrastinate become my habit……I don’t know how …..But it happened……..These tips are very useful for me….Thank you sir….

I hope this article helps you!

May 4, 2020 at 12:45 am

It was really amazing 😍 Helped me a lot! Thank u so much😊

That’s great to hear!

May 4, 2020 at 12:51 am

Thank you very very much Sir.. everyone will find easier to focus on their studies like me during these quarantine days. It’s really benificial. I hope you’ll help us by your precious tips in future too.

You are very welcome.

May 4, 2020 at 1:10 am

I was looking for something like this for my studies. Thank you for doing this great work. I hope every student gets more and more benefit from this article. Thank you once again & God bless you.

May 4, 2020 at 8:45 am

You’re welcome and God bless you.

May 4, 2020 at 1:17 am

Unbelievable methods ND it’s very easy to relate with these ,sir really feeling blessed to see your article . Best article i have everything read sir related to studies .thanks a lot , thankyou so much sir Wong .

With regards .

May 4, 2020 at 2:23 am

Really an appreciable work from which I got new , effective, amazing and rejuvenating tips it’s really fab this article motivated me alot and make me feel energetic to indulge in my studies Apps provided by you are very helpful Thank you so much

I’m really happy to hear that!

May 7, 2020 at 7:00 am

Am really very greatful with the to and am really going to put it into practice Thanks once again

May 7, 2020 at 8:05 am

Thank you so much for your time and effort that you put into writing this article for us! I’ll definitely be downloading Focusmate and Freedom. Enjoy your day 😊

May 4, 2020 at 8:46 am

You’re welcome — thank you, I did take many, many hours to put this article together!

May 4, 2020 at 2:50 am

Thanks for sharing how to focus to study.Now I can get organize to start my Goal.

It’s my pleasure!

May 4, 2020 at 3:20 am

Thank You Sir your advice is very useful

You’re more than welcome.

May 4, 2020 at 4:25 am

May 4, 2020 at 8:47 am

You are welcome.

May 4, 2020 at 4:38 am

What can I do to motivate myself to start studying without stopping. Sometimes I feel I’m never going to finish how can I eliminate that feelings?

May 4, 2020 at 8:48 am

I’m sorry to hear that, but I think you’ll find this article useful: https://www.daniel-wong.com/2018/04/23/get-motivated-to-study/

May 4, 2020 at 7:22 am

Thanks for the tips

You’re very welcome.

May 4, 2020 at 7:26 am

Let me try for my children and let you know. Thank you.

Ok sure, thank you.

May 4, 2020 at 10:56 am

Every lines were worth reading. It help me realised where I’ve gone wrong and how i can improve my study session more effectively. Thank you so much for putting up all these tips together. I hope I’ll be able to implement them !!

May 4, 2020 at 11:47 am

All the best as you implement the tips!

May 4, 2020 at 1:05 pm

During the current situation is very likely to procrastinate, but your words are giving us enough motivation to do something. Thanks a lot.

May 4, 2020 at 2:35 pm

May 4, 2020 at 12:48 pm

Do you have a sample study schedule to share? Just a rough guideline will be good too. Thanks

May 4, 2020 at 2:36 pm

For that, you can check out this article ( https://www.daniel-wong.com/2015/01/14/straight-a-student/ ) — hope it helps.

May 4, 2020 at 1:22 pm

Can you please write an article On how to increase the hunger to study means we should get addicted to it

May 4, 2020 at 2:37 pm

I think you’ll find this article useful ( https://www.daniel-wong.com/2018/04/23/get-motivated-to-study/ ).

May 4, 2020 at 2:05 pm

Thank you very much for your generous sharing. I share these tips with students I am counselling. Will check in with them after a week or so, and I am sure they will be able to concentrate better and be more focussed.

These tips are also very useful for me.

Warm regards

Thank you, Helen. I’m glad you found the tips useful.

May 4, 2020 at 2:07 pm

Thnx a lot.. I will try these tips and let you know the results

May 4, 2020 at 4:30 pm

Thank you for sharing.

May 4, 2020 at 5:54 pm

It’s my pleasure.

May 4, 2020 at 4:52 pm

Its a really a great deal struggling to stay focus…Thanks for the insights, am sure it will be productive

May 4, 2020 at 5:55 pm

May 4, 2020 at 4:59 pm

Thank you so much sir for the really helpful tips ! Keep putting more content like this ..it’s really working !

I’m happy to hear that!

May 4, 2020 at 9:11 pm

Wooow! You did a wonderful and a great job. May God bless you and give you more wisdom for you to provide us with more of these things. Thanks.

May 4, 2020 at 10:18 pm

May 4, 2020 at 10:36 pm

The tips are just great, thank you sir

May 5, 2020 at 8:02 am

May 4, 2020 at 10:59 pm

Thanks so much for this article, lately I have being so distracted and often procrastinate about my studying time during this lockdown. But I believe with this article I will do well in studying and passing my professional exam. Pls I will like to be getting.ur articles often, how do get to read them.

May 5, 2020 at 8:05 am

You’re welcome. You can download this free guide ( https://www.daniel-wong.com/students-improve-focus/ ) to sign up for my mailing list, then you’ll get updated whenever I publish new articles.

May 4, 2020 at 11:18 pm

It’s one of the most valuable article I have read on effective studying tips till now …and surely goin to try these! Great work done 👍

May 5, 2020 at 8:00 am

May 5, 2020 at 1:04 am

Such an amazing article ever seen ,by reading itself I’m motivated thks alot for sharing such an article the subtitles mentioned in the article is very accurate to overcome distractions. I’m soo interested to include these in my daily routine for procrastinate my distraction. Once again thank you soo much.

May 5, 2020 at 7:59 am

May 5, 2020 at 1:14 am

This article came just in time. I’ve been looking for ways to keep me from getting distracted, but all I could really find is how to get motivated. I’ll definitely be using some of these tips!

I hope the tips work for you!

May 5, 2020 at 1:17 am

Such an amazing article ever seen thks alot for sharing this by reading itself I’m motivated moreover the subtitles mentioned in the article is very accurate to overcome distractions .I’m soo interested to include these in my daily routine for procrastinate my distractions. Once again thank you soo much. Share more stuffs like this which may help lots & lots of students.🙂🙂

I hope you manage to implement the tips successfully!

May 5, 2020 at 1:21 am

Thank you So Much Sir.. Now I’m preparing for Medical Entrance Examination…… These Tips really helpfull Expecting More…. 😄🙏 Sir….. Please pray for me to Crack My Exam… 😊

May 5, 2020 at 7:58 am

All the best for your exam!

May 5, 2020 at 3:12 am

Thank you very much for your advice! Have nice evening!

Sure, it’s my pleasure.

May 5, 2020 at 6:58 am

Thanks for sharing the tips of study.i am really worth it when read this article

May 5, 2020 at 6:59 pm

Mr.Daniel Wong I truly appreciate your extremely helpful efforts to make studies more productive.. Thank you so much for your article…

May 5, 2020 at 9:27 pm

You’re welcome, Pranjal.

May 6, 2020 at 6:26 am

It’s such an article for starting a productive study session or being attentive to study or even turning attention back to study..

May 6, 2020 at 8:15 am

All the best as you put the tips into practice!

May 6, 2020 at 11:19 am

Useful tips. Thank u

May 6, 2020 at 1:09 pm

You are welcome. I’m glad you found the tips useful.

May 6, 2020 at 2:20 pm

Thank you so much for such great tips and for taking the time to write this. I’ve saved this article and will implement the tips!

May 6, 2020 at 2:41 pm

Glad to hear that!

May 6, 2020 at 2:59 pm

One of the best article, I had came across during these days. It is motivational too. Thank you Mr. Daniel Wong for sharing very useful tips for all…. which are not only for students but every person.

Thank you once again

May 6, 2020 at 4:04 pm

You’re welcome, and thank you for your kind words!

May 7, 2020 at 6:50 am

This is very interesting and it will help some us! I think it will make a difference in our study! Thank you very much and continue with this great job! God bless you!

You are welcome and God bless you too!

May 13, 2020 at 2:53 pm

Thank you very much for the exceptional creative tips! These can help the learners a lot!

May 13, 2020 at 2:59 pm

May 22, 2020 at 2:54 pm

Thank you! I am trying to follow your advice roughly (I did that even before actually reading this article). The only thing is, I don’t think I need to videotape myself. Instead I just use tracking programs. And of course I write my assignments, organize a comfortable learning space, and leave my smartphone in my living room. I rarely turn on music – only when I feel that I can concentrate with it, but most of the time it’s easier for me to learn something in silence.

August 22, 2020 at 3:45 am

thanks a lot sir…it helped me a lot

August 31, 2020 at 10:47 pm

I love your suggestions…These are better than other websites which only state some common facts…your suggestions are great…I was also looking forward to using Focusmate…But it seems that only people 17 years old and above can use it…I am in middle school and just turned 13…Can you please suggest one more website just like Focusmate please…

October 6, 2020 at 11:31 am

Thanks, it really helped with my distraction problems!

December 23, 2020 at 10:21 pm

I’m preparing for exams which are after a month. These tips are soo helpful, I’m soo glad to have found this page. Thank you sir!🙂

January 8, 2021 at 2:46 am

thank you, this article really helps me!!!

January 17, 2021 at 11:08 pm

why i can’t focus in study

January 28, 2021 at 4:45 am

dude I just made an account on brain.fm

Game changer.

They should give you a cut when I pay for the year after my 3 day trial.

Going to go hit up a 2 hour session to “cinematic music focus”.

Might pair this with the tree app for extra measure.

(My issue is wanting to stop and hop on netflix — hence the tree).

February 15, 2021 at 1:23 pm

Really, this article got me excited as though I already practiced it. The methods are well outlined and easily implemented. The fact that it involves exercise, sleep and diet makes this article like an all-round solution for improving my learning, maintaining a healthy body and alleviating depression; all with just one article.

Thanks Mr Wong, you’re a life saver.

April 7, 2021 at 7:47 am

Thanks sir for your advise and tips, it really helped me focus in my study more.

April 11, 2021 at 8:33 am

thanks your article for studying.

May 9, 2021 at 8:01 pm

I found this useful. I have bookmarked this page so that I can come back here when ever I want it. thankyou so much

July 5, 2021 at 1:49 pm

thank you so much helped me alot

September 26, 2021 at 11:26 am

Thank you so much. The 16th tip helped me so much

November 14, 2022 at 8:35 pm

i really found it very helpful. amazing tips.

July 5, 2023 at 9:33 am

How to focus on main point.

September 29, 2023 at 8:44 am

Thank you so much. Sometimes it takes multiple strategies. Switching up from day to day. Good of you to share!

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• Help Center

7 Tips for How to Focus on Homework

Homework can feel like a relentless tide, constantly coming in no matter how hard you try to keep up. It’s a familiar struggle for many students, a demographic often juggling multiple responsibilities alongside their academic pursuits. In this article, we’ll delve into practical strategies to enhance your ability to focus on homework, transforming it from a daunting task into a manageable part of your daily routine.

The key to success in homework is not just hard work but smart work – and a significant part of that is learning how to focus on homework effectively. We’ll explore various aspects of this challenge, from creating a conducive study environment to incorporating dietary considerations that boost your concentration. Understanding and implementing these strategies can turn the tide in your favor.

In the following sections, we will cover eight crucial areas:

• Understanding the challenge
• Setting up your environment
• Mastering time management
• Preparing mentally
• Taking effective breaks
• Focusing on nutrition
• Integrating physical activity
• Using technological aids

Each section is designed to provide actionable advice you can apply immediately.

So, let’s embark on this journey together to unlock your full potential in managing and excelling at your homework tasks. Prepare to dive deep into the world of productivity and discover how a slight shift in approach can significantly improve your academic life.

Understanding the Challenge

Focusing on homework is a skill that many students struggle to master. The digital age has brought countless distractions, social media notifications, and text messages from group chats. It’s not just about willpower; it’s about understanding the nature of these distractions and how they impact our ability to concentrate. A study by Microsoft suggests that the average attention span has significantly decreased in recent years, making focusing even more daunting ( Time ).

The challenge doesn’t end with external distractions; internal factors like stress, fatigue, and lack of interest also play a significant role. When homework feels overwhelming or uninteresting, it becomes even more challenging to devote your full attention to it. The key is to recognize these obstacles and find ways to overcome them.

At this point, it’s not about working harder but smarter. By acknowledging the difficulties and understanding their roots, we can begin to develop effective strategies to focus on homework. This recognition is the first step towards turning the tide in our academic endeavors.

With this understanding, we’re now ready to delve into creating a conducive environment for homework, which is our next critical step in developing laser-sharp focus.

Creating a Conducive Environment

The environment where you study can make a substantial difference in your ability to focus on homework. Creating a space that minimizes distractions and maximizes your comfort and productivity is crucial. A study space should be quiet, well-lit, and free from clutter – a sanctuary where focus is the mainstay.

Ergonomics plays a vital role in maintaining focus. A comfortable chair and desk at the right height can prevent discomfort and keep you concentrated for extended periods. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides excellent tips on setting up an ergonomic study space ( UNC Ergonomics ). Remember, comfort is vital, but too much comfort, like studying in bed, can lead to drowsiness.

Another aspect of creating a conducive environment is the deliberate reduction of digital distractions. This might mean turning off smartphone notifications or using apps that block social media during study hours. It’s about creating a space that signals your brain that it’s time to focus on homework.

Lastly, personalizing your study space with elements that boost your mood, like plants or motivational quotes, can also help maintain a positive attitude towards homework. An environment that aligns with your preferences can be a powerful tool for enhancing focus.

With the right environment set up, it’s time to look at how effective time management can further help us focus on homework. This will be covered in the next section.

Time Management Techniques

Effective time management is a critical component when trying to focus on homework. It’s not just about allocating time; it’s about using it wisely. A well-structured plan can prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed and help maintain a clear focus on the task.

The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management method among students. It involves breaking down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes long, separated by short breaks. This technique not only helps in maintaining focus but also ensures regular rest, preventing burnout. Tools like the TomatoTimer (accessible at TomatoTimer ) can be used to implement this technique effectively.

Additionally, setting specific goals for each study session can significantly enhance productivity. Instead of a vague aim like ‘work on math,’ set clear objectives like ‘complete five algebra problems.’ This approach gives a clear direction and a sense of accomplishment upon completion.

It’s also important to prioritize tasks. Start with assignments that are due soonest or tackle the most challenging tasks when your energy levels are highest. Tools like Trello or Asana can help organize and prioritize homework tasks (More on these at Trello and Asana ).

By implementing these time management techniques, students can make their study sessions more productive and less stressful. With a solid plan, it’s much easier to focus on homework.

In the next section, we’ll explore how mental preparation is crucial in focusing on homework, moving beyond physical and logistical aspects.

Mental Preparation to Focus on Homework

Mental preparation is just as crucial as the physical and logistical aspects of focusing on homework. The right mindset can transform homework from a chore into a meaningful, engaging activity. Cultivating a positive attitude towards studying enhances focus and improves the quality of learning.

Begin by setting a clear intention for your study session. This could be as simple as telling yourself, “I will focus on this task for the next 30 minutes without distractions.” Such affirmations can prime your brain for focused work. Mindfulness practices can also be beneficial in this regard. Engaging in a brief period of meditation before starting homework can clear your mind and reduce anxiety. The Headspace blog offers insights on how mindfulness can improve focus ( Headspace on Mindfulness ).

Another aspect of mental preparation is dealing with procrastination and negative thoughts. Understanding the root cause of procrastination can be vital to overcoming it. Often, it’s not laziness but fear, perfectionism, or lack of interest that holds us back. Tackling these underlying issues can significantly improve your ability to focus on homework.

Lastly, visualizing success can be a powerful tool. Imagine completing your homework efficiently and reaping the rewards of your hard work. This visualization can create a positive feedback loop, motivating you to achieve your vision.

With our minds prepared and ready, we can now explore the importance of taking breaks, which is not just a respite but a strategy to enhance focus on homework.

The Importance of Taking Breaks

Taking breaks is an integral part of maintaining focus on homework. Contrary to what some may believe, breaks are not a sign of laziness but a necessary component of effective studying. Strategic breaks can rejuvenate the mind, enhance creativity, and prevent burnout.

The science backs this up. A study by the University of Illinois found that brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one’s ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods ( University of Illinois Study ). Short, regular breaks can significantly boost your concentration and productivity.

What constitutes an effective break? It could be a physical activity like a quick walk, stretching exercises, or even just stepping outside for a few minutes to get fresh air. The idea is to engage in an activity different from studying to give your brain a chance to reset. It’s essential, however, to avoid activities that might lead to procrastination, like scrolling through social media.

Timing is also crucial. The Pomodoro Technique, mentioned earlier, suggests a 5-minute break after every 25-minute work session. However, finding a rhythm that works best for you is essential. Some may prefer longer work sessions with longer breaks.

After a break, you often return to your homework with renewed energy and a clearer mind, ready to focus more effectively. In our next section, we will examine how nutritional factors affect your ability to focus on homework.

Nutritional Factors to Focus on Homework

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in how well you can focus on homework. What you eat can either boost your brainpower or leave you feeling sluggish and distracted. A balanced diet, rich in brain-boosting nutrients, can significantly enhance cognitive function and concentration.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fish, nuts, and seeds, are known for their brain-health benefits. They enhance memory and mood, which are vital for staying focused on homework. Complex carbohydrates, found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, provide a steady energy supply, unlike the short bursts that come from sugary snacks. The Harvard School of Public Health provides more information on brain foods ( Harvard School of Public Health on Brain Foods ).

Hydration is another critical factor. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and decreased attention span. Ensure you drink enough water throughout your study sessions to keep your brain functioning optimally.

It’s also important to be mindful of your caffeine intake. While beverages like coffee and tea can improve concentration in the short term, excessive consumption can lead to jitteriness and disrupt your ability to focus. Moderation is key. Having Brain Brew   can help with the tea providing caffeine and l-theanine for a relaxed focus.

Lastly, the timing of meals can affect your focus. Heavy meals right before a study session can lead to drowsiness. Eating light and nutritious meals or snacks can keep your energy levels balanced.

Understanding these nutritional factors sets the stage for enhanced focus on homework. Next, we will discuss the role of physical activity in boosting focus.

Related: 5 Nootropic Teas for Focus and Memory

Physical Activity and Focus

Physical activity is often overlooked when discussing strategies to focus on homework, yet it’s a critical component. Exercise not only improves physical health but also significantly impacts cognitive function and concentration.

Regular physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain, which enhances cognitive abilities and improves mood. Even short bursts of exercise, like a brisk walk or a few minutes of stretching, can invigorate the mind and improve focus. A study from the University of British Columbia highlights that regular aerobic exercise boosts the size of the hippocampus, a brain area involved in verbal memory and learning ( University of British Columbia Study ).

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine doesn’t have to be daunting. Simple activities like jogging, cycling, or even yoga can be effective. The key is to find an activity you enjoy, making it more likely that you’ll stick with it.

Furthermore, exercise can be a great way to break up long periods of studying. Engaging in physical activity during a break can leave you feeling refreshed and ready to focus on homework once you return to your desk.

Incorporating regular physical activity into your lifestyle can have long-term benefits for your overall focus and productivity, not just for homework but in various aspects of life.

As we conclude our discussion on physical activity, we move to our final subsection, “Technological Aids for Focusing,” where we will explore how specific technologies can assist in focusing on homework.

Related:  Top 10 ADHD Productivity Tools

Technological Aids for Focusing

In an era where technology is often seen as a distraction, it can also be a powerful ally in helping students focus on homework. There are several apps and tools designed to enhance concentration and productivity, turning the digital realm from a hindrance into a helper.

One of the most popular categories of these tools are focus apps. These apps, like Forest or Freedom, help minimize distractions by blocking access to tempting websites and apps during your study sessions. Forest, for instance, gamifies the experience by growing a virtual tree as long as you stay focused ( Forest App ). Freedom allows you to block distracting websites and apps across all your devices ( Freedom App ).

Another helpful category is time management apps. Tools like Trello and Asana, as mentioned earlier, can be invaluable for keeping track of assignments and deadlines, ensuring you’re focusing on the right task at the right time.

Moreover, there are apps like Evernote or Microsoft OneNote that assist in efficiently organizing notes and research. These digital notebooks can be handy for students who juggle multiple subjects and need a streamlined method to manage their study materials.

It’s important, however, to use technology judiciously. The goal is to leverage these tools to enhance focus on homework, not to add another layer of digital distraction. Careful selection and disciplined use of these aids can significantly affect your ability to concentrate and be productive.

With an understanding of how technology can aid in focusing on homework, we conclude the main body of our blog post. We will now move to the conclusion, summarizing our key points and introducing Brain Brew, the nootropic tea designed to help with focus.

Summarizing How to Focus on Homework

We’ve navigated through various strategies to help you focus on homework, from creating the right environment and managing your time effectively to understanding the role of nutrition and physical activity in enhancing cognitive function. Each of these strategies plays a crucial role in developing a focused and productive approach to your academic work.

Remember, focusing on homework is a skill that gets better with practice. By implementing the techniques discussed, such as minimizing distractions, setting clear goals, taking regular breaks, and utilizing technological aids wisely, you can significantly improve your ability to concentrate. It’s about creating a balanced approach that includes mental preparation, physical well-being, and a supportive environment.

As we wrap up, it’s important to highlight that sometimes, we need an extra boost to help us maintain that razor-sharp focus. This is where Brain Brew comes into play. Brain Brew is a specially formulated nootropic focus tea that supports cognitive function, enhances concentration, and provides a steady flow of energy without the jitters commonly associated with caffeine-heavy drinks.

Incorporating Brain Brew into your study routine can give you that extra edge in maintaining focus on homework. Made with natural ingredients known for their cognitive-enhancing properties, it’s the perfect companion for those long study sessions where you need to stay alert and focused.

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How to focus while studying: Tips for better concentration

Use this helpful toolkit to finally focus better when studying. You'll learn how to plan effective study sessions and improve concentration.

You may enjoy being a student in your chosen field, but memorizing a stack of lecture notes so that you can pass your exams is another story entirely, especially since there are so many distracting, exciting, and colorful things in the … oh look, a butterfly!

Even top-performing students with ninja-level self-discipline struggle to stay focused while studying. The difference, however, is that they have developed the right study habits that not only get them in their chairs to study but keep them there too.

What’s their secret? How can you better concentrate while studying?

You, my friend, are holding the (virtual) answer in your hands. In this article, we're going to show you:

• How to focus from the start
• How to maintain focus and overcome daydreaming
• How to become a more focused person overall

(Also make sure you check out our guide ' Top mental strategies for studying at home ' if you're required to be productive in an environment that can sometimes be a little distracting #doomscrolling.)

How to focus while studying, from the start

Almost all of the problems associated with an inability to focus while studying fall into one of two broad categories:

• Issues of inertia: Difficulty starting to study
• Issues of daydreaming: Difficulty maintaining concentration when studying

Both have the same frustrating results but can require slightly different approaches to overcome. What you ideally need to do is calm your thoughts and minimize distractions just like you do when falling asleep, only now you're going to unleash 100% of your cognitive powers on learning and remembering!

Here’s how to do that ...

Tip # 1 for focusing while studying: Set up a peaceful, distraction-free "study bubble"

• Set out all your materials , stationery, Diet Cokes … whatever you need to learn. You shouldn’t have to get up for anything once you’ve started.
• Have a word with your family , housemates, cat, parrot, needy indoor plants … whoever you think might be a source of distraction. Explain politely that it’s study time and that you’d appreciate some quiet with minimal interruptions.
• Clear out your inbox . If there are emails that require time-consuming action, write it down on a to-do list so that you won’t forget to take care of it later. The science is clear: Multi-tasking does not actually work !
• Clear your phone of notifications and then turn it on silent so that it can’t ping and distract you. Better yet, leave it in another room. You won’t hurt Siri's feelings, we promise.
• If you’re working off a device, log out of any apps and social media that might send you distracting notifications.
• Optimize your body and brain to study . Go to the toilet, fill up your water bottle, brew a cup of coffee or tea, set out your snacks, and get a good night’s rest the night before.
• Knock out any important, potentially distracting tasks before your allotted study time—like paying a bill, feeding the cat, or breaking up with your annoying boyfriend.

Now, you don’t have to do all of the above to prepare your study bubble, but if you’re easily distracted and have a tendency to procrastinate when studying , clearing your proverbial plate can go a long way in helping you focus better.

Tip # 2 for focusing while studying: Set goals and milestones

The key to mastery is consistently devoting time to learning, whether it’s ten minutes or two hours a day. Therefore, your next step towards honing razor-sharp skills of focus is to set study goals or milestones.

Here are three steps to doing that:

Step 1: Skim the material before diving in

Start at the very beginning of the coursework you need to learn and lightly scan through everything, jotting down an outline as you go (think: roadmap). This will give you a 30,000-foot view of your subject AND prime your brain for the harder learning and memorization work to come.

Step 2: Identify your strengths and weaknesses

This will alert you to the sections and chapters you need to allocate more time . The aim is to be prepared, not surprised , when your "weakest" and least favorite topic shows up on your next exam.

Step 3: Break everything down into "bite-sized" study sessions

Now you can break your outline down into manageable daily chunks , depending on the amount of time you can spare each day to study. This isn’t an exact science so don’t be too rigid but make sure you comfortably spread everything out over the days you have left before your test or exam. And remember to devote more study time to your weaknesses!

(You can use Brainscape's free study schedules and exam planners to do this!)

How does all of this preparation help you to focus on studying from the start?

• Memory refresh: Scanning through and reviewing your study notes in order to establish a study plan refreshes your memory and helps to connect the dots on everything you’ve learned during the course or semester.
• A healthy perspective: By establishing that 30,000-foot view of what needs to be done, as well as a plan to get it done, you’ll probably feel a lot less intimidated by the task at hand.
• Motivation: With the study material broken down into smaller, more achievable milestones, you get that delicious “reward-like” sensation far more frequently. Mmm … dopamine . (Also, keeping a finger on the pulse of your study metrics can be a huge motivation because it allows you to visualize your progress toward your goals.)
• Momentum: Because this exercise isn’t memory–or even focus-intensive–it makes it easier to start, even if you have the attention span of a goldfish. And once you’ve overcome that study inertia, the momentum can kick in.

Essentially, you have just succeeded in establishing a powerful and convenient framework for learning. Good job! Now let's look at how you can stay focused while studying and maintain concentration.

How to maintain focus while studying

If it’s not external distractions (the cat, a noisy housemate, or emails plucking at your concentration), it’s internal distractions and the little siren’s song of the voice seducing you away from your books. Either way, staying focused while studying is hard . How can you overcome that particularly saucy daydream about Adriana Lima or Ryan Gosling (or both)?

Tip # 3 for staying focused while studying: Set goals that are appropriate to your mental gear

On some days, it feels like we can cruise through our study material like a Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 on an eight-lane autobahn. On other days, it's like we’re rattling down a potholed country road in an ancient pickup truck.

The trick is to recognize which gear your brain is in and shift your study approach to suit it.

If you're in a high mental gear, plan a long study session and try attacking the areas you’ve been having difficulty in. However, if you’re feeling flakey and easily distracted, shift down and instead, plan a series of short 5 to 10-minute flashcard sessions with frequent study breaks in between and some kind of reward at the end. You'll probably end up studying longer than that if you're on a roll.

The point is to capitalize on the energy you do have and still manage to study productively on the days you find your energy waning. Remember, the most productive people are skilled at managing their energy and attention , and not just their time.

Tip # 4 for staying focused while studying: Vary your learning methods

Everyone burns out after some time. There’s only so much reading and text highlighting you can do before your mind wanders. What can help enormously to re-engage your concentration is a bit of variety , both in your study environment and method:

• Try a change of scenery : Go for a walk or relocate to your local library, coffee shop, or even just a different room in your home.
• Do a round of flashcards : Take a break from your books and try a different study medium altogether, such as studying flashcards in Brainscape !
• Pepper your studies with frequent breaks: Some students follow the Pomodoro Technique , where they study for 25 minutes and then take 5 minutes off. We advise you to use natural milestones as breaks—between chapters or sub-sections—rather than blindly setting a timer that could interrupt you when you're on a roll. Find your sweet spot of time-on versus time-off and give yourself that space to breathe!
• Arrange a study session with a group of peers: This functions as a nice adjunctive method to your regular studying because (1) it holds you accountable, (2) your peers can help you address your weaknesses, and (3) in helping them, you're able to review your knowledge.

Just leave the beer at home.

Tip # 5 for maintaining study focus: Set automated study reminders

Take the guesswork and decision-making out of studying by programming study notifications into your device . You can easily do this with Brainscape, which has study streak reminders : gentle “nags” to keep your daily study streak alive.

To activate, simply go into the menu in the mobile app (left), select Notifications, and then you can then toggle on Streak Reminders (top right). Those will show up as push notifications on your phone’s home screen (bottom right) reminding you to stop what you’re doing and put in a quick study round with Brainscape. You can also customize the time of day you’d prefer to receive your reminders!

Tip # 6 for motivating yourself to study: Gamify your productivity

If you’re the pony, what’s your carrot? Is it chocolate? A 15-minute walk? A 20-minute episode of Modern Family ? Or even an actual carrot? Find what you can dangle in front of your nose as an incentive to complete a study session and then set yourself moving-target goals like “Once I finish making flashcards for this section on criminal law, I’m going to murder that Snickers bar,” or “Once I answer 10 flashcards in a row with perfect confidence, I’m going to go for a 15-minute walk."

Gamifying your productivity essentially requires that you design a reward system that makes studying feel gratifying for your brain. In other words: train your brain like you would a dog. With treats!

Tip # 7: Use the right tools to stay focused while studying!

One effective study tool that rolls all of the aforementioned hacks into one ridiculously good-looking flashcard-based learning platform is Brainscape , which breaks down content-heavy subjects into collections of bite-sized flashcards. These are then delivered to you via the hyper-efficient learning power of spaced repetition , metacognition , and active recall to help you learn twice as fast as any other study technique .

In short, Brainscape is engineered to:

• Make starting studying as easy as tapping a single button , eliminating mental inertia.
• Make learning incredibly accessible , wherever you go, even offline.
• Deliver the content to your brain in a way that is optimized for retention so you get more done in less time.
• Create a fun, engaging, and gamified study experience with tons of learning stats and awards to chase.
• Provide you with detailed study metrics so you can keep a finger on the pulse of your progress.

In other words, if you struggle with staying focused while studying, Brainscape is a powerful study tool that'll get you through any test or exam prep.

Tip # 8 on how to concentrate while studying: Give yourself a chance to reflect

Sometimes you genuinely need to take a break to reflect on your studies, as well as on the things that are distracting you. In fact, if you’re struggling to concentrate, maybe it’s because you haven't given yourself enough "reflective downtime" to process the things that are on your mind, such as an upsetting email, a pressing assignment, or a happy social development.

Opportunities for introspection include long walks, meditation, jogging, swimming, yoga, commuting, peeling potatoes, watching paint dry … any low-intensity activity that allows your brain to wander, daydream, and process. Taking a little study break to reflect, both on what you are learning and on what’s going on in your life is essential to your well-being. It’ll help improve your attention span and you’ll probably sleep better too.

How to become more focused on studying

Studying is a taxing and demanding mental activity so it’s no wonder that it tends to inspire inertia. And then maintaining focus while studying can feel like a constant battle in this digital world, with its constant distractions and slavish devotion to instant gratification.

But after reading all this, (good job by the way!) you should have a comprehensively stocked mental toolkit at your disposal. Now you know how to improve concentration, how to focus, and how to remember what you learn. You have everything you need to smash that exam into the bleachers right there in your he— SQUIRREL!

Flashcards for serious learners .

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A Clear Mindset for Clear Assignments: How to Focus on Homework

Discover the secrets on how to focus on homework by beating social media temptation and sidestepping distractions like a pro.

Created by:

August 4, 2023

When it comes to completing homework assignments, maintaining focus can be a daunting task. The allure of social media, the temptation to procrastinate, and the constant barrage of distractions can make it challenging to stay on track.

However, with a clear mindset and effective strategies, you can overcome these obstacles and make the most of your study time.

In this blog post, we will explore various techniques on how to focus on homework and achieve your academic goals.

Before we dive into the strategies, let's first understand why focusing on homework is crucial and explore some common distractions that students face.

The Benefits of Concentrating on Homework Assignments

Homework serves as a vital extension of classroom learning. It allows you to reinforce concepts, develop critical thinking skills, and deepen your understanding of the subject matter. By focusing on your assignments, you not only complete them efficiently but also gain valuable knowledge and skills. Additionally, effective time management and concentration during homework time can lead to better grades and improved overall academic performance.

Common Distractions That Students Face While Doing Homework

In today's digital age, distractions lurk around every corner, vying for our attention. When it comes to homework, these distractions can significantly hamper your ability to concentrate. Social media notifications, incoming messages, the appeal of video streaming platforms, and the endless rabbit holes of the internet can divert your attention and derail your productivity.

Now that we understand the importance of maintaining focus during homework, let's explore some strategies to help you prepare for productive study sessions .

Preparing for Homework

Creating a Study Environment

Creating an ideal study environment plays a crucial role in fostering concentration and productivity. Find a quiet and well-lit area where you can focus without interruptions. Clear your study area of any unnecessary clutter and ensure you have all the materials you need readily available. A clean and organized environment can contribute to a clear mindset and facilitate efficient studying.

Organizing Study Space

Having an organized study space can have a significant impact on your ability to concentrate. Keep your study materials neatly arranged and easily accessible. Use folders, binders, or digital tools to organize your notes, textbooks, and assignments. When everything is in its place, you can quickly locate what you need, minimizing time wasted searching for materials.

Minimizing Distractions

Distractions are the arch-nemesis of focus. To minimize their impact, it's important to identify and mitigate potential distractions in your study environment. Consider silencing your phone or using a dedicated app like Opal, the #1 screen time management app, to manage and monitor your device usage. Opal's innovative features can help you regain control over your screen time and stay on track with your assignments.

Now that your study space is optimized and distractions are minimized with a few easy changes, let's explore techniques to help you stay focused during your homework sessions.

Using the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can enhance your productivity and maintain focus. It involves breaking your study time into intervals, usually, 25 minutes in length, called "Pomodoros." After each Pomodoro, take a short break of 5 minutes. Every four Pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. This technique allows you to work in short bursts, preventing burnout and keeping your mind fresh.

Setting Goals and Prioritizing Tasks

Setting clear goals and prioritizing tasks can provide a sense of direction and purpose to your homework sessions. Understand the importance of setting goals and identify the most important tasks that need your immediate attention.

Create a to-do list with specific and achievable goals, ensuring that you tackle the most crucial assignments first such as Math homework. This approach helps you stay motivated and focused, as you can track your progress and experience the satisfaction of crossing off one task at a time.

Eliminating Procrastination

Procrastination is the enemy of productivity , and we have all fallen victim to its draw at some point. Understanding procrastination and identifying your triggers can help you combat this productivity killer.

Procrastination often arises from feelings of overwhelm, fear of failure, or a lack of interest in the task at hand. Recognize these triggers and develop strategies to overcome them. Break your assignments into smaller, manageable tasks, and reward yourself for completing each one. By taking small steps and staying motivated, you can conquer procrastination and maintain focus.

Staying Focused During Homework

Now that you've laid the groundwork for productive study sessions, let's explore techniques to help you maintain focus while doing homework.

Active Reading Techniques

Active reading techniques can significantly enhance comprehension and focus during your study sessions. Skimming and scanning techniques allow you to quickly gather information from texts, identify key points, and gain an overview of the material. Note-taking enables you to engage with the content actively, aiding memory retention and comprehension. Annotating your textbooks or reading materials with highlights and marginal notes can also help you stay engaged and focused.

Time Management Techniques

Effective time management is a cornerstone of focused sessions and helps complete your homework quicker. Prioritization is key to ensuring you allocate your time wisely. Identify the most important tasks and allocate sufficient time for each. Avoid the temptation to multitask, as it often leads to mind wandering, reduced focus, and diminished productivity. Instead, consider using time-blocking techniques, where you allocate specific time slots for different tasks. This approach helps you maintain focus on one assignment at a time, maximizing your efficiency.

Utilizing Technology

While technology can be a source of distraction, it can also serve as a valuable tool for maintaining focus. Various apps and tools are designed specifically to help students stay on track with their assignments. Apps for focusing, such as Opal or Screen Time , can provide valuable support by managing screen time, blocking distracting websites, and creating a distraction-free mode. By leveraging these technologies wisely, you can harness their power to enhance your focus and productivity.

Maintaining Focus

Staying focused for extended periods can be challenging, so it's essential to incorporate breaks and mindfulness techniques into your study routine.

Taking Breaks

Breaks are not a sign of laziness; they are a necessary component of maintaining focus and preventing mental fatigue. Understand the importance of breaks in maintaining productivity and take effective breaks that rejuvenate your mind. Step away from your study space, engage in physical activity, eat a few healthy snacks, get some fresh air, or indulge in a hobby you enjoy. Use these breaks wisely to recharge and return to your assignments with renewed focus.

Mindfulness Techniques

Mindfulness is a practice that cultivates present-moment awareness and helps you stay engaged with your tasks. Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your study sessions to improve concentration and reduce distractions. Practice deep breathing exercises, listen to classical music, focus on the sensations of studying, and cultivate an attitude of curiosity and non-judgment. By embracing mindfulness, you can bring clarity and intention to your homework sessions.

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can significantly hamper your ability to concentrate and perform well academically. Understand the impact of stress and anxiety on your focus and implement strategies to manage them effectively. Identify stressors and triggers, and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Meditation and breathing exercises can help calm your mind and alleviate anxiety. Taking care of your overall well-being through exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet also contributes to reduced stress levels and improved focus.

Staying on Track

While the strategies mentioned above can significantly enhance your ability to focus, there may be times when you require additional support or motivation.

Seeking Help

Recognize when you need help and don't hesitate to reach out to others. Other students, teachers, or family member can provide valuable guidance and support. Collaborating with classmates through study groups or seeking clarification from your instructors can help you overcome challenges and maintain focus. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Seeking help not only benefits your focus but can also be a gateway to a supportive community. One such community that shares your vision for focused productivity is the Opal community.

By joining the Opal community, you gain access to a network of like-minded individuals who are striving for productivity and focus. You can connect with peers who understand the challenges of maintaining concentration and share valuable insights and strategies. Through the Opal platform, you can engage in discussions, exchange tips, and tricks, and find inspiration from others on the same journey.

Rewarding Yourself

Rewarding yourself for your hard work and accomplishments can serve as a powerful motivator. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, and choose appropriate rewards that align with your interests and values. Whether it's indulging in a favorite treat, enjoying leisure time, or engaging in a hobby, these rewards reinforce positive habits and create a sense of satisfaction.

Staying Motivated

Motivation is the driving force behind focused and successful homework sessions. Understand what motivates you and tap into those sources of inspiration. Set long-term goals and break them down into smaller milestones. Celebrate each milestone as you achieve it, and use these accomplishments as fuel to keep you moving forward. Stay positive, maintain a growth mindset, and remind yourself of the bigger picture.

Final Thoughts

Maintaining focus while doing homework is a skill that can be developed with practice and a clear mindset. By creating a study environment conducive to concentration, utilizing effective time management techniques, incorporating breaks and mindfulness, and seeking appropriate support, you can enhance your ability to focus and achieve academic success.

Remember, staying focused is not about eliminating all distractions but rather managing them effectively. So, apply these strategies consistently, harness the power of technology tools like Opal, and make the most of your study time. With a clear mindset and focused approach, you can conquer your assignments and pave the way for a successful academic journey.

To make the most out of every day, learn more about how Opal can be your reliable companion in managing screen time and optimizing your focus during homework and beyond.

Now, armed with these strategies, go forth and conquer your assignments with a clear mind and unwavering focus!

Learn More About Opal Today!

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With a combination of app restrictions, real time feedback and rewards, you can begin to focus better and accomplish your dreams.

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I’m really passionate about the impact Opal has on the brain. I really feel like people, especially athletes, don’t understand what the word “recovery” means. It’s not about giving your muscles a break. It’s about giving your mind a break too from all the sensory input we deal with on a daily basis.

Several people suggested Opal – I tried it out and it does exactly what I need it to do and is much more customizable than Down/Screen Time 💎 👍

I have been using Opal and it has really made me intentional about how and when I use my phone. I'll set a 23 hour timer and literally keep my phone in one room in the house so i don't default to looking at it as a habit (something I did a lot in my first 2 weeks off).

Loving Opal. It's helping me not get super distracted while I'm in a deep work session!

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How To Focus On Homework: The Ultimate Guide

I think we can all safely agree on this:

Getting your homework done can quickly become the bane of your existence.

(I’m looking at YOU, ridiculously long WebAssign problem sets.)

It takes forever to finish, especially when you don’t really know how to focus on homework.

It leaves you feeling tired, frustrated, and wondering whether you’ve actually learned anything at all, despite all that time you spent in class.

It was created by the illuminati to keep the student population in a state of fear.

(Okay don’t fact-check me on that last one.)

So how do we break the cycle?

In this guide, I’ll cover how to focus on homework using super-efficient organization techniques, what science tells us about eliminating distractions and boosting willpower, and a straightforward method that will illustrate how to do homework fast (and learn more at the same time).

Implement this and you’ll cut hours off your homework time each night, while unknowingly “studying” for your exams at the same time.

Here’s our process:

• SECTION 1. Get Your Schedule Straight
• SECTION 2. Optimize Your Environment
• SECTION 3. Prepare Your Brain
• SECTION 4. Jump Into Problems + Go Slow

First make sure you have consistent time blocked off for homework, and a specific goal for what needs to be accomplished. Otherwise, life (a.k.a. Netflix) tends to get in the way.

Then, get your environment set up to maximize efficiency (reduce the amount of time it takes to get started) and minimize distractions (and preserve focus and willpower).

Third, prime yourself for work by taking a few simple steps to give your body and brain a “reset” (and recharge your focus muscle) before jumping into battle.

Finally, our 2-step method:

First, jump into solving problems as quickly as possible (start “hard learning” right off the bat).

Then, slow down when you hit a sticking point and work at it (to build deep understanding).

Let’s jump in.

Why Can’t I Focus On Homework?

Writix reader Ashley writes…

“I wish I had the ability to know enough after lecture to solve problems and was fast enough to complete my assignments and problem sets on time.”

Well like Ashley, I think at some point we’ve all wanted to figure out how to spend less time on homework and more time on things that actually matter to us.

Our projects, jobs and internships.

Hanging out with friends and enjoying ourselves.

Actually sleeping… Anybody?

But how do we do it?

Is it just a matter following this more **AHEM** “traditional” study advice I found online?

Ohhhhhh, now I get it… You just have to sit down and do your work…

Instead, our process includes some setup tips for focusing on homework, followed by a specific 2-step technique that will actually get you results.

A quick caveat before we jump in: there are no magic bullets.

You’re not going to be able to understand everything right away.

You’re not going to be able to bust through them like some sort of finely tuned super computer.

And yes, Limitless was a very cool movie, but I don’t have a tiny clear pill for you – you’re going to need to put in the work.

Let’s talk about how to make that happen.

How To Focus On Homework Section 1: Get Your Schedule Straight

This may seem utterly obvious, but sometimes it’s the simple things that make all the difference:

Make sure you have consistent time blocked off to do your homework.

But I think you’d surprise yourself if you sat down to think about how many times you’ve…

• Gotten back to your dorm or apartment to start on that Calc problem set, only to realize you have an English essay due tomorrow at 9am (doh!)
• Told yourself, “Ah, I’ve got plent of time. I’ll get it done tomorrow.” only to realize tomorrow you have a 3-hour Chemistry lab followed by band practice
• Had some vague idea of when you’d finish your Physics homework “Wednesday or Thursday” only to find yourself on the couch, both days glued to re-runs of The Office

These tragedies of poor schedule management occur because we haven’t created the mental space (or calendar space) to finish our assignments on a consistent basis.

And if that time doesn’t get allocated ahead of time, it’s quite easy to brush off a few hours of homeowork problems to the next day, and the next, and the next.

Or if you do end up sitting down to work, that time gets contaminated by distractions like friends, eating, and fatigue if you’re not consistent about where and when it needs to happen.

Then you find yourself sitting there thinking: “Why can’t I focus on homework?” Frustrated that you can never get anything done…

Solution? Time blocking.

Block Off Consistent Homework Time In Your Schedule

Simply put: take some time (right now would be good) to block off an hour or two each day for homework in your schedule.

Make sure you know that you can protect that time from other obligations (family, friends, food, Call of Duty, etc.), and make sure it lines up with when you work best (are you an early bird or a night owl?).

Okay good – next?

Schedule Specific Assignments Within Your Homework Blocks Each Day

Let’s take this concept a step further.

At the beginning of each day (or the night before), “fill in” your homework timeblock you created for yourself in your schedule with the specific assignment you intend on working on.

This will help to minimize deliberation (e.g. “should I work on English or Calc tonight?”) which wastes valuable willpower resources , and will help you to focus more intently on the task at hand once you do sit down for your homework session.

As Cal Newport writes in his latest (amazing) book Deep Work :

“Without structure, it’s easy to allow your time to devolve into the shallow – e-mail, social media, Web surfing… With structure, on the other hand, you can ensure that you regularly schedule blocks to grapple with a new idea, or work deeply on something challenging…”

Now, you can be flexible with this if something comes up, and move around your assignments after you schedule them. But having a starting point to work from is a huge step up from just flying by the seat of your pants.

How To Focus On Homework Section 2: Optimize Your Environment

We all know the platitude:

“A cluttered desk means a cluttered mind.”

Well okay, then what does an empty desk mean?

Despite arguments to the contrary (a.k.a. “I love chaos” talk) there is definitely some truth to that original statement – and there are a few key reasons why:

(1) A dis-organized study environment will increase the amount of time it takes to get started on (or switch between) your assignments.

This involves both the physical arrangement of your work supplies (computer, notebook, pens, etc.) and work to be done (papers, syllabi, textbooks, etc.), as well as your digital life (filing system, bookmarks, online resources, etc.).

(2) A dis-organized study environment will increase the “distraction load” your brain has to work around (e.g. “Ooh forgot about that – lemme just check my email real quick”), which drains willpower (a.k.a. learning energy) much more rapidly.

As we covered in Section 1, willpower is critical when it comes to staying focused, and powering through difficult work (a.k.a. problem sets). And this turns out to be a key aspect of how to focus on studying as well, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

So now that you have your calendar in order, let’s get your study space in order as well.

Make Your Study Space Super Efficient With 5S

In the world of manufacturing, there’s a Japenese concept of organization called 5s , aimed at standardizing routine tasks, minimizing time spent searching for or re-organizing equipment, and promoting productive work through a clean environment.

Well, the same can be applied to your homework space.

Take an index of where you usually do your homework:

• Do your computer, notebook, textbooks, pens/pencils, backpack go in the same spot every time?
• Do you clear off your desk/table at the end of each study session?
• Is there enough space for you to fit your assignments on a desk/table along with your computer?
• Do you have a filing system (or recycling bin) set up for loose papers?
• Do you have a standard pen/paper setup and problem sheet format you use for all homework assignments?

And on your computer itself:

• Is your desktop cluttered?
• Do you have a filing system set up for files on your computer?
• Are your most frequently visited reference/assignment websites (WebAssign, Blackboard, Khan Academy, etc.) bookmarked on your web browser for quick access?

By streamlining each of these aspects of your homework spot and routine, you’re removing small friction points that, when added up, make a big different in terms of how quickly you can get up and running.

(Just think: if it takes you 2 minutes instead of 15 minutes to get set up, multiplied across 7 days a week, 14 weeks a semester… that’s 21 hours saved per semester!)

Quick caveat: it pays to sometimes switch up your routine and change study environments.

The research shows that new knowledge becomes more “flexible” when you acquire and use that information in a variety of different circumstances (e.g. the library, in class, at home, when you’re sleepy, etc.).

So after you get your homework space set up, you may want to work in a few study sessions in some alternate locations as well.

Maximize Willpower By Eliminating Distractions

A nice side effect of a clean, organized, standardized homework spot is it almost guarantees you will be less distracted by default.

No clutter on your desk or computer to sort through, only to realize you forgot to pay rent this month.

No excuses to get up to go search for your notebook, only to find yourself in an impromptu Greco-Roman-style wrestling match with your roommate.

However, just being organized doesn’t quite get us there – it’s also worth our while to actively seek out and eliminate potential distractions.

Ask yourself this:

• Are there activities you find yourself routinely “falling into” (e.g. snacking, chores, etc.) during your scheduled homework time?
• Are there specific websites you find yourself on (“oh hello fellow redditors”) that pull you away from your work?
• Do you find yourself [flipping between assignments, reading notes, researching classes for next semester, etc.] when you get stuck during an assignment?
• Are you glued to your phone?

The good news is, these are all things we can work to eliminate.

Here are some things you can try:

Remember, not only do distractions take time directly away from your homework, they also impart a “task switching penalty” (e.g. research from Carnegie Mellon found frequent interruptions make you 20% dumber ) which significantly depletes willpower.

And willpower is your most critical learning resource – protect it at all costs.

How To Focus On Homework Section 3: Prepare Your Brain

Ever notice how drained you start to feel after grinding on the same task for hours on end?

Well, good news: it’s not just you, and there are ways around it.

Studies from University of Illinois and Cornell University show that extended periods of work (> 50 minutes) degrade cognitive performance, and that short breaks (10-15 minutes) can renew attention and improve performance.

So our final preparation step is:

Prime yourself for work by taking a step back and giving your body and brain a “reset” before jumping in to work.

Step 1: Eliminate Inputs

According to Alejandro Lleras, the University of Illinois psychology professor who led the the study referenced above:

“Constant stimulation is registered by our brains as unimportant, to the point that the brain erases it from our awareness…”

Translation?

At some point during that day, listening to lectures, taking notes, reading textbooks, responding to emails – all of that input starts to get progressively ignored by the brain.

Take a 15-minute “unplug” break prior to starting your homework.

Turn off your phone.

Take out your earbuds.

Close the computer.

And find a quiet spot to just sit, take a few deep breaths, close your eyes maybe, and focus on nothing.

Then, when you’re done, when you jump into your work, your attention will be renewed, and you’ll be much more prepared to tackle the difficult work of solving new types of problems.

Step 2: Apply Intermittent Breaks to Maintain Focus

To extend this concept further, also plan on working intermittent breaks into your homework sessions.

(1) Use the Pomodoro Technique, and work in cycles of 25 minutes on/5 minutes off. Here’s a link to the Pomodoro timer I use .

(2) Use the “Rule of 52 and 17” (measured by the Draugiem Group as the optimal schedule of their 10% most productive employees), which is similar to the Pomodoro regimen, but extends the work window to 52 minutes, which may be more conducive to long, involved homework problems.

(3) Use a 90 minutes on/20 minutes off schedule, which fits perfectly with our natural energy cycles

(4) Go with the flow, just make sure to stop and reset when you start to zone out or lose focus.

Sound good?

How To Focus On Homework Section 4: Jump Into Problems + Go Slow

Okay, now that we’re set up and primed, we’re ready for our 2-step process.

Step 1: Jump Into Solving Problems As Quickly As Possible

A lot of the time we get caught up in the process of what we “should” be doing when it comes to studying.

You do some reading before you class, you go to class, you take the notes.

You finish up the notes, you come home, you start your homework, your review your notes, you read the textbook.

You do that over and over and over again until you get to the exam and then cross your fingers you can actually solve what the professor decides to throw your way.

But more often than not, that story doesn’t end too well.

Plus, it takes a ton of time in the process.

The problem is this:

This “standard” formula assumes that by hearing and reviewing the information, an ability to use that information to solve problems comes along by default – something that couldn’t be further from the truth.

So when you sit down to work through the first few homework problems, you’re almost immediately struck with a dilemma: you’ve spent all this time reviewing the concepts you were “supposed to” but still find yourself stuck and frustrated.

We then waste huge chunks of time spinning ourselves in circles trying to figure out how to get the right answer, procrastinating, Googling the problem trying to find somebody who’s solved it for us…

Instead, my recommendation is to flip the script: jump into solving problems as quickly as possible.

Don’t feel like you have to read through your notes, or perfectly understand exactly what equations to use or what assumptions to make before starting to solve problems. It’s this type of hoop-jumping that’s the big time-waster.

In fact, the research shows that not only the quicker you start on solving problems, the faster you’re going to be able to get them done, but also the more information you’ll retain later on when you study and return to that type of problem again.

And this is even if you’re not doing it right, get the wrong answer, or draw a blank. The simple act of jumping in and trying first is going to help you remember it better the next time you do it.

And that’s saving us huge amounts of time in the future.

Step 2: Go Slow So That You Can Go Fast

Now, I know the immediate next question is:

“What the hell do I do when I sit down to do my homework and I’m just completely stumped, and I have no idea what to do?”

Then you spend all of this time trying to go back through your notes or trying to look it up online anyway and it ends up taking forever regardless.

Okay, yes. Fair point.

But here’s where we get into a little bit more nuanced view of how to approach the problem solving process.

So maybe you get stuck and you type in a problem to Google. You pull it up on a forum that gives you a step-by-step solution and viola, there’s your answer.

You then speedily take that solution, plug it into your own problem, and get some sort of final answer.

Then, you’re off to the next problem.

The problem is, even though you may have just solved that one problem faster, the cycle repeats itself because you get stuck again on the next problem, because you didn’t really understand what we did the first time around.

This shallow level of understanding that we get from trying to shortcut the problem solving process actually makes it so that it takes longer to get our homework done.

So instead: slow down so that you can go fast.

It means that when you hit that point in the problem where you get stuck and have no idea what to do, don’t try to work it out quickly.

This sounds counter-intuitive, but now is the time to stop, pause, take a step back, and switch into questioning detective mode to figure out what’s going on that you don’t understand.

From there you can start to build the deep understanding you need that will carry over to other homework problems (and eventually exam problems).

When we start off a problem initially, we’re in an “answer focused” thought process. We’re trying to remember what to do, what equation to use, how to get to the next step.

And we’re so focused on finding the answer that when we hit the point where we don’t know what to do next, this “answer-focused” mode actually prevents us from figuring out what to do.

So this is why we want to switch instead into “question-focused” mode – trying to understand why it’s the case that we don’t understand, what we’re missing, etc.

And this question focus is actually the basis of the whole Reverse Learning thing that I talk about all the time.

We’re asking questions that lead us in the direction of understanding what concepts are at play, which variables mean what, which equations am I using and why, etc.

It’s this questioning process that’s going to allow you to develop a deeper understanding of what’s going on, which will then allow you to go much, much faster when you jump back into solving problems because you’ll actually understand the principles at play instead of just memorizing some specific answer to a specific problem.

For example, take this integration problem (from Paul’s Online Math Notes ).

I could be going through the solution and get stuck, because I’ve never done this “u-substitution” thing before.

And then I could go over and type it into Google and look at Yahoo answers for the specific type of problem I’m working on, and then move on.

This is the “standard” approach.

Or alternatively, I could really dig in and try to understand what’s going on when we’re substituting this section of variables for “u”, and then doing all this other calculus on the side, and then plugging stuff back in.

• What it is that we’re actually doing?
• How do I pick what the u is and what the du is, and how does this help me in different situations?
• Maybe I have two exponents or maybe I have an exponent and a trig function, or maybe I have a natural log?
• So on and so forth…

Like I said, this deeper understanding will not only benefit you long-term (a.k.a. handle curveballs on the exam), but it’s also going to help you short-term because, chances are, the next five problems that you have to do on your homework set are going to involve the same principles that went into solving that first problem.

The better you understand how to do those in this particular integral, it will help you to knock through those next four integral problems that much faster.

Summary: Our 2-Step Process to Homework Speed

So again, if you want to get your homework done faster…

(1) Jump into problems as quickly as possible.

Skip the “standard” hoop-jumping process of reviewing your notes and textbook, turn right to homework problem #1, and get started.

(2) Go slow, so that you can go fast later.

Vary your pace as you work – not everything should be attacked with lightning-fast urgency. Slow down when things get difficult and you feel stuck.

Back-track and follow the “question-focused” Reverse Learning thought process to build a deep understanding of the concepts, equations, and methods at play.

Then, and only then, jump back into your problems and you’ll find yourself speeding through those same roadblocks that used to trip you up.

How To Focus On Homework Section 5: Frequently Asked Questions

What if i get distracted (despite my best efforts) and procrastinate.

It’ll happen. Guaranteed. The key here?

Don’t beat yourself up, which typically leads to “I failed, woe is me” type thoughts, which just put off your work even more.

Simply take the necessary steps to reset and start the “focusing” process again (see Section 3).

You can also go back and evaluate what distracted you and figure out how to prevent it from happening again (see Section 2). Eventually you’ll get a good feel for how to focus on homework and not procrastinate, and you’ll be off to the races!

How to focus on homework at night, or when tired?

Let’s first be honest: unless you’re a hardcore night owl, doing homework late at night puts you at a disadvantage because your willpower reserves are at their lowest point for the day.

That being said, if you find yourself stuck in a situation (which don’t worry, happens to the best of us… a lot) where you have to figure out how to finish homework late at night, or just simply how to focus on homework when tired, there are a few things you can do.

First off, if you’re actually falling asleep while doing homework, but you HAVE to get it done, consider a power nap . Even just 15 minutes of shut-eye can give you enough of a quick recharge to get back to it without face-planting into your keyboard.

Second, you can test finding yourself some late night homework motivation . Just head on over to Youtube and type in something like “homework motivation”, or “study motivation”, or “study with me” and you’ll have your pick of a quick video or two to potentially raise your spirits enough to push through.

But be warned, this goes against our whole “how to not get distracted while doing homework on the computer” advice… so use with caution.

Third, if those first two suggestions don’t do it for you, and you’re still trying to figure out how to stay awake while doing homework late at night, try the “short burst” Pomodoro technique.

Instead of a 25/5 minute cadence, try doing 5 minutes of focus followed by 5 minutes of break. It’s easier to muster the mental energy you need for shorter periods of time, so even though it’s less efficient, it’ll increase the likelihood that you’ll actually get the job done.

Granted, all of these suggestions assume you HAVE NO OPTION other than getting your homework done that night. But if you DO have the option of doing your homework the following morning, and you’re wondering, “Should I stay up late to do homework or wake up early?” I suggest the latter.

Because a large portion of the learning process happens during the various phases of sleep, you may wake up to the pleasant surprise that all the sudden the solution to that problem you were struggling with appears to you, seemingly out of nowhere.

So if you have the option to sleep before finishing, take advantage of it.

What about for WebAssign (or any other online platform) homework?

This method especially applies to online assignments.

How often do we just sit there, textbook and notes open, Google ready to go at a moment’s notice, frantically searching for a formula we can plug in to get the correct answer and type it into that little grey entry box?

This is the wrong approach for so many reasons (see Section 4, Step 2).

Instead, apply our 2-step approach, take your time to work through the problem solution on paper, and then enter the answer when you’re done.

Can I listen to music?

This mostly comes down to personal preference; however, there are a few rules you should abide by:

(1) No music with noticeable lyrics. Hearing human voices speaking will draw your attention away.

(2) Don’t let song picking, playlist setup, etc. become a new method of procrastination. Apply the 5S principles from Section 1 here and set it up beforehand so you don’t have to think about it.

Some great additional resources on studying with music here .

My [roommate, grandma, pet cat] is loud and distracting, and I have nowhere else to go. What do I do?

What about the library? Or the study lounge in your building?

What about a studious friend’s house or dorm room?

Have you talked to them about it and explained your issue?

Is there somewhere else the damn cat can go!?

Take control of your situation and don’t let outside factors be an excuse to degrade your work time.

I find these assignments pointless and can’t get motivated. What do I do?

Motivation is tricky. It comes, it goes.

One thing that tends to help is to take a step back and look at the “why” behind studying. What are you working towards?

But the simplest approach is to ignore motivation, and just get started – however down or grumpy you might be.

Set a timer for 5 minutes and start a little, tiny piece of work.

That small commitment will initiate what psychologists refer to as the Ovsiankina Effect – we, as humans, experience a strong desire to finish things we start.

What to do when you can’t focus on homework? As in: it’s just not happening.

Like I suggested above, if you have the option, step away. Sometimes you just don’t got it, and that’s okay as long as you aren’t too pressed for time.

If you don’t have the time, and need to figure out how to finish homework at the last minute, even when you can’t seem to focus, then the same advice as the “How to focus on homework at night?” question above applies:

Try taking a short break or a power nap.

Then try a quick burst of motivation.

And finally, switch to the 5-minute work schedule until you get yourself back on track.

I’m too busy, have an 11-hour commute, can only study at midnight, and other nonsense…

Take a hard look at your schedule (see Section 1).

Where is your “busyness” coming from?

Is it actual obligations, or time-wasting activities that reduce the time you have to work that make you feel busy?

If there are legitimate reasons you’re in a time crunch, think about steps you can take to create the time you need.

If you’re just simply procrastinating too much, see Section 2 and get crackin!

Now it’s your turn.

Implement this method and you’ll find yourself:

• Coming back from class and powering through assignments that used to take you days
• Grabbing back that full 10% of your grade on homework instead of throwing away critical % points
• Cutting your overall study time because you’ll actually retain the ability to solve those same problems by the time your exams roll around

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How to Stay Focused on Homework: 13 Easy Tips

Whether you’re a 15 year old and trying to pass the 10th grade or doing your Master’s degree and trying to complete the required reading, learning how to stay focused on homework is a lifelong skill that can feel boring and painful at times, but is necessary.

We learn to dread homework growing up, viewing it as the thing that gets in the way of our recreational time.

Who wants to be doing math problems when they could be outside playing with their friends?

Who wants to deal with pages of required reading or worry about staying focused when studying when they could be watching the latest bingeworthy shows on Netflix?

I’m not here to argue for or against the necessity of homework itself, but instead that sometimes, doing homework is a part of life.

And if we want to succeed in life, we have to do the homework.

We have to get motivated to write that essay , we have to get motivated to study , and we have to learn to stay focused on our goals .

Staying focused on homework when there are so many other distractions competing for our attention can be difficult, so in this post we’re going to get real, get honest, and talk about how to stay focused on homework even when you’d rather be doing anything else.

Study Tools You Need RIght Now

1. See How Fast You Can Get it Done Accurately

Getting your homework done quickly is usually the goal for most people, and while you don’t want to sacrifice accuracy, making a game out of it and seeing how fast you can get your homework done is usually a great way to stay focused on your homework.

There is a theory that we use as much time for tasks as we give ourselves, so it may be that actually you can write a good essay in 2 hours, when normally you would take 6 hours.

How much of that 6 hours is spent being distracted and wandering around your room aimlessly?

When we limit our time, we can get things done faster.

This isn’t to say that you should try and do 56 math problems in 2 minutes or sacrifice actually learning the material, but making a game to see how fast you can accurately do your homework is a great way to stay focused because now instead of just trying to focus on the content, you are focused on the goal of completing it and that will carry you through when it gets hard to stay focused.

2. Give Yourself a Reward When You Finish

It’s the only trick in the book, but that’s because it works and is one of my best productivity tips .

If you’re find it difficult to stay focused on your homework, make sure to promise yourself some sort of award when you finish.

For example, if you finish your book report, you can watch 30 minutes of your favorite TV show.

If you finish your math problems, you can have the snack you’ve been wanting since you got home.

Those of us adults with homework can also do this, but in bigger ways.

When you finish your dissertation, reward yourself by buying the new purse you’ve been keeping your eye on.

When you finish your physics problems, you can call a friend and go meet up for dinner.

Human nature is to work best when we are working towards something, and this is another way of keeping you focused on your homework by keeping you focused on the reward that will come from staying focused and completing your goal.

3. Find a New Way to Study

Sometimes, focus comes down to what you’re actually doing to learn the material.

For instance, I never learned well just rereading my notes to study for tests, and I found it much easier to use index cards to create questions and quiz myself with.

If part of your homework is studying for a test or something that you’re able to do in a way that makes more sense to you, do that!

We had quite a few projects that I was able to be more creative on that really helped keep me focused on working on them because I was much more interested.

If you’re having major problems focusing on your homework, check to see that you’re picking topics that really interest you, where possible, or talk to your teachers or professors to let them know that you’re struggling and see if they have any creative suggestions on how you could learn the material.

You can also use something like ClickUp to help you organize your homework and studying virtually.

4. Create a Study Group and Set a Goal

Study groups aren’t always good for focusing on homework because by the end of it, you’ve devolved into planning your Spring Break and no one has stuck to the plan or gotten much work done.

However, I like study groups as a way to stay focused on school work when you have a goal in mind. For instance, you could meet up and say you’re not going to leave the library until you’ve finished the project or you could say you’re not going to leave until you all feel confident that you could pass a test on Chapter 7 or you won’t finish until everyone has finished and understands how to do all of the math problems.

Having a study group just to have a study group isn’t always helpful, but with a clear outcome in mind, you can at least try and keep the socializing to a minimum until you go out and celebrate later for having finished.

You can also do it virtually with a platform like Zoom , which I talk about in my list of productivity tools .

This is also a great time to actually be honest with yourself about who that you know would make a good study group.

5. Do the Hardest Homework First

Our ability to focus goes down the longer we work on something, so if you have 4 hours of homework in 4 different subjects, you should start with what you find hardest first when your focus can be at its peak.

By the time you reach the fourth hour, you may be really wishing you had something that was much easier to focus on because you will naturally lose the willpower and ability to stay focused for that long.

This sometimes goes against our natural inclinations to save the hardest homework for last because we don’t want to deal with it until later, but putting it off makes it even harder to focus.

6. Listen to Instrumental Music

For some people, music can help keep them stay calm when stressed and is a good idea when trying to focus on homework, but make sure it’s the right kind of music.

For me, music with words is actually really difficult to have on in the background while I work on something also related to words (reading or writing or trying to understand concepts) because it uses that part of my brain to try and sing along.

I find that instrumental music is much better, whether it’s just basic instrumental music, instrumental covers of my favorite songs, or dedicated study playlists that use music that is actually thought to improve your concentration based on the tones of the sounds it creates.

You can find tons of these on Youtube and just put it on in the background as you try to get to work.

7. Create Your Perfect Environment

Equally, some of us find it super hard to focus with any noises in the background.

The aim of the game when it comes to focusing on homework has to do with creating your perfect environment and testing different environments to see what works for you.

Some people will find it easy to work in a library filled with other people working and walking around, while others will want to be in a cubicle with nothing else going on around them.

Some will want complete silence, others will want to blare music.

You should also think about the actual physical way you do your homework and whether that’s helping you.

There is a big difference for some people in the ability to focus when you’re laying down on your bed versus sitting at a dedicated desk, or working outside versus working inside.

Create the best environment you can before you get started on your homework and you’ll make it that much easier for yourself to focus.

8. Complete It In 20 Minute Chunks

Most people can focus for about 15-30 minutes before needing a quick break to look at something else or just stop looking at whatever they’re working on for a minute or two.

If you chunk your homework down into 20 minute chunks and aim to complete one at a time, this is actually a really useful way to stay focused because it’s not as daunting and you can focus on getting through one chunk at a time.

You can do this in so many ways, like chunking down the math problems and doing 10 at a time before you take a break, or reading a certain number of pages before you take 5 minutes to look up from your book.

Do everything in your power to make focusing seem less challenging, and your mind and body will more easily cooperate.

9. Get a Tutor

Sometimes, a study group of your friends isn’t necessarily the best idea under many circumstances, but a tutor almost always is.

Unlike a social companion, they’re there basically to help you focus on studying and to help coach you through anything you find difficult.

Having that external person who is sitting with you and helping you chunk down your work and setting goals for you is exactly what some people need to get their homework done in a productive way.

The level of tutor you need depends on what you’re working on.

If you just want someone to help you with the material who has done it before, you could ask someone a few grades above you to help out.

Equally, some families hire tutors for children with learning disabilities or those who are really struggling in a topic, and in this case the tutor may have a lot more experience in behavior and helping people to get the work done that goes beyond having done it beore.

10. Plan to Teach it to Others

Teaching the material to others is always a great way to help yourself stay focused when learning, because believe it or not, you’re learning to!

I used to teach my stuffed animals the material after I had done some homework on it, but you can also try and teach it to anyone to see how much you remember.

Many times, this transition into an active way of learning rather than passive is a great way to stay focused on studying and get things done instead of just hoping you remember it.

11. Use Website Blockers on Your Computer

If your problems with staying focused on your homework come down to other distractions, you can install plenty of software on your computer or phone that actually block certain websites when you tell them to.

You could block social media so you’re not taking breaks to scroll Instagram, block the entire internet or turn off the WiFi if you’re trying to focus on reading but can’t help continue to go on Reddit every couple of minutes, etc.

Staying focused isn’t just a “you” problem, it is a pretty prevalent human problem, especially in the modern world where we have more distractions than ever before.

So be strong, block the websites and apps, and then get down to business.

Not giving yourself the option to go on them means you don’t have to use up willpower trying not to.

You could also do this by giving someone else your password to your social media accounts and having them change it and not telling you what it is so it’s impossible for you to get in.

12. Make a To-Do List with Color Coding

For us visual people, making color coded to-do lists isn’t just an Instagrammable organizational tip, but a big life hack that helps us stay on track and be more productive.

If you’re struggling with your homework and staying focused, make a list each day of exactly what you need to do and use color codings, post-it notes or another visual way of checking things off to work through your list.

The more that you visually see completed on the paper, the more motivated you’ll be to keep staying focused and getting through the rest.

When you don’t have a list, it can feel like you’re not making any progress.

13. Use a Highlighter When Reading

If your homework involves reading or studying, you can also take an active role in this by using a highlighter to highlight important passages or use a pen to make notes next to the reading as you go.

This is proven to keep you more engaged in the material, which in turn will keep you more focused on your reading.

When you’re forcing yourself to engage with and respond to the material, you’re much more likely to remember and stay focused on it as opposed to what happens when you just passively read a book or read over your notes.

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7 Tips for Becoming More Mentally Focused

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

Staying on task can be difficult, but it can be particularly challenging when you are surrounded by constant distractions. In today's always-connected world, diversions are nothing more than a click away, which makes it that much more difficult to figure out how to focus.

Even during quiet moments, distraction is literally at your fingertips as you find yourself checking your social media notifications or the latest news updates.

But being mentally focused is essential for success. The ability to concentrate on something in your environment and direct mental effort toward it is critical for learning new things, achieving goals , and performing well across a wide variety of situations.

Whether you are trying to finish a report at work or competing in a marathon, your ability to focus can mean the difference between success and failure.

Fortunately, focus is a lot like a mental muscle. The more you work on building it up, the stronger it gets.

Becoming more mentally focused is achievable, but that doesn't mean that it's always quick and easy. If it was simple, then we would all have the razor-sharp concentration of an elite athlete.

It will take some real effort on your part and you may have to make some changes to some of your daily habits. Here are some tips and tricks from psychology that can help you learn how to focus and develop laser-like mental concentration.

Press Play for Advice On Staying Motivated

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to stay motivated and focused even when you don't want to. Click below to listen now.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Evaluate How Mentally Focused You Are

Studio Firma / Getty Images

Before you start working toward learning how to focus, you might want to begin by assessing just how strong your mental focus is at the present moment.

You find it easy to stay alert

You set goals and break tasks up into smaller parts

You take short breaks, then get back to work

You daydream regularly

You can't tune out distractions

You lose track of your progress

If the first set of statements seems more your style, then you probably already have fairly good concentration skills, but you could be even stronger with a little practice.

If you identify more with the second set of statements, then you probably need to work on your mental focus quite a bit. It might take some time, but practicing some good habits and being mindful of your distractibility can help.

Eliminate Distractions

While it may sound obvious, people often underestimate just how many distractions prevent them from concentrating on the task at hand. Such intrusions might come in the form of a radio blaring in the background or perhaps an obnoxious co-worker who constantly drops by your cubicle to chat.

Minimizing these sources of distraction isn't always as easy as it sounds. While it might be as simple as turning off the television or radio, you might find it much more challenging to deal with an interrupting co-worker, spouse, child, or roommate.

One way to deal with this is to set aside a specific time and place and request to be left alone for that period of time. Another alternative is to seek out a calm location where you know you will be able to work undisturbed. The library, a private room in your house, or even a quiet coffee shop might all be good spots to try.

Not all distractions come from outside sources. Exhaustion, worry , anxiety, poor motivation, and other internal disturbances can be particularly difficult to avoid.

A few strategies you might want to try to minimize or eliminate such internal distractions are to make sure you are well-rested prior to the task and to use positive thoughts and imagery to fight off anxiety and worry. If you find your mind wandering toward distracting thoughts, consciously bring your focus back to the task at hand.

Limit Your Focus

While multitasking may seem like a great way to get a lot done quickly, it turns out that people are actually rather bad at it. Juggling multiple tasks at once can dramatically cut down on productivity and makes it much harder to hone in on the details that are truly important.

Attentional resources are limited so it is important to budget them wisely.

Think of your attention as a spotlight. If you shine that spotlight on one particular area, you can see things very clearly. If you were to try to spread that same amount of light across a large dark room, you might instead only glimpse the shadowy outlines.

Mindful Moment

Need a breather? Take this free 10-minute meditation focused on finding clarity —or choose from our guided meditation library to find another one that will help you feel your best.

Part of knowing how to focus is making the most of the resources you have available. Stop multitasking and instead give your full attention to one thing at a time.

Live in the Moment

It's tough to stay mentally focused when you are ruminating about the past, worrying about the future, or tuned out of the present moment for some other reason.

You have probably heard people talk about the importance of " being present ." It's all about putting away distractions, whether they are physical (your mobile phone) or psychological (your anxieties) and being fully mentally engaged in the current moment.

This notion of being present is also essential for recapturing your mental focus. Staying engaged in the here and now keeps your attention sharp and your mental resources honed in on the details that really matter at a specific point in time.

It may take some time but work on learning to truly live in the moment. You cannot change the past and the future has not happened yet, but what you do today can help you avoid repeating past mistakes and pave a path for a more successful future.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a hot topic right now, and for good reason. Despite the fact that people have practiced forms of mindfulness meditation for thousands of years, its many health benefits are only recently starting to be understood.

In one study, researchers had human resources professionals engage in simulations of the sort of complex multitasking they engaged in each day at work.  

These tasks had to be completed in 20 minutes and included answering phones, scheduling meetings, and writing memos with sources of information pouring in from multiple sources including by phone calls, emails, and text messages.

Some of the participants received 8 weeks of training in the use of mindfulness meditation , and the results found that only those who had received this training showed improvement in concentration and focus.

Members of the meditation group were able to stay on task longer, switched between tasks less frequently, and performed the work more efficiently than the other groups of participants.

Practicing mindfulness can involve learning how to meditate, but it can also be as simple as trying a quick and easy deep breathing exercise .

Quick Tip to Regain Focus

Start by taking several deep breaths while really focusing on each and every breath. When you feel your mind naturally begin to wander, gently and uncritically guide your focus back to your deep breathing.

While this might seem like a deceptively simple task, you may find that it is actually much more difficult than it appears. Fortunately, this breathing activity is something you can do anywhere and anytime. Eventually, you will probably find that it becomes easier to disengage from intrusive thoughts and return your focus to where it belongs.

Take a Short Break

Caiaimage / Paul Viant / Getty Images

Have you ever tried to stay mentally focused on the same thing for a long period of time? After a while, your focus starts to break down and it becomes more and more difficult to devote your mental resources to the task. Not only that, but your performance ultimately suffers as a result.

Traditional explanations in psychology have suggested that this is due to attentional resources being depleted, but some researchers believe that it has more to do with the brain's tendency to ignore sources of constant stimulation.

Researchers have found that even taking very brief breaks by shifting your attention elsewhere can dramatically improve mental focus.  

So the next time you are working on a prolonged task, such as preparing your taxes or studying for an exam, be sure to give yourself an occasional mental break.

Shift your attention to something unrelated to the task at hand, even if it is only for a few moments. These short moments of respite might mean that you are able to keep your mental focus sharp and your performance high when you really need it.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mental focus refers to your ability to concentrate on relevant information in your environment. This ability allows you to attend to things that require attention, complete tasks that you need to accomplish, and acquire new information.

While every person differs, the following strategies can help you stay mentally focused: 

• Get enough sleep each night
• Reduce the distractions in your environment
• Focus on one task at a time
• Try to be more present in the moment
• Practice mindfulness
• Give yourself short breaks to clear your mind
• Limit your social media use
• Utilize effective time management strategies, such as the Pomodoro technique

In order to focus, the brain needs to filter out irrelevant information to concentrate on what really matters. Different types of attention can affect your ability to focus. Selective attention , for example, acts like a spotlight to highlight specific stimuli in your environment. Sustained attention, on the other hand, allows you to stay mentally focused on something for an extended period of time.

Strategies that can help you boost your concentration and focus over time include:

• Brain training and brain games
• Regular exercise
• Spending time in nature
• Eating a balanced diet
• Taking supplements to boost brain health
• Improving your sleep

Levy D, Wobbrock J, Kaszniak A, Ostergren M. The effects of mindfulness meditation training on multitasking in a high-stress information environment . Proceedings - Graphics Interface . 2012;45-52. 

Ariga A, & Lleras A. Brief and rare mental breaks keep you focused: Deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements . Cognition . 2011;118(3):439-443. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2010.12.007

Ariga, A, & Lleras, A. Brief and rare mental breaks keep you focused: Deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements. Cognition. 2011;118(3):439-443. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2010.12.007.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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The Pomodoro Technique

Beat procrastination and improve your focus one pomodoro at a time

• Introduction

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

What makes pomodoro so effective, quick tips for pomodoro-ing, how to pomodoro with todoist.

The secret to effective time management is...thinking in tomatoes rather than hours. It may seem silly initially, but millions of people swear by the life-changing power of the Pomodoro Technique. (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅)

This popular time management method asks you to alternate pomodoros — focused work sessions — with frequent short breaks to promote sustained concentration and stave off mental fatigue.

We've made a companion video for the Pomodoro technique because everyone learns differently and we know some of you prefer to watch instead of read. Check out that video below, or continue reading for a deeper dive.

Try the Pomodoro Technique if you...

Find little distractions often derail the whole workday

Consistently work past the point of optimal productivity

Have lots of open-ended work that could take unlimited amounts of time (e.g., studying for an exam, researching a blog post, etc.)

Are overly optimistic when it comes to how much you can get done in a day (aren't we all 🙃)

Enjoy gamified goal-setting

Really like tomatoes

Find out which productivity method fits you best

Get a personalized recommendation based on your workstyle and goals.

The Pomodoro Technique was developed in the late 1980s by then-university student Francesco Cirillo. Cirillo was struggling to focus on his studies and complete assignments. Feeling overwhelmed, he asked himself to commit to just 10 minutes of focused study time. Encouraged by the challenge, he found a tomato (pomodoro in Italian) shaped kitchen timer, and the Pomodoro technique was born.

Though Cirillo went on to write a 130-page book about the method, its biggest strength is its simplicity:

Get a to-do list and a timer.

Set your timer for 25 minutes, and focus on a single task until the timer rings.

When your session ends, mark off one pomodoro and record what you completed.

Then enjoy a five-minute break.

After four pomodoros, take a longer, more restorative 15-30 minute break.

The 25-minute work sprints are the core of the method, but a Pomodoro practice also includes three rules for getting the most out of each interval:

Break down complex projects. If a task requires more than four pomodoros, it needs to be divided into smaller, actionable steps. Sticking to this rule will help ensure you make clear progress on your projects.

Small tasks go together. Any tasks that will take less than one Pomodoro should be combined with other simple tasks. For example, "write rent check," "set vet appointment," and "read Pomodoro article" could go together in one session.

Once a pomodoro is set, it must ring. The pomodoro is an indivisible unit of time and can not be broken, especially not to check incoming emails, team chats, or text messages. Any ideas, tasks, or requests that come up should be noted to return to later. A digital task manager like Todoist is a great place for these, but pen and paper will do, too.

In the event of an unavoidable disruption, take your five-minute break and start again. Cirillo recommends that you track interruptions (internal or external) as they occur and reflect on how to avoid them in your next session.

The rule applies even if you finish your task before the timer goes off. Use the rest of your time for overlearning , or improving skills or scope of knowledge. For example, you could spend the extra time reading up on professional journals or researching networking opportunities.

Todoist Tip

Keep an "Overlearning" project in Todoist with a list of tasks you can quickly choose from the next time you find yourself with pomodoro time to spare.

If the system seems simple, that’s because it is. The Pomodoro technique is all about getting your mind in the zone to finish your tasks.

The arbitrary silliness of using a tomato as a stand-in for units of time belies the Pomodoro Technique's serious effectiveness in helping people get things done. Here's what makes the method uniquely suited to boosting productivity:

Making it easy to just get started

Research has shown that procrastination has little to do with laziness or lack of self-control. Rather, we put things off to avoid negative feelings. It's uncomfortable to stare down a big task or project - one you may not be sure how to even do or one that involves a lot of uncertainty. So we turn to Twitter or Netflix instead to boost our mood, if only temporarily.

Luckily, studies have also shown an effective way to break out of the avoidance cycle: shrink whatever it is you're putting off down to a tiny, unintimidating first step. For example, instead of sitting down to write a novel, sit down to write for 5 minutes. Still too hard? Try just sitting down to edit a paragraph. Doing something small for a short period of time is a whole lot easier to face than trying to take on a big project all at once.

That procrastination-busting strategy is exactly what the pomodoro technique asks you to do: break down your big tasks, projects, or goals into something you only have to do for the next 25 minutes. It keeps you hyper-focused on the next thing you need to do rather than get overwhelmed by the enormity of what you're taking on. Don't worry about the outcome — just take it one pomodoro at a time.

Combating distractions

If you’ve ever been interrupted when you were in a flow state, you know how difficult regaining focus can be. Yet, the constant stream of information pouring in via emails, team chats, and social media notifications demands more and more of our attention.

While it would be nice to blame technology for everything, recent studies suggest over half of all workday distractions are self-inflicted — meaning we pull ourselves out of focus. In the moment, it can be easy to justify these internal pulls — “This email is too important to wait,” or “It took less than a minute to check my Twitter; it isn’t a real distraction.”

But those small interruptions add up! It isn’t just the time you lose on distractions; it also takes time and energy to refocus your attention. After switching gears, our minds can linger over the previous task for over 20 minutes until we regain full concentration. Indulging the impulse to check Facebook "just for a minute" can turn into 20 minutes of trying to get back on task.

The Pomodoro Technique helps you resist all of those self-interruptions and re-train your brain to focus. Each pomodoro is dedicated to one task, and each break is a chance to reset and bring your attention back to what you should be working on.

Becoming more aware of where your time goes

When planning out our future projects, most of us fall victim to the planning fallacy  — our tendency to vastly underestimate the time needed to complete future tasks, even when we know similar tasks have taken longer in the past. Your present self imagines your future self operating under entirely different circumstances and time restraints.

The Pomodoro technique can be a valuable weapon against the planning fallacy. When you start working in short, timed sessions, time is no longer an abstract concept but a concrete event. It becomes a pomodoro — a unit of both time and effort. Distinct from the idea of 25 minutes of general "work," the pomodoro is an event that measures focus on a single task (or several simple tasks).

The concept of time changes from a negative — something that has been lost — to a positive representation of events accomplished. Cirillo calls this "inverting time" because it changes the perception of time passing from an abstract source of anxiety to an exact measure of productivity. This leads to much more realistic time estimates.

Writer Ben Dolnick describes how his perception of time changed while using the method:

"Five minutes on the internet, as measured by my timer, would pass in what seemed to me about 35 seconds. A timed hour of research would seem to take between three and four hours. My timer was a crisp metal yardstick laid down in the fog of my temporal intuitions.”

When you use the Pomodoro technique, you have a clear measurement of your finite time and your efforts, allowing you to reflect and plan your days more accurately and efficiently. With practice, you can accurately assess how many pomodoros a task will take and build more consistent work habits.

Gamifying your productivity

Every pomodoro provides an opportunity to improve upon the last. Cirillo argues that “concentration and consciousness lead to speed, one pomodoro at a time."

The Pomodoro technique is approachable because it is more about consistency than perfection. Each session is a fresh start to reevaluate your goals, challenge yourself to focus, and limit distractions. You can make the system work for you.

Motivate yourself to build on your success by setting a goal to add an extra pomodoro each day. Challenge yourself to finish a big task in a set number of pomodoros. Try setting a goal number of pomodoros for each day without breaking the chain . Thinking in tomatoes rather than hours is just more fun.

While the 25/5 minute work/break intervals are the heart of the Pomodoro Technique, there are a few things you can do to make your pomodoros more effective:

Plan out your pomodoros in advance

Take 15 minutes at the beginning of your workday (or at the end if you're planning for the next day) to plan out your pomodoros. Take your to-do list for the day and note how many pomodoros each task will take. (Remember, tasks that will take more than 5 pomodoros should be broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Smaller tasks, like responding to emails, can be batched together in a single pomodoro.)

If you work an 8-hour workday, make sure your pomodoros for the day don't go over sixteen. If they do, postpone the least urgent/least important tasks for later in the week.

Build overflow pomodoros into your day

While an 8-hour workday technically leaves room for sixteen pomodoros, it's best to build in a buffer of 2-4 "overflow" pomodoros, just in case. Use your overflow pomodoros for tasks that take longer than you planned or for unexpected tasks that come up during the day.

If you don't end up needing them, use the extra pomodoros for learning or lower-priority tasks that always get pushed to the end of your to-do list. It's much less stressful to end the day with pomodoros to spare than to overschedule yourself and get behind.

How many pomodoros are in a day?

Over time, you'll get a better sense of how many high-quality pomodoros you're actually capable of completing in a day. It's ok if it's not a full sixteen. The vast majority of people aren't actually productive for the full 8 hours of a workday, and those who think they are probably haven't been paying close enough attention. When it comes to pomodoros, challenge yourself, but keep the focus on quality over quantity.

Experiment with the length of your pomodoros

For some types of work that require extended periods in a creative "flow" state — think coding, writing, composing, etc. — 25 minutes may be too short. Try extended work sessions with longer breaks. A DeskTime study found that a 52-minute focus and 17-minute break is the perfect balance. Others prefer 90 full minutes with a 20-30-minute break, based on Ultradian rhythms .

For tasks that you've been putting off for one reason or another, 25 minutes might be too long. If you're feeling a lot of mental resistance, or you just can't get yourself to stay focused for 25 minutes, try a 15-, 10-, or even 5-minute pomodoro.

For most people, most of the time, the sweet spot will be in the 25-50 minute range for peak concentration with a 5-15 minute break. Try mixing your intervals based on your available energy, the type of work, and how much a task makes you want to bury your head in cute puppy videos on YouTube instead.

Get away from screens during breaks

Not all breaks are created equal. If your pomodoro work sessions happen on your computer, don't just switch over to Twitter or Instagram when the timer goes off. Give your eyes and brain a break from screens — that means your phone, too! Stand up, move around, stretch, go outside, do a mini meditation, grab a snack, and watch birds out the window. If you work from home, fold some clothes or clear off the kitchen table.

Whatever you do, your break will be much more mentally refreshing if you escape the glowing hypnosis of your computer or phone.

Use an app to enforce your pomodoros

Humans are fallible. No matter how motivated you are at the start of the day, it's really hard to actually stick to your pomodoros. Hold yourself accountable with a break reminder app.

The best ones let you customize how long your work sessions are, how obtrusive you want your reminders to be, and how strictly you want your breaks enforced. Some will lock you out of your computer for the duration of your breaks.

We recommend BreakTimer (for both Windows and Mac.)

So you're convinced the Pomodoro Technique is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now, it's time to put the method into action. Here's how to plan your pomodoros with Todoist:

At the start of each day (or the night before), review all your active projects and one-off tasks and schedule everything you want to accomplish for "Today."

Estimate how many pomodoros each task will take. Add tomato emojis to the end of the task name to indicate your pomodoro estimate.

Hold down the Alt/Option key while clicking on a task to quickly edit the task name without opening the full task view.

Break anything bigger than four pomodoros down into smaller sub-tasks . For example, a project titled "redesign website" might need a more pomodoro-sized sub-task like "find 5 example websites as inspiration."

Now, when you open your Today view, you'll see your scheduled tasks and how many pomodoros each will take. Drag and drop your tasks to reflect the order in which you'll work on them.

If you have more than 12-14 pomodoros (remember that buffer!), postpone some of your tasks to the next day or later in the week. If you have 10 tasks you want to do in a day, you may find it helpful to schedule only half of the list and to assign an "@on_deck" label to indicate the tasks you'll get to if you have time.

You may want to add tasks you do every day — or even multiple times a day — as recurring tasks. For example, you might have a task called "Get to inbox zero" scheduled for "every weekday". Here's how to add recurring due dates in Todoist.

You'll start your day with a clear plan of what you'll work on during each pomodoro. You can use the timer on your phone, a physical Pomodoro timer , or any of the many digital alternatives like  Pomodone which integrates with Todoist.

Once your timer starts, it must go off! Keep focused by adding any ideas or requests that come in as new tasks in your Todoist Inbox. When your timer runs out, you can review the list, schedule urgent tasks for a later pomodoro, and file away less urgent things for another day.

Build your concentration muscle by making your pomodoro planning a daily routine. Add a task in Todoist for the same time each morning to remind yourself to plan out your pomodoros. Challenge yourself to hit a certain number of pomodoros each day, and take time at the end to reflect on what went well and how you could improve your focus in the future.

We also have a Pomodoro Technique video

Laura Scroggs

Laura is a freelance writer, PhD candidate, and pug mom living in Minneapolis, MN.

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Lesson Plan: How to Improve Your Focus

If you struggle to sit through a class or complete a homework assignment without wanting to check your phone every few minutes, this lesson can help.

By Natalie Proulx

Lesson Overview

Featured Article: “ How to Focus Like It’s 1990 ” by Dana G. Smith

Do you get distracted easily? When you have a homework assignment to complete, a book to read, an instrument to practice or a room to clean, is it easy for you to stay focused and do it, or does your mind drift and wander? Do you quickly begin to daydream, check your social media feed or think about what you want to eat? Are you distracted by constant dings and pings from your phone? In short, do you find yourself thinking about everything but the task at hand?

If you answered yes, you’re not alone. As Dana G. Smith writes in today’s featured article, “Smartphones, pings and Insta-everything have shortened our attention spans.” In this lesson, you’ll learn how to get some old-school concentration back with tips from experts.

The article you are about to read refers to a 2004 study which found that people averaged two and a half minutes on any given task before switching to something else. By 2012, the average time had dropped to 75 seconds. Now, we spend about 47 seconds on a task, on average.

Discuss with a partner: Do these findings surprise you? Or do they resonate with your experience of trying to concentrate? What do you think could explain the shortening of our attention spans?

How long do you think you can focus on something before you get distracted? Test it out: Grab a stopwatch and start reading the featured article . How long can you read before your mind starts to wander, you get interrupted by a ding on your phone or your brain simply needs a break? Can you beat 47 seconds? If you could, how easy or difficult was that experience for you? What ultimately broke your concentration? Share what you noticed with your partner.

Do you think you need to work on improving your concentration? If you were to try this again, what tips or tricks might you use to help stay focused?

Questions for Writing and Discussion

Read the article , then answer the following questions:

1. What does the study done by Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, show us about attention spans today?

2. What are three things, according to the article, that cause us to get distracted and grab our phones? Which of these, if any, do you tend to experience when you are trying to focus?

3. Turning off notifications is often suggested as a way to reduce distractions. Why won’t this on its own solve the problem of distraction?

4. The article offers three ways we can improve our focus. What are they? Which one sounds most useful for you and why?

5. Dr. Mark and Larry Rosen, a professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, both favor taking tech breaks over going cold turkey and giving up technology altogether. Why? Have you ever tried to give up technology for an hour, a day or longer? How did it go for you?

6. Maryanne Wolf, a professor in residence at the University of California, Los Angeles Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, says reading on paper is better than reading on a screen. Why would that be? How often do you read on paper? Do you think it could help you focus? Why or why not?

Going Further

Choose one of the strategies for improving focus recommended in the article and try it out. For example:

The next time you attempt a task you have trouble focusing on — such as doing your homework, practicing the piano or cleaning your room — instead of checking your phone whenever you feel like it, try focusing for 15 minutes and then giving yourself a two-minute tech break. Repeat until you finish the task.

Or, try to increase your self-awareness around your tech use while doing this task. As the article says, “When you have an urge to open Instagram, for example, ask yourself why: Do you feel exhausted and need a break? Will this help restore you? If so, go for it. After a few minutes, check in again and ask if the app is still giving you value. If not, it’s time to get back to work.”

A third option: Try deep reading on paper. Open a physical book (start with something you want to read for pleasure), set an alarm for 20 minutes, put your phone on silent mode, and make yourself read slowly and deliberately.

After you’ve tried out one of these strategies, reflect on how it went for you using the following prompts. You might share your experiences with your classmates.

How easy or difficult was it to sustain your attention using this strategy? Were you able to focus better than you usually do? What challenges did you encounter?

When you did get distracted, what do you think caused it? Did a notification on your phone interrupt you? Did you self-interrupt? Did your brain just need a break? What does this tell you about yourself, and what might help you to stay focused next time?

As Dr. Mark notes, improving your concentration takes practice. Do you think you will continue using this strategy when you need to focus? Why or why not? How do you think increasing your attention span could improve your life?

Find more lesson plans and teaching ideas here.

Natalie Proulx joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2017 after working as an English language arts teacher and curriculum writer. More about Natalie Proulx

October 09, 2023

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How to focus on homework

Focusing on homework and your studies can be a challenge, especially in an age when we’re surrounded by distractions. Thankfully, there are several strategies to get the most out of your studying time. If you’re using Windows 11 , you already have access to a variety of built-in features designed to minimize distractions and help you study effectively. Here are several ways to turn up your focus while turning down distractions.

Stay organized with Task view

Task view is a Windows feature that lets you view all your current windows and apps on a single screen. Use Task view to create virtual desktops for each subject and switch between topics and projects as needed. Leveraging this feature is a great way to stay organized and minimize distractions while studying.

Quiet notifications and alerts with Focus assist

Focus assist  is a Windows 11 feature that minimizes digital distractions while you work on homework. When you turn on Focus assist, a session timer will appear on your screen and your computer automatically mutes notifications and taskbar alerts. Customize Focus assist settings to allow certain notifications or prioritize school-related apps.

Minimize online distractions with Immersive Reader

If you're reading material online, Immersive Reader  in Microsoft Edge  can minimize distractions so you can focus on the content on the page. Immersive Reader removes ads, sidebars, pop-ups, and other distractions that make it harder to read on the web.

Ease your eyes with Dark mode

While we don’t recommend studying into the wee hours of the night, sometimes it’s unavoidable. However, the blue light emitted by your computer screen can disrupt your sleep patterns and make it harder to concentrate. Give your eyes a break by taking advantage of Windows 11 Dark mode —a feature that reduces blue light emissions from your screen in low-light environments.

Create a study space

One of the best ways to stay focused on homework is to create a dedicated study space. This can be a desk in your room or a quiet corner in a library. Ideally, your study space should be free of distractions, like your TV or phone, that make it harder to concentrate.

Stick to a schedule

Another effective way to get through assignments is by creating a schedule and sticking to it. Establishing a routine makes it easier to stay on task and helps you take breaks when needed. Create a study schedule and set reminders for important deadlines or exams to make it easier to study daily.

Set goals and reward yourself

Finally, rewarding yourself when you reach your goals is a great way to stay motivated throughout the school year. Watch your favorite show at the end of a homework session or visit your favorite restaurant after finals to celebrate your hard work.

Leverage these techniques and digital tools to stay focused on your homework and achieve your academic goals. If you’re looking for an operating system for students and professionals alike, Windows 11  has you covered.

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How to stay focused on homework - 5 easy ways.

There are many easy ways to learn how to focus on homework that is simple for anyone to do for assignments on any subject. If you have problems staying focused when doing schoolwork at home you’re not alone. When the subject is something you don’t like it can an eternity to get it done because it is hard to stay focused. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get your work done on time and give it the attention it deserves. Here are some tips to help you focus on your work no matter what the subject or topic.

How to Focus on Homework: Focusing on One Task

A good way of understanding how to stay focused on homework is to complete tasks one at a time. When choosing to work on your assignment, give your full attention to the task. Some say multi-tasking helps them stay focused, but sometimes breaking up your time in intervals to do other tasks not related to your schoolwork may take time away from getting it done sooner. If the assignment doesn’t require as much effort, try getting it done first without doing other activities. A suggestion to encourage taking action sooner on assignments includes learning how to focus better of homework.

How to Concentrate on Homework: Avoid or Limit Distractions

When you need to know how to concentrate on homework you should review potential distractions before getting started. If you like playing games on your smartphone, chat on social media, or other leisure activities try putting them off until your work is done. Work in a room that is quiet and way from others or things that make noise such as televisions or radios. Turn off your phone and put away the munchies until you are finished. A light snack is okay for energy but don’t get distracted wanting to sit around and eat, talk, or play games. It is common for anyone to want to know how to not get distracted while doing homework. Now you have some insight to help you.

Plan Your Actions and Your Time

Planning ahead how to complete your work may include using mobile apps or digital tools to assist with time management. Sometimes when students wonder why I can’t focus on homework is they didn’t plan their time accordingly. Make a schedule you can stick with for schoolwork assignments. Designate a time during the day to work exclusively on schoolwork. If you set aside time it shows you are making the action a priority. It is especially significant when the work counts toward your grade, counts as extra credit, or helping prepare for testing or exams.

How Not to Get Distracted while Studying

As you assess how to concentrate on homework think about using on examples for study purposes. Using 123 Homework will help you focus on what you can create or recreate for your work. It can be difficult to focus when expected to create something from scratch with no fresh ideas in mind for motivation. At least with an example you have direction on where you can take your idea if you need to create something for a writing assignment such as an essay or report. When you find yourself saying “I can’t focus on homework” when you’re not sure, a great example can give you a quick start.

How to Stay Focused on Homework: Plan a Reward for Yourself

When you’ve had one of those “I can’t focus on my homework” thoughts before actually getting things done, you’ll recall getting frustrated and stressed over the assignment. When school coursework assignments pose additional challenges to get done, a reliable homework problem solver is a great motivator. You can choose to play an activity or enjoy a really sweet treat.

Now you have an idea of what you can do when considering how to not get distracted while studying. Take the task seriously and be determined to finish your work so you have something to submit when you go back to class. Remember your efforts are helping you practice and gain skills you’ll use later.

How to improve focus: Try these 5 tips to increase attention span

In the early 2000s, Gloria Mark noticed she was having trouble paying attention to any single screen. Anecdotally, she knew others were feeling the same way. As a psychologist and scientist, she decided to test it – are computers impacting our attention spans?  

Over two decades of research, the answer has been an overwhelming “yes.” The digital age is impacting our ability to stay focused. 

Sound like you? Here’s what experts recommend to improve your attention span.

What is the average attention span?

Mark, a chancellor’s professor emerita at the University of California Irvine and the author of “Attention Span,” first began studying attention spans in 2003. She found that people spent an average of two and a half minutes on any computer screen before switching. In 2012 she repeated the study and saw that number shrink to 75 seconds. 

When she studied it for a third time between 2016 and 2020, the average attention span was only 47 seconds.

Why is my attention span so short?

While the public narrative is that algorithms are to blame, Mark says it’s a bit more complicated. 

She identified several factors that influence attention spans – the design of the internet, algorithms, personalities, human social needs and the general media landscape. 

Designed to distract

With hyperlinks, tagged photos and pop-up ads, the internet is designed as a rabbit hole that keeps us online. This creates a “rollercoaster” of reward-seeking, says Marcy Caldwell, a licensed clinical psychologist and the owner and director of the Center for ADHD. 

“We hit a peak at the highest level when we actually make that switch over to the new (tab) and then the levels decrease again, so then we get hungry for more,” Caldwell says. 

Social media algorithms are designed to keep users on the platform . TikTok keeps tabs on your likes, comments and how long you view videos to feed you content that keeps you scrolling. Facebook’s algorithm can take in more than 10,000 different signals to predict a user’s likelihood of engaging with a post, the Washington Post found.

These algorithms make it “very hard to turn away from tech,” Mark says. TikTok, in particular, is “very agile” and can quickly learn how to keep you consuming content, she says. 

Person-to-person differences

“Some people are born with good self-regulation skills – that’s a personality trait. They’re born with low impulsivity and high conscientiousness that they’re much better able to control their attention,” Mark says. “But a lot of people aren’t.”

Folks with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , may also have a harder time regulating. There are differences in the reward center of the brain for those with the neurological disorder, says Caldwell, who runs ADDept.org .

“This cue and draw for attention can create that anticipation of reward and (when) we have a brain that has a hungry reward system, then it’s going to be extra compelling,” she says.  Medication may help.

Social reward seeking

A “like” or interaction with a follower taps into the social rewards that human beings so desperately seek, Mark says. The internet has increasingly become a place where users can find friends and even stardom . It keeps you coming back for more, especially if you don’t have that community offline. 

General media landscape 

While TikTok is now pushing longer-form content , the platform is known for short, endlessly scrollable videos. And now there are similar options on almost every other platform – Instagram and Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight. 

Even the shot lengths in films have gotten shorter. One paper analyzed 135 films between 1935 and 2010 and found contemporary movies had shorter shot lengths and more motion, likely “created by filmmakers seeking to control the attention of their viewers.”

How to increase attention spans

There are two types of attention – rote and active. Active attention is an engaging and challenging state of focus, Mark says, like when reading a difficult book or writing a paper. When you’re engaged but not challenged (like watching a video or playing Candy Crush) you’re using rote attention. 

In her research, Mark found that people are happiest when using rote attention but experience a deeper fulfillment when they use active attention. Use these five tips to balance the two.

1. Prioritize breaks

Both types of attention are important, as are breaks. Humans cycle through a natural rhythm of focused attention throughout the day, Mark’s research found. While everyone is different, we typically experience a peak focus mid-morning and then again in the afternoon.

Don’t expect to always be focused and productive, Mark says. When we’re fatigued, our executive functioning skills deplete and we can’t perform as well or filter out distractions. That’s the signal that it’s time for a break.

The best type of break is away from electronic devices and outside, which research shows can reduce stress . But if you can’t get outside, it’s okay to play a game on your phone or engage in some other rote activity, like knitting, to give your mind a moment to rest and wander. 

Just make sure to set a timer so you don’t get sucked into your activity, Mark says.

2. Avoid distraction rather than resisting distraction

Distractions are natural, but it can be hard to refocus. 

“Resisting distraction depletes our executive function because in order to resist this distraction, we have to notice (it), be drawn away from it and then tell ourselves no,” Caldwell says. “That takes effort.”

Here are a few ways you can set up blockers to avoid distraction:

• Use noise-canceling headphones
• Play focus music, like brain.fm or classical music
• Face your desk toward a wall
• Try “body doubling,” or working alongside an accountability partner
• Turn off social media and text notifications
• Install a social media blocker

3. Practice meta-awareness

Instead of clicking unconsciously, practice being aware of what you’re doing as you’re doing it, Mark says. This skill will help you become more intentional when you’re online.

Next time you have the urge to open an app, ask yourself “Do I really need to go on social media right now?” or “Do I really need to check this notification?”

4. Don’t try to multitask

Forget multitasking – it doesn’t exist unless one of those tasks is automatic, like driving a car down a straight road and talking to a passenger. In all other scenarios, you’re shifting your attention rapidly between two tasks, which takes longer, leads to more errors and increases stress.

“Think of it as writing on an internal whiteboard of your mind and then suddenly you switch and … you have to erase that internal whiteboard and write this new (task),” Mark says. “Sometimes, just like with a real whiteboard, we can’t erase it completely and it leaves a residue.”

5. Prioritize overall health

A good night of sleep – both in quality and quantity – is important to start your day and attention capacity off on the right foot. A balanced and nutritious diet can also fuel energy and concentration.

“When our blood sugars drop, our brains divert resources away from our prefrontal cortex, which is where our executive function is,” Caldwell says.

Will the TikTok bill move forward? McConnell pushes for legislation

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More From Forbes

Finding roai: strategic benchmarking for ai-powered business success.

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Prasad Ramakrishnan is CIO and SVP of IT at Freshworks .

Companies are adopting AI-powered solutions at a rapid pace. In fact, " 73% of U.S. companies have already adopted AI in at least some areas of their business." Although companies are noticing immediate differences, they struggle to measure ROI. However, setting parameters to measure the effectiveness of AI investments is feasible. As technology continues to evolve, the role of AI in business operations becomes increasingly prominent.

Industries across retail, fitness, healthcare and more are investing in AI for various purposes. Retailers use AI for efficient customer service with self-service portals and virtual assistants. Gyms leverage AI to handle sign-ups, automate scheduling and collect feedback. Even healthcare facilities use AI to aid in medical imaging and diagnostics, such as algorithms that analyze CT scans, MRIs and X-rays. AI proves to be a versatile tool, optimizing operations and enhancing outcomes across sectors.

Steps For Achieving Your ROAI

Yet, for each of these industries, navigating AI investments necessitates strategic planning and establishing clear benchmarks for measuring ROI, as setting the stage for success involves robust metrics for evaluating AI initiatives. The term "return on AI investment" (ROAI) may sound novel, but its significance can't be overstated. Simply deploying AI solutions without understanding their impact on business outcomes is insufficient. To achieve meaningful ROAI, CIOs must proactively align AI investments with organizational objectives and foster a culture of innovation.

Here are some essential steps for setting benchmarks and measuring the success of AI investments:

1. Focus on value-driven solutions.

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Rather than falling for flashy technologies, prioritize AI solutions that directly contribute to operational efficiency and business growth. Conduct thorough app rationalization, evaluating each application in an organization's portfolio to assess its value, redundancy, performance and alignment with business goals—exercises to identify areas where AI can streamline workflows and enhance productivity.

Gartner has predicted that chatbots will emerge as the primary customer service channel for almost a quarter of organizations by 2027. Therefore, e-commerce companies may boost operational efficiency and growth by deploying AI-powered chatbots for customer support. Through application rationalization, they can identify areas where chatbots can streamline workflows, such as order tracking and basic inquiries. This implementation can enhance productivity, reduce response times and support business expansion.

2. Do your homework.

A recent study found that "94% of CIOs plan to increase their budgets in 2024 to accommodate new AI apps." But it’s still important to exercise caution when looking for solutions. Resist the temptation to rely solely on established vendors and explore innovative AI solutions that may offer unique advantages. Although legacy software may provide a sense of security, it's essential to prioritize solutions that deliver measurable results over familiarity. If you have a vendor you already work with, ask about their AI offerings and give them a try.

3. Test it out.

Your employees are invaluable sources of insight into the daily challenges and opportunities within your organization. Engage them in the decision-making process and leverage their feedback to identify which AI tools can help them work more efficiently and help you achieve better business outcomes. Have them test the tools first and collect feedback about what they like or don’t like, what they use and what’s a waste. Then, apply the feedback! Not only will you be making a decision based on what your employees need, but you’ll also get more bang for your buck by investing in the right tools that will actually be used.

4. Define clear metrics.

Prioritize outcomes such as increased productivity, enhanced customer experience or cost savings, aligning them with overarching business objectives. Additionally, it's essential to do the math by considering the total cost of ownership, including infrastructure, training and maintenance. Conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analyses to ensure favorable returns over the long term. Furthermore, applying the 80/20 rule can optimize AI utilization. By focusing on the 20% of features that deliver the most value and phasing out unnecessary ones, organizations can streamline their tech stack, making it more manageable for their IT teams.

5. Evaluate and optimize.

AI isn't a one-time investment but a journey of continuous improvement. Regularly assess the performance of AI solutions against predefined metrics and iterate based on feedback and evolving business needs . By embracing a culture of experimentation and adaptation, organizations can maximize the long-term value derived from AI investments.

Unlocking ROAI is a journey that requires strategic vision, diligent execution and a commitment to driving tangible business outcomes. By following the steps above, CIOs can position their organizations for success in an increasingly AI-driven world. With clear benchmarks and metrics in place, measuring the ROI of their AI investments becomes not only achievable but also instrumental in driving sustained growth and competitiveness.

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