Some people find it difficult to study because they cannot focus on one thing for long periods. This article will introduce several methods to reduce distraction and improve concentration.

Find an Environment to Study Alone

In general, it’s best to find a place that’s free of distractions.

• A quiet place, a room of solitude.
• Turn off all electronic devices, such as mobile phones, computers (if you want to use computers to assist learning, then don’t turn them off), music players, etc. If you want to listen to music, choose soft music without lyrics.
• Clear away unused things in the study area and place study materials and tools neatly to reduce stress and improve concentration.
• If there are people around you who are noisy and you can’t stop them, you might want to turn on some white noise. You can look up what white noise is online and some websites provide white noise for free.

Get out Study Materials

Get out study materials such as notebooks, textbooks, and scratch paper. If you use a computer to study, do not open your email and chat tools.

Take Appropriate Breaks

Take appropriate breaks between studies and don’t let yourself get too tired. Arrange different subjects to be studied alternately, but be careful not to confuse similar content between subjects.

Find Learning Methods That Work for You

Some people use colored cards to help with memory, for example. If off-the-shelf methods don’t work for you, see if you can create some learning methods that work for you!

Use the sq3r Method

Use the SQ3R method to read:

• (Survey): Quickly read important information such as titles, subtitles, notes, etc.
• (Question): Combine the information in the title and subtitles, and form several questions about this article in your brain after reading a chapter or a paragraph.
• (Read): Read the article carefully to find out the answers to the questions.
• (Recite): Recite your questions and answers orally. You can make use of the notes you took while reading, but try to express them in your own words.
• (Review): Review the full text and sort out the context of the article again so that it can be used later in school study.
• During the reading process, if you encounter something you don’t understand, you can search online or find corresponding literature for research and study.

Learn Slowly and Steadily

Don’t wait until the last night before an exam to cram, make a study plan and study steadily.

Make up Your Mind to Study

Make up your mind to study, and don’t be afraid of shrinking because of a little difficulty. Once you start, you must have the determination not to give up because of laziness or fear of difficulties, and to keep going from beginning to end.

Tips

• Read the study material aloud and highlight the key points with a pen.
• Take a twenty-minute break after every two hours of studying to eat something, drink water, or go for a walk outside. This will help you focus more on the next session of study.
• While studying, try not to talk to people.
• Study with an empty cup mentality. Before you start studying, clear your brain. Just like a cup full of water cannot hold more than one drop of water, a brain full of things cannot learn anything.
• Listen carefully in class and don’t doze off.
• Even if it’s not your favorite subject, hint to yourself that it’s something you enjoy studying.
• Determined. When you encounter difficulties in learning, thinking about your dreams will enhance your motivation to learn.
• Recalling what you have learned as a picture in your brain will help your long-term memory.
• Connect what you learn with your imagination. The pictures you imagine will help you remember what you have learned.
• Keep trying to find a learning method that works for you.
• Mobilize the various senses of the body to aid learning. If you are an auditory learner, you can read the material you want to learn aloud to help with comprehension and memory.
• Always focus on the homework question in front of you, and don’t let your thoughts wander around. Sometimes you think about how to do homework in other subjects, and sometimes you think about the beauties and handsome guys in school.