To study effectively, you can't be
multitasking. Multitasking is one of the biggest study problems for
students today. When you're studying effectively, your brain has to
be in a certain state. Whenever you leave that state to do something
else, you will struggle to get back into the state required to study
effectively. The vast majority of students don't even know how it
actually feels to study effectively because they've allowed
themselves to get distracted too much.
Here are 7 of the most common study
distractions and a few tricks to get rid of them.
1. Music In The Background
Yes. Most people hate to hear this one.
Most people wildly disagree with it too. This might sound unpleasant
but most of that disagreement comes from the an embeded problem with
music playing while you study.
The average student listens to music
while they're studying to make studying more enjoyable. I completely
understand that sitting down with a textbook can get a little bit
boring but the fact that turning music on changes that, proves that
you're being distracted from studying.
When you're enjoying listening to a
song while trying to study, which activity do you think your brain is
going to focus on more; the boring one or the enjoyable one?
If you have music in the background
then you're not studying as effectively as you could be. It's a major
distraction that must be managed carefully.
At the very least, make sure that the
music you listen to isn't a style that you particularly enjoy. Also,
make sure it does not have a human voice. Words are always
distracting. When it's a style you don't particularly enjoy you won't
get caught up as much in your favorite parts. While it's best not to
listen to any music, this can be a short term solution.
2. Cell Phones
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“But what if there is an emergency?”
That's the most common response to me
when I tell people to shut off their phone while they study. My
response is pretty simple. “If it's not still an emergency in 30
minutes then it's not much of an emergency. That is, assuming you're
not a doctor, firefighter, or member of a bomb squad.” The point
is, do you really have any way you could help much in a real
emergency?
99.999% of the time you're not going to
have an emergency while you're studying. If you're that cautious
about long shots then you probably should never even ride in a car,
go to the beach, or eat anything you didn't make yourself.
Too many students text through there
study session. When you're studying, you can't let little
distractions break your thought patterns. Developing clear patterns
while studying is one of the most important and unconscious steps.
When you hear that buzz of a new message, even if you don't pick it
up in the moment, you've lost your train of thought.
Turn off your phone while you're trying
to study. The world can wait 30 minutes.
3. Television
NOO!!!! Really... some students still
study with the television on. This is absolutely insane. You're
getting auditory distractions. You're getting visual distractions.
You're getting kinesthetic distractions (with the remote control.)
Every time I think about this I just want to drive off a bridge. NO!
You're not studying.
The only exception may be... may be...
if you're muting and studying during commercials or something like
that. Even with that, you're studying badly. You will not be able to
focus as well as you should be. Put down the textbook. Watch the
show. Shut off the TV after. Then study with focus.
4. People
Studying around people can be rough.
Many people, no matter how focused you
try to act, will still interrupt your studying for some friendly
conversation. You've got to try and avoid this. Every time they
interrupt you, it costs you serious leverage. By the time a
conversation is over you may not even remember where you were.
You need to study in a place where
people won't distract you. If you have a roommate that bothers you
then you need to talk to them about it. If you make it about you
needing to not have distractions instead of them being completely
rude then they'll probably react well.
If people are distracting you less
obviously by picking their nose or listening to music or something,
you should still try to find a way to get away from the distraction.
Move to a new location if needed.
5. Your Computer...
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Oh... how computers haunt me... They're
one of the most useful and dangerous tools for studying. I can spend
thirty seconds and learn facts that would have taken months to find
out without the internet. At the same time, I can spend two hours
looking at pictures of cats when I meant to be looking up something
important.
Computers are one of the biggest
distractions around because they could just as easily be used as a
tool to help your studying. If you're not careful then you'll end up
thinking you were studying when you were really just playing on the
computer.
That's why I recommend getting away
from your computer to study. While I have had some good results
studying with a computer, the risk of distraction ruined all of the
advantages. If you don't absolutely need your computer to study then
don't study with it.
6. Food
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The kind of student that typically eats
while there studying usually claims the same problem everytime. They
say, “I don't have the time to eat and study separately.” In most
cases, I think they're full of it but assuming it is true then the
solution is obvious. Study after you eat. Even if it only gives you
five minutes of focused study, it's better than ruining your meal and
your studying. Food is essential for survival. It should come first.
Eating is usually just another
distraction for studying. While you're salivating over all the
delicious food you have to eat, you aren't thinking about the study
material. Every few seconds you have to get distracted to take
another bite or sip. While it's not the worst distraction in the
world, it's still just a distraction.
Find a different time to eat. Eat
during class if you have to. Study less if you have to. Studying and
eating doesn't work well together.
7. Your Brain
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The worst distraction you have during
studying can't be controlled, it can only be tamed. While you're
studying, you need to actively change what you're thinking about. It
can be difficult but you need to learn how to stop your brain
whenever it gets off track. I'm sure you've had that problem at least
once in your life.
One second you're studying diligently,
suddenly, a sentence reminds you of a personal problem you've been
having. Then you spend the next five minutes thinking about it. Your
brain has officially ruined your study time. You were trying so hard
but it screwed you up.
Let face it. Your brain likes
interesting things. Your losing focus because you thought of
something more interesting. Whenever this happens, you need to
discipline yourself to find a real reason to be studying. Tell
yourself why the information you're studying is important. Or, at the
very least, convince your brain that you need to be studying this
information harder.
There are a lot of potential
distractions while studying. It can be difficult but with a little
practice you can reduce those distractions significantly. That being
said, you'll never be able to eliminate all distractions. Don't freak
out if you forget to shut off your phone one time or someone breaks
down your door to tell you about their day. It certainly doesn't help
but with each one you can learn a lesson to focus better.
The better you focus during your study
time, the better your grades are going to be.
Do you want to know the secrets about
studying that teachers don't tell you? Be sure to follow this blog
and our “Study Tips Daily” Twitter.
By the way, have you checked out any of the books I've written?
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