If you’re a student, you know the feeling well. You sit at your desk, books and materials spread out in front of you, ready to study… and then you get distracted. Suddenly, everything around you seems more interesting than the task at hand. It’s normal to feel distracted when studying.
After all, so many things are competing for our attention these days. But that doesn’t mean it’s okay to give in to those distractions! If you want to ace your exams, you need to learn how to focus.
In this post, we will explore seven common study distractions and offer tips on how to avoid them. From social media to noise pollution and more, read on to learn how to stay focused while studying.
SOCIAL MEDIA
If you’re trying to focus on studying and avoid distractions, social media can be a big problem. It’s easy to get sucked into scrolling through your feed or checking notifications; before you know it, an hour has gone by. If possible, log out of your accounts or disable notifications while you’re trying to study.
If you can’t resist the urge to check social media, try setting a timer for yourself and only allowing yourself a few minutes every hour to scroll through your feed. This is one of the common study distractions to avoid.
YOUR PHONE
If you’re like most people, your phone is probably the biggest source of distractions when you’re trying to study. Whether it’s the constant stream of notifications, the temptation to check social media, or just the general urge to scroll through your apps, it can be hard to resist picking up your phone when you should focus on your work. The phone is a big one of the common study distractions to avoid.
Here are a few tips to help you avoid distractions from your phone:
1. Put it away. The simplest way to avoid distractions from your phone is to simply put it out of sight and out of reach. If it’s in your line of sight, it will be much harder to resist the urge to pick it up and check what’s new. So put it in a drawer or another room while studying.
2. Use a productivity app. Several apps available can help you stay focused and limit distractions from your phone. Apps like Freedom and Flipd allow you to temporarily block access to distracting websites and apps, so you can’t even tempt yourself with them while you’re trying to concentrate.
3. Set aside specific times for breaks. It’s important to take breaks while you’re studying, but allowing yourself too much time on your phone during those breaks can defeat the purpose. So set a timer for yourself and only allow a certain amount of time on your phone during each break. That way, you can still take the break you need without
TEXTING AND MESSAGING
Texting and messaging are two of the most common study distractions. This is because they are so convenient and easy to use. You can text or message anyone at any time, which makes it hard to resist the urge to do so when you should be studying.
Another reason texting and messaging are common study distractions is that they can be very addictive. Once you start using them, it can be hard to stop. This is because they provide a constant stream of communication that can be very addicting.
If you find yourself constantly texting or messaging while you should be studying, it is important to take a step back and assess the situation. Are you getting anything out of your studies by texting or messaging? Or are you just wasting time that could be spent more productively?
If you find that texting or messaging is interfering with your studies, it is important to reduce your usage. Try setting limits for yourself, such as only allowing yourself to text or message for a certain amount each day. Alternatively, try completely abstaining from texting or messaging to see if that helps improve your focus and concentration.
WEB BROWSING
When it comes to studying, there are a lot of potential distractions. One of the most common is web browsing. It’s easy to get lost in the endless sea of information and procrastinate for hours.
To avoid this study distraction, set a time limit for browsing and stick to it. Once your time is up, close the browser and get back to work. You can also try using a website blocker extension to block distracting sites while you study.
EMAIL AND NOTIFICATIONS
If you’re trying to focus on studying, email and notifications can be a major distraction. Checking your email constantly or getting notifications from social media can break your concentration and make it harder to focus on what you’re supposed to be doing.
To avoid this, try turning off your email notifications or silencing your phone while you’re studying if you need to check your email, set aside a specific time to do it instead of letting it disrupt your concentration. The same goes for social media – if you can, avoid checking it while trying to study.
MUSIC AND VIDEOS
Like most students, you probably think studying with music or videos playing in the background is no big deal. After all, how can a little bit of extra noise affect your concentration?
Unfortunately, research has shown that listening to music or watching videos while studying can be quite distracting and lead to poorer performance on exams and quizzes. Here are a few reasons why:
1. Music and videos can disrupt your focus.
When you’re trying to study, you need to be able to focus on the material in front of you. However, music and videos can often be distracting, causing you to lose focus and make mistakes.
2. Music and videos can interfere with your memory.
It’s important to remember what you’ve studied when it comes time for an exam. However, listening to music or watching videos while studying can interfere with your memory recall, making it more difficult to remember what you need to know for the test.
3. Music and videos can increase stress levels.
Listening to music or watching videos while studying can also increase your stress levels, leading to anxiety and poor exam performance. So if you want to do well on your tests, it’s best to avoid these distractions altogether!
DISTRACTIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE
Most people who study in libraries or coffee shops are familiar with the feeling of being interrupted by someone else. It could be a stranger asking for directions or a friend stopping by to chat. Regardless of who it is or what they want, these interruptions can be extremely distracting and make it difficult to focus on your work.
You can do a few things to minimize the chances of being interrupted by others. If you’re studying in a public place, try to find a seat away from the main traffic flow. This will make it less likely for someone to accidentally bump into you or stop to talk to you. If you’re using a laptop, consider putting on headphones even if you’re not listening to anything – this is often enough to deter people from trying to strike up a conversation with you.
Of course, there are times when people will interrupt you even if you’ve taken precautions like these. In these cases, it’s important to be polite but firm in your response. Thank the person for their time and let them know you’re busy and need to get back to work. Most people will understand and respect your need to focus and will be more likely to leave you alone after that.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There you have it, 7 of the most common study distractions and how to avoid them. So next time you’re feeling unfocused, take a step back and ask yourself if any of these distractions are present. If they are, eliminate them to get back on track. And always remember, even the most seasoned students have off days — so cut yourself some slack and try again tomorrow.
