Click-baity titles. Messages from friends. Free food. Important emails. This is just a teeeeeeeeeeeny collection of things that might distract you from your schoolwork—and, as we all know firsthand, that’s not generally a good thing. And let’s face it: Even when we do start an assignment, it can be pretty hard to get your mind in the zone or really pay attention to that essay on the screen. But that’s okay, because you can find your focus as easy as 1, 2, 3! (and 4)
1. Set up hoops.
The first hurdle to focusing on assignments is resisting the temptation to open up something else (be it social media or whatever, honestly). So it makes sense to counter this hurdle by creating a few on your own.
To do this, just follow the steps below:
- Log out. Email, Facebook, Tumblr, whatever – if you honestly log out, then you won’t be able to get back in until after you input your information, and that’s surprisingly more work than it may seem worth.
- Block your frequently-used websites. If you’re on Chrome, I recommend getting the extension Stay Focusd.
- Close your internet browser.
- Remove it from your task bar.
- Turn your computer onto airplane mode.
You got this.
2. Go to a new place.
If you’re too comfortable with your current study spot, you may be prone to distractions. For that reason, I recommend you look around a bit.
- If you always study in your room, try for the living room or a lounge.
- Or the library.
- Or one of the tons of benches all over campus.
- Or against a tree.
- Or in a computer lab.
- Or at the beach.
- Or in a small bookstore in downtown SB.
- Or literally anyplace you haven’t tried yet.
Just make sure it’s not a place that will distract you too much.
3. Play some sweet tunes.
Everyone has different tastes. I recommend testing out different sources of noise and seeing what works for you. Examples include:
- Classical music (I recommend Chopin’s nocturnes!)
- EDM
- Instrumental guitar music
- Random background chatter (Try Coffitivity.com!)
4. Take a moment to breathe.
If you’ve gotten started but just can’t get into it, lean back and let your mind clear up. Don’t think about anything, just close your eyes and listen to random background noises, listen to your breathing, and relax.
Slowly start reminding yourself of the material you’re working on, thinking about the room where you take your classes, maybe the professor. Once you’re in the zone, you’re ready to work.
Then breathe. You got this.