Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many youths have started struggling with their ability to focus on tasks for a long period of time. This is likely due, in part, to the rise in short form media content like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Youtube Shorts becoming increasingly popular. It has even become the preferred method of entertainment since the pandemic. For some students, this may also be because during the pandemic, teachers were required to allow extremely flexible deadlines on assignments, or even waive failed or late assignments. This made it harder for some youth to learn skills like time management and self-motivation.
I’ve personally struggled with this a lot. University was a rude awakening, as the above habits are simply no longer acceptable. I used to needlessly throw 5% or 10% of my assignment grades away when I didn’t hand in assignments on time. I’ve accumulated some tricks over my university career that have made my study sessions much more productive.
Using a Timer
Using a timer is especially useful for tasks you don’t want to get done. Many people like to procrastinate, leaving their tasks to the last minute, even when they have ample time to finish it. This is because the time constraint induces motivation for completing the task, which the person completing it wasn’t able to muster themselves.
I like to use the app Focus Friend (created by the legend Hank Green), though other apps or even your phone’s built-in timer work just as well. The app has two modes: counting up (stopwatch) or counting down (timer) time. The app then gives you in-app rewards for remaining focused. The in-game rewards are socks, which your avatar knits over the course of your studying, and can be used as currency to buy decorations for your avatar. I like to use both timer modes in different ways.
The counting up feature is useful for long tasks with an undetermined end time. For example: if you need to study long lecture slides, or write a full essay. Personally, even if it wasn’t previously, seeing the timer active on my phone puts my brain into a mode where it’s ready to study. This mode is also good when you don’t know how much time you will have for studying, as it can be stopped at any time, without you losing in-app rewards for feeling like a failure for not completing a goal. There is a study method called the 5-minute rule that works well with a counting up timer. The method calls for 5 minutes of interrupted studying, after which the participant decides if they’d like to continue studying or not. Often a barrier to productivity is dread of getting a task started, especially when it seems insurmountable. The 5 minute rule eases you into the task, making this transition less difficult. After the 5 minutes, motivation for completing the task will kick in and the timer can be allowed to run past 5 minutes to track the length of your productivity. If you still do not want to complete the task after the timer is finished, then you’ve at least completed 5 minutes of work.
The countdown timer is best used for tasks that you may not want to complete, as it forces you to be motivated. It can be used for tasks like sending an email, or creating a day planner. The Pomodoro method is a well-known study technique where the student is given a set timer for focusing, then another for relaxing. For example, 25 minutes of interrupted studying, then a 5 minute break. This method works well as it gives a short, obtainable goal to be completed, making the mental weight of the whole task seem lessened. It can also be helpful for some who are starting to grow distracted to see how much study time they have left and push themselves to keep going a bit longer. The break timer is helpful by encouraging you to return to your task, which can be a difficult transition if you lack self-discipline or motivation. It’s also recommended that you get up, stretch, and don’t remain at your work station to get a brain break.The Focus Friend app specifically will show an animation of your avatar dropping his knitting needles, looking sad as he loses track of his work if you stop focusing before the timer is over. This guilt trip has been effective in enticing me to continue studying.
Working with a Planner/ To-Do List
One of the biggest struggles for those living with ADHD, or those who are generally bad with procrastinating, is maintaining a planner. Ironically, keeping a planner is the piece of advice that we hear the most. Here are a few tips to help you maintain a planner long enough for it to be useful.
First, dedicate 5 minutes out of your morning to fill out a to-do list, and consider doing a weekly to do list once a week. Daily checklists let you know what needs to get done immediately, but a weekly checklist can help you arrange tasks based on priority and due date, which is the skill of time management. Writing the to-do list is itself a task, which can be daunting. I like to set a 5 minute timer or play a short song, and race to finish the list by the end of it. This also keeps me from overcomplicating the task at hand, or dwelling on just how many things I need to get done.
Second, create smaller tasks that are easy to complete. Delayed gratification doesn’t work well for people with short attention spans and no self-discipline. Finishing a large project can feel light years away, and the satisfaction when it’s complete will feel minimal. Instead, break large tasks into smaller bits. For example, instead of one task-“write an essay”-you could break it into three tasks-“write the introduction”, “write the body paragraphs”, “write the conclusion.” These shorter goals are more easily obtainable, and thus the gratification from their completion comes a lot quicker. Checking each one off the list will give you a boost of dopamine that can help you stay motivated for longer. This system is also better at recognizing effort, as the singular “write an essay” task doesn’t acknowledge any of the work you’ve done unless the essay is fully complete, whereas the smaller goals do. Having your effort be acknowledged can be motivating by itself.
Third, make it visible. ‘Out-of-sight, out-of-mind’ can also be a big issue for those with ADHD especially. Time management and task completion becomes more difficult when you forget just how many tasks you actually have to do. I prefer to either have my to do list written in a notebook that I will keep next to me while I work, or open on a tab that I can quickly switch to. This serves to both remind me of everything I need to do. It also makes me feel proud of myself as I see more and more checkmarks for completion.
Lastly, remember to continuously add to your to do list. Have a designated spot, whether it be in a notebook, on your phone’s notes app, or (my preference) texted to yourself, to keep a list of tasks as they come. This way, you can refer to everything you need to do in one spot, and you’ll be less likely to let something fall through the cracks and get forgotten.
Using All the Senses
One thing that may affect a person’s ability to focus, in a positive or negative way, is their environment. Oftentimes an environment might be too under or overstimulating, making studying impossible. This varies based on individuals, but it can also change depending on your mood. For example, I find it hard to study when I’m home alone, as the quiet is so understimulating it makes me bored and more prone to seeking distractions. To fix this, I like to implement the following strategies:
First and foremost, put the phone away. Throw it on your bed or at the bottom of your bag. Notifications, with their light-up screens and attention-grabbing sounds make it harder to focus, and simply having the phone in your line of sight can make it enticing to stop studying. Remember, out of sight, out of mind!
Try to engage all the senses while you are studying to stave off boredom,especially if you are passively consuming content (ex. Reading lecture slides, watching educational videos, etc). I like to chew gum, play with slime, or scribble in a notebook during these activities to help keep myself engaged, which then helps me to retain information better. While reading, you can also listen to music or other background noise. Preferences for this will differ person to person, but my recommendations would be to listen to soft classical music, LoFi, brown noise, Experience by Ludovico Einaudi, or any of the Minecraft/Animal Crossing theme music. When I want to work particularly fast, I like listening to Midnight Motorist theme from FNAF 6, or The Collector’s theme (Whatcha Playin’) from The Owl House. All of these can be found on Youtube for free.
Lastly, body doubling. This is when you sit next to another person while studying without speaking to them or needing to study the same topic. Having a person in your vicinity can make you feel pressured to be productive, perhaps because you subconsciously don’t want someone to judge you for appearing to be lazy or unfocused. You don’t even need to know the person you are using as a body double, this tactic works just as effectively if you were to sit across from a stranger at a coffee shop, or in an adjacent cubicle at the library.
These challenges can be difficult to face but you are not alone. Many people also struggle with their productivity and staying focused. These habits are difficult to break, I’ve been working on it for two years and still struggle. When attempting to apply any of these methods to your life, remember to give yourself grace as improvement takes time. Doing your best is all that you can ask of yourself, though when you see how much your life and grades improve with better productivity, it’ll give you motivation to keep working hard!