What
you can control in your
studies:
-
"Here I study"
Get a dedicated space,
chair, table, lighting
and environment
Avoid your cellphone or
telephone
Put up a sign to avoid
being disturbed or
interrupted
If you like music in the
background, OK, but
don't let it be a
distraction. (Research
on productivity with
music versus without
music is inconclusive)
-
Stick to a
routine,
efficient study schedule
Accommodate your
day/nighttime energy
levels
See our Guide on
Setting goals and making
a scheduling
-
Focus
Before you begin
studying, take a few
minutes to summarize a
few objectives, gather
what you will need, and
think of a general
strategy of
accomplishment
-
Incentives
Create an incentive
if necessary for
successfully completing
a task,
such as calling a
friend, a food treat, a
walk, etc.
For special projects
such as term papers,
design projects, long
book reviews, set up a
special incentive
-
Change topics
Changing the subject you
study every one to two
hours for variety
-
Vary your study
activities
Alternate reading
with more active
learning exercises
If you have a lot of
reading, try the
SQ3R method
Ask yourself how you
could increase your
activity level while
studying? Perhaps a
group will be best?
Creating study
questions?
Ask your teacher for
alternative strategies
for learning. The more
active your learning,
the better.
-
Take
regular, scheduled
breaks that fit you
Do something different
from what you've been
doing (e.g., walk around
if you've been sitting),
and in a different area
-
Rewards
Give yourself a
reward when you've
completed a task
Best Practices:
-
You
should notice
improvement in a few
days
But like any practice,
there will be ups,
levels, and downs:
-
It will benefit other
activities you do!
Be here now |
Worry time |
Tally Card | Energy
level |
Visualize
|
Be Here Now
This deceptively
simple strategy is
probably the most
effective.
When
you notice your
thoughts wandering
astray, say to
yourself
"Be here now"
and
gently bring your
attention back to
where you want it.
For example:
You're studying
and your
attention strays
to all the other
homework you
have, to a date,
to the fact that
you're hungry.
Say to yourself
"Be here
now"
Focus back on
subject with
questions,
summarizing,
outlining,
mapping,
etc. and
maintain your
attention there
as long as
possible.
When it wanders
again, repeat
"Be here
now"
and gently bring
your attention
back, and
continue this
practise,
repeatedly. It
will work!
Do not try to
keep particular
thoughts out of
your mind. For
example, as you
sit there, close
your eyes and
think about
anything you
want to for the
next three
minutes except
cookies. Try not
to think about
cookies...When
you try not to
think about
something, it
keeps coming
back. ("I'm not
going to think
about cookies.
I'm not going to
think about
cookies.")
You might do
this hundreds of
times a week.
Gradually,
you'll find that
the period of
time between
your straying
thoughts gets a
little longer
every few days.
So be patient
and keep at it.
You'll see some
improvement!
Do not
constantly
judge your
progress.
Take it easy
on yourself.
Good
practice is
enough to
say that you
did it, and
that you are
on the road.
The mind is
always
different
and the
practice
unfolds over
time with
many ups and
downs.
|
|
Worry or
Think Time
Research has proven
that people who use
a worry time find
themselves worrying
35 percent less of
the time within four
weeks.
-
Set aside
a specific
time each
day to think
about
the things
that keep
entering
your mind
and
interfering
with your
concentration.
-
When you
become aware
of a
distracting
thought,
remind
yourself
that you
have a
special time
to think
about them,
-
Let the
thought go,
perhaps with
"Be here
now,"
-
Keep your
appointment
to worry or
think about
those
distracting
issues
For example, set
4:30 to 5 p.m.
as your
worry/think
time. When your
mind is
side-tracked
into worrying
during the day,
remind yourself
that you have a
special time for
worrying. Then,
let the thought
go for the
present, and
return your
focus to your
immediate
activity.
|
|
Tallying your mental
wanderings.
Have a 3 x 5
inch card handy.
Draw two lines
dividing the
card into three
sections. Label
them "morning,"
"afternoon," and
"evening."
Each time your
mind wanders,
make a tally in
the appropriate
section. Keep a
card for each
day. As your
skills build,
you'll see the
number of
tallies decrease
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|
Maximize your
energy level
When is your energy level at its
highest? When
are your low
energy times?
Study your most
difficult
courses at your
high energy
times. Sharpest
early in the
evening? Study
your most
difficult course
then. Later in
the evening?
Work on your
easier courses
or the ones you
enjoy the most.
Most students put off the tough
studies until
later in the
evening when
they become
tired, and it is
more difficult
to concentrate.
Reverse that.
Study hard
subjects at peak
energy times;
easier ones
later. This
alone can help
to improve your
concentration
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|
Visualize
As an exercise before you begin
studying, think
of those times
when
concentration is
not a problem
for you--no
matter what
situation. Now
try to feel or
image yourself
in that
situation.
Recapture that
experience
immediately
before your
studies by
placing yourself
in that moment..
Repeat before
each study
session.
|
Portions adapted
with permission from
Help
Yourself.
http://www.k-state.edu/counseling/concentr.html
University
Counseling Services,
Kansas State
University.
"Be here now"
corresponds to
Bhuddist insight
strategy
See also J. R.
Hayes, The
Complete Problem
Solver. Franklin
Institute Press,
1981
Website overview: Since 1996 the
Study Guides and Strategies web site
has been researched, authored, maintained and supported by
Joe Landsberger
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