So, there you are in front of your screen. All programs, videos, sites and subject matter are open to start your day. You've all set yourself up and you're sitting with your fingers over your keyboard, ready to have an epic study session. But suddenly that feeling is gone, that flow. That's where your concentration went...
In the entire history of humanity, there has never been anyone who really always had 100% concentration. But especially in this corona crisis, concentration has become perhaps one of the biggest obstacles of the year. Fortunately, we have listed some tips and tricks that can help you regain your concentration.
- Make a schedule with fixed study times. Are you just unable to get out of bed in the morning, or do you almost fall asleep at dinner? Then it might not be a great idea to schedule a study moment here. Find out when you are most productive in a day and plan your study moments around this.
- Create a place that's just for studying. A good workplace can do wonders! Your brain usually associates a certain place with a particular mood or task. This is why many people are unable to study in bed or at a busy dinner table. A perfect study spot is therefore a place that focuses on studying and concentration. No distractions, no other stuff. This doesn't have to be an entire study, a small table in your room is already a big step in the right direction.
- Start each session with a plan. Before each session, consider what you want to achieve and set specific and detailed goals. For example: in 1 hour, I want to finish level 1 of Winc Academy's Web Development for Beginners course. This way, you can get to work in a focused way and you also know that the hump of work is coming to an end.
- Create a routine (and stick to it!). It has been proven that if you always do the same series of simple tasks before starting a difficult task, your brain will automatically go into concentration mode when you are doing the simple tasks. So with a routine, you're actually tricking your brain into concentration. And this really doesn't have to be a 3-hour routine; simply making tea or tidying up your desk can already switch to another zone.
- Use a learning method that's right for you. You can make a really nice to-do list or write a huge summary, but if this doesn't result in real productivity, you might want to try another way. So write down all your ideas on post-its, make mind maps out of subject matter, listen to loud music, work chaotically, no matter what you try. As long as you can concentrate, no study method is too crazy.
- Take breaks! You may not realize it yet, but you are not a machine that can constantly generate 100% concentration. Reward yourself with that tasty snack, that fun YouTube video or simply walking around and make sure you give yourself a moment of rest after and between each intense session.
- Realize that good enough is really good enough. You can't always aim for a perfect work day or project. Rome wasn't built in a day, so your study session doesn't always have to be perfect. So a start doesn't have to be the end project right away. Start small and slowly build up to the end. This allows you to focus on small steps, instead of losing sight and creating chaos in your head.
- Try to do something every day. As the cliché yet valuable saying goes: “Something is better than nothing”. Sometimes when you spend even 10 minutes or simply starting something, you can realize that it's actually not that bad at all. There is usually a barrier to starting a task and once started, most people are able to concentrate quite well.
- Dare to ask for help. Being stuck in a small problem for too long can quickly become annoying and demotivating, so make use of the helplines you have! (Video) For example, call your friends or fellow students to have a study session so that everyone motivates each other to be productive.
- End each session with a reward and a moment of reflection. Give yourself that satisfying ending. Cross off that to-do list and give yourself a pat on the back for the good work you've done. And while you're at it, plan tomorrow's tasks right away so you can get straight to work with a focused eye.
