hello hello, it’s ya girl cielo here with her first advice post, hi!
last semester i found myself not being able to concentrate on anything for more than 5 min at a time so i started trying out ways that would help me get things done, these are some of the tips that i’ve collected, i hope it helps!
things to do when you need to concentrate right now:
count words: grab a book (or just a text, i normally used a dictionary) and start counting the words of the first paragraph, you don’t have to read it or understand any of what the text is trying to convey, the act of counting something specific is what will help you concentrate (i advice counting up until 100-120 words at first).
stay still and focus on your body: close your eyes and feel the way your lungs fill up with air, sense where your arms are, where your feet are resting, concentrate in your heart beat, do this until you feel your head has cleared up again.
repeat a word/frase: it can be something that’s in front of you (a glass of water, an apple?) or a mantra you have, just make sure you’re not thinking about anything else, maybe shield your head in your arms, close your eyes, and start saying your word/frase over and over until you’re not up in the clouds anymore.
+ bonus! it will also help to pick a word related to what you’re currently studying! or repeating a phrase that’s in your text~
count from a 100 backwards: pretty self explanatory, the more you do this one, the more you’ll be able to count. i advice starting at 80 or maybe 70!
alphabet: so this one requiers a template. basically what you do is say the alphabet out loud and lift up your arms at the same time accordingly. L is for Left, R is for Right, B is for Both. take it slowly at first, you’ll eventually be able to do it faster.
the thing with this one is that you should change the order of the arms when you feel like you’ve memorised it (just cover it with a piece of paper, or some sticky notes) because it won’t help you at all once you do it automatically, just make sure not to put Left below the letter L, Right below R, and Both below B because it’d be too easy~ (if this doesn’t make sense, hopefully it will after you see the template).
i recommend doing this one before you start your study session!
move a pendulum without moving your hand: grab something that’s dangly and has some weight to it (i use my keys and grab them by the keychain) and hold it at eye level, make sure it’s completly still! start moving your object without moving your hand/arm (i know this sounds impossible but it’s actually pretty easy), just start thinking about moving it back and forth, you’ll see it start moving slowly, focus on giving it more momentum. when you see it flying around as you wanted switch to thinking about moving it from side to side, then in circles. you can do whatever combination of movements you can think of~
i recommend doing this one when you absolutely can not concentrate.
note: you can find more exercises like these here and here.
things that will help you concentrate on the long run:
doing the exercises listed above regularly: surprise! if you do those on the daily you’ll start noticing improvement on your concentration in general ^^
sleeping well, eating healthily, and doing exercise: this goes without saying, you can not expect to be focused on something if you’re sleepy/hungry. doing exercise helps you get rid of anxiety and restless energy!
yoga/meditation: not much i can say about this, practicing mindfulness ultimately increases your attention span.
+ bonus! specific video about doing yoga for concentration.
[ side note: that video can be a little hard for someone who is new to yoga, but i still recommend checking out her channel because she has a whole series dedicated to beginners ✧ ]
journaling: if you really can’t concentrate it’s likely because you have something on your mind that is either bothering you or it’s an issue that’s not resolved. journaling is a sure fire way to help you figure things out.
taking breaks: don’t! overwork! yourself! if you keep studying for hours on end you’ll eventually find yourself not understanding any of what you’re working on. taking breaks will give your brain the necessary space to process what you’re learning.
working in a room with no distractions: you can’t expect to concentrate in a room where there’s a lot of buzzing around, pls do yourself a favor and find a calm space~
not allowing yourself to get distracted: the toughest of it all, force yourself to remain focused until your next break, no matter if someone is chewing loudly next to you, no matter if your friends are being needy. discipline is everything!
so.. that’s all from me, i really hope this is helpful! if you have any questions related to this (or not) feel free to hmu ^^
