Concentrating while studying

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Your tips for good concentration during studying...

are you a first year?

your first close call will scare you into doing what you need.

are you a second year?

i don't know man if you can't dig deep and find the energy theres nothing we can do for you.

In an hour, study for 50 minutes and then give yourself a 10 minute break before you sit down to study for another hour.

During your break, do something ACTIVE:
- Dance
- Do pushups
- Fantasize about your lover.
- Clean your apartment.

The planned break gives you something to look forward to. If you feel the urge to daydream, tell yourself...only 50 more minutes and then I can.

I listen to music on Pandora while I study. It's really helped me get through horribly boring classes such as hematology/oncology.

I also allow myself to browse the net for a few minutes after I finish reviewing a lecture.

fear of a 6 figure debt with no way to pay it off

Originally Posted by Isoprop

fear of a 6 figure debt with no way to pay it off

Originally Posted by Jolie South

I listen to music on Pandora while I study. It's really helped me get through horribly boring classes such as hematology/oncology.

I also allow myself to browse the net for a few minutes after I finish reviewing a lecture.

Opposite for me: ear plugs.

Originally Posted by han14tra

In an hour, study for 50 minutes and then give yourself a 10 minute break before you sit down to study for another hour.

During your break, do something ACTIVE:
- Dance
- Do pushups
- Fantasize about your lover.
- Clean your apartment.

The planned break gives you something to look forward to. If you feel the urge to daydream, tell yourself...only 50 more minutes and then I can.

This . I got a little alarm clock app which rings after 50 minutes so I get my ten minute break. Absolute max I can do is three of these 50-10 sessions before I need to go break for a longer period of time (food, gym etc...)

1. music on my iPod
2. study near a friend. We didn't study cooperatively, but we usually studied in the same room. I was less efficient, but I was able to study for much longer, so overall, I was able to get more done.
3. take breaks. you're not perfect, so your study habits won't be either. if you're just staring at words on a page, get up and move around. If it takes you half an hour to clear your head, then do it. If you're in a groove and can study for 3 hours straight, then don't take a break just because your timer went off.

4. Most importantly - go somewhere where you can be focused. I could never study at home, since I'd tidy up, make a snack, play some video games, take a nap, relax with the wife.....

Originally Posted by TheProwler

1. music on my iPod
2. study near a friend. We didn't study cooperatively, but we usually studied in the same room. I was less efficient, but I was able to study for much longer, so overall, I was able to get more done.
3. take breaks. you're not perfect, so your study habits won't be either. if you're just staring at words on a page, get up and move around. If it takes you half an hour to clear your head, then do it. If you're in a groove and can study for 3 hours straight, then don't take a break just because your timer went off.

4. Most importantly - go somewhere where you can be focused. I could never study at home, since I'd tidy up, make a snack, play some video games, take a nap, relax with the wife.....

Totally agree with this. If you're in a groove, don't break it.

I'm currently a 2nd year. Last year I studied mainly in my apartment, but found myself wasting a lot of time watch TV or shows on Hulu. Also, sometimes I'd get tired and lie on my bed. Unfortunately, that usually ended up with me taking a 3 hour nap.

This year I've started studying in the library and implemented the 50 min: 10 min. schedules people in the above posts keep talking about. During my break, I try not to go on the internet b/c I usually end up staying on longer than 10 min. Rather, I will walk around the floor of the library I'm on and look at some of the books, posters, etc. It get the blood flowing and wakes me up if I start to feel tired.

Question for the 50:10 minute people above:

What if you're in the zone? Basically, let's say you're on a roll.

Do you just force yourself to get up?

Originally Posted by phospho

Question for the 50:10 minute people above:

What if you're in the zone? Basically, let's say you're on a roll.

Do you just force yourself to get up?

I try to make sure I'm at a good stopping place. Like yesterday, I was learning how the interatrial septum forms in a fetus. I was half way through the material at the end of the 50 minutes. I was in the "zone" and so I kept going. But, as soon as I finished that section, I took a 10 minute break, which felt good because I had just learned one complete topic.

I try not to stop if I'm in the middle of a topic because then I'm confused when I come back.

All I do is:

1) Make my environment distraction-free: no people, phone, computer, music, tv, etc.

2) Break study time by the material, not by timer. Always finish on a logical break point.

3) If I can't give 100%, deal with whatever the problem is and come back when I can. Eat, sleep, goof off, whatever. Life's too short and the material is too long to spend time half-studying, half being miserable.

It is ok to take breaks and let your mind wander. I don't set any timers or anything, but my mind has its own little timer that decides that I have had enough for a bit. At these junctures I usually let my mind wander off in its own direction, surf the internet, play with the dog or whatever. some days it's more than others, but it usually ends up working out in the long run.

Originally Posted by phospho

Question for the 50:10 minute people above:

What if you're in the zone? Basically, let's say you're on a roll.

Do you just force yourself to get up?

I'll continue reading. I don't actually have a timer to tell me when to get up. But the 50:10 schedule is the closest thing that resembles how I study. More accurately, it's more like going through 2 lectures (usually takes 50-60 minutes when I'm reviewing them) and then a break, repeat, repeat, ...