Hey all. Can you recommend some good study tactics to concentrate better? I feel like I am constantly losing concentration and getting distracted while studying? What are your strategies?
how to concentrate
- Thread starter Schwann
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Second this...
Also find a quiet spot @ the library if u're distracted at home, turn off pc UNLESS U ABSOLUTELY NEED IT, take regular breaks
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Also, turn your phone off.
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I take study breaks every 20-30 minutes. Also, no studying at the computer.
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What if you remove yourself from ALL distractions but still can't focus? I literally lock myself into a windowless room without pc, phone, ipod...NOTHING but me and my notes....and I still can't concentrate. I start reading sentences or whatnot and in about a minute, my mind wanders off thinking about random things obsessively...
I've ALWAYS had this problem (which is why I always did poorly in subjects that required reading and concentration) but I somehow managed to still do well in school, especially in science and math, because of my smarts (I don't mean to brag).
Do you think i have add or something?
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Try caffeine, studying w/wo music (some people do better with it), use a white board or actively take notes and concentrate on what you're writing, how it fits in with the rest of your notes.
If all else fails look into an Rx solution. You really don't want to be on that stuff if you don't have to be.
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Might seem strange, but I have this problem and I deal with it by moving locations. When I was in undergrad a quiet room with no distractions was enough, but now I have to study so much more... and I cannot concentrate for that long.
I've found that I can't do more than about 1 1/2 hours in a stretch, and to keep it interesting I switch locations. Couch, desk, bed, library, study room - rotate through when I get impatient with one of them. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but it works for me.
My other simple solution is chewing gum. Lots of it. Whenever I zone out I grab gum. Again, it might be a weird gimmicky thing, but at this point I'm going to do whatever works.
Good luck! If none of this is right for you, just keep trying until you get something that's right! And maybe tell me what it is in case I need a new gimmick by then. 🙂
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Wow. That article totally shoots down conventional learning theories.
In undergrad I could definitely pull off studying without a computer. However, in med school the internet is a complete necessity for many subjects. Whether it is downloading the powerpoint that was uploaded, or going on wikipedia, or reviewing histology, or listening to lecture capture. It just amazes how it is almost impossible to isolate yourself from the computer for extended periods of time while in med school. So much of the curriculum is computer-based, which is a good/bad thing. I have been trying to drink energy drinks, but I will not resort to medications.
