The run up to final examination can be a nerve-wrecking time for even the brightest of students. The stress of how you will fare in the examination and whether you’ll have time to finish your syllabus in time and squeeze in a revision or two can often interfere with your concentration levels, causing your productivity to nose-dive. It is also the time when you need to stay focused the most.
Here are a few smart tips and tricks to help you improve focus for optimizing output ahead of final exams:
Create a Conducive Environment: When you are bundle of nerves inside, even the slightest distraction can impede your focus. An appropriate study environment can help you eliminate these distractions. Choose a quiet room in your house as your study center. If you have younger siblings or a lot of people in the house at all times, head to a library for some peace and quiet, so you can focus on your lessons.
Gather Your Supplies Beforehand: Once you get in the zone, it is crucial to make it last. Make sure you have everything you need – notebooks, textbooks, writing pads, pens, pencils, highlighters, a light snack, and a bottle of water – handy before you sit down to study. This way you won’t end up disrupting your rhythm by having to move away from your desk to retrieve essential supplies.
Include e-learning in the Process: In these technology-driven times, most students are more accustomed to reading things in e-format than printed versions. If you find it harder to study just with traditional textbooks, try to include e-books and online tutorials in your learning process. With a plethora of 3D diagrams, infographics and video representations, these can also be of great assistance in improving understanding of concepts, helping you accomplish more in less time.
Take Short and Frequent Breaks: A planned 10-minute break after an hour-long productive study session is a lot better than sitting at your study desk for hours, with your thoughts wandering helter skelter. Frequent but short breaks help in refreshing your mind and help you have a go at your curriculum with renewed energy.
De-clutter Your Mind and Surroundings: Keeping your surroundings and mind clutter free is imperative for building that single-minded focus on studying. Do not over think things that are beyond your control such as how difficult or easy a paper might be, what would the cut-off for your next admission be. Also, free your mind space from worries about a troubled equation with a friend or a crush not responding the way you’d like them to. There’ll be time enough to deal with these issues once you are done with your exams. Similarly, clearing all unwanted items from your room and your study area can help in reducing distractions and improving focus.
Be Here Now is the Mantra: The mind has a tendency to wander at the first opportunity it gets. The chances of these wanderings are higher when you are dealing with subjects that don’t interest you. But you’ve got to study them anyway. Make it a conscious choice to check your thoughts from wandering by reminding yourself to ‘be here now’. It takes some practice and patience but you will see visible results within a few days.
In addition to these tips and tricks, eating right, getting some exercise, and keeping yourself duly hydrated also helps in improving focus and productivity. Keep your mood light and your focus strong to ace those exams.