Building concentration skills

BUILDING CONCENTRATION SKILLS


Many students find it difficult to concentrate and stay focused
when they are doing their schoolwork at home. So what can we do
to improve concentration levels? Try these top tips:
IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT: Have a good hard look
at the environment you are trying to concentrate in. Is it noisy?
Are there more exciting things happening around you? Is it too hot?
Too cold? Are you uncomfortable? Too comfortable? What can you do
to make the space more conducive to concentration?BLOCKS OF
TIME: If you are someone who finds it difficult to
concentrate at home don’t try and study for too long at a time.
Instead tell yourself you will work for 20-30 minutes then you can
have a break. If you know it is only 20-30 minutes it is much
easier to concentrate than if it was for an indefinite period of
time.ANCHOR TO THE PRESENT: Create a focus
word that brings you back on task. We all daydream. The key is to
start to pay more attention to when you are doing it and then
immediately take action. If your key word for example was ‘orange’
when you notice you are day-dreaming say ‘orange orange orange’ to
refocus your attention to your work.RESET THE
BRAIN: Sometimes you just need a time-out from what
you are doing in order to be able to concentrate again. If your
attention is constantly wandering, then get up and have a drink,
walk outside, kick a ball – just take 5 to 10 minutes to clear your
head so you can come back fresh to your work.WORK OUT PEAK
TIMES: Start to pay attention to what time of the day
you are most focused. That’s when you need to do the harder work or
the work that requires greatest concentration. If you know you get
tired after dinner don’t leave the difficult work until
then.CARROT AND STICK: Some people are
motivated by working towards rewards, others by avoiding
punishments. Give yourself a target time to focus with a little
reward at the end if you achieve it – or maybe a little punishment
if you don’t!