Once exam season comes around the corner, it is understandable to start feeling the pressure and stress of having to prepare for it. There is a lot of studying that needs to be done and it can get especially hard if there are a lot of tests one has to prepare for.
Besides, other worries and problems might also be on one’s mind, not to mention that living in the digital age entails constantly having numerous distractions around you. All of this might make concentrating and focusing on tasks at hand that much harder which leads to even more stress and frustration.
However, there are some simple things one can use and do to enhance their concentration, stay motivated, and improve their focus. So, if you are looking for ways to improve your studying methods or are simply curious about the things that can help, here is what you can do. While these study methods can greatly help you improve your concentration, a good choice of study materials will help you even more in your exam preparation.
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1. Breakfast & Brain Foods
Food is one of the best ways to fuel your brain and it can greatly help improve your concentration. As such, breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day since it gives our brain and body energy to be able to perform well during the day. So, make sure you always eat a well-balanced breakfast but avoid overeating since it can have the opposite effect.
Whenever you feel your mood and energy dropping, go ahead and eat some foods that can help boost your memory and focus, for example, blueberries, avocados, dark chocolate, or nuts. Fatty fish and leafy greens can also help and do not forget to drink water or even green tea.
2. Exercise
Even light exercising will get your blood flowing, increase your heart rate, and bring more oxygen to your brain. Consider starting every morning with at least 20 minutes of exercising or by going for a short jog.
Subsequently, if you feel yourself getting tired during studying, take a break and do some stretching or easy exercises like sit-ups or jumping jacks. This will help you increase your alertness and attentiveness.
3. Quality Sleep
Not getting good sleep or even worse, enough sleep can be detrimental to both your physical and mental health. Going to bed late and then waking up early will leave you feeling tired and sleepy for the rest of the day. You will not be able to think clearly, let alone focus, so try to set a sleeping schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time.
If you are a night owl, it is perfectly fine to study at night, as long as you get enough sleep during the day. Also, sleeping for longer than 6-8 hours will have the same effect as not sleeping enough.
4. CBD
Cannabidiol or CBD products such as oils, tinctures, and edibles are becoming increasingly popular and for a good reason too. They offer many physical and mental benefits, a boost in focus and concentration being one of them.
It is important to understand that although it comes from the Cannabis sativa plant, it is extracted from a special strain known as hemp which contains no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) meaning it does not have any psychoactive effects.
What it can do is help reduce any physical pain and discomfort, as well as reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. When used responsibly it can offer many advantages.
Interestingly, CBD oil can be ingested orally or can even be added to foods and drinks. Click on this link if you are interested in learning more about some of the best CBD oils on the market.
5. Taking Breaks
Taking in too much information at once can be overwhelming for your brain. Studying also requires a lot of mental effort, so make sure you take regular breaks from time to time.
They do not have to be long ones, 10 minutes is just enough, but take that time to just sit and relax or do something that does not require a lot of thinking. Rest is important for restoring energy and increasing productivity and motivation, so get some whenever you need it.
If you are feeling especially drained, take a power nap, but make it no longer than 15 minutes, so set an alarm and get up as soon as it rings.
6. Eliminating Distractions
Although there isn’t much you can do about any noise coming from the outside world, you can control what is happening around you. Do not study in a noisy room, one filled with people, and if it is something you cannot control, think about going to a quiet place like a library.
Getting distracted by your phone and social media apps is something that can very easily happen, so set your phone on silent and turn off all your messages and social media push notifications.
7. Coffee
According to Vivarin, caffeine doesn’t only help you wake up in the morning but it can increase your alertness in the afternoon as well. Although it does not enhance your memory performance, it does stimulate your brain to pay more attention to tasks at hand and makes you less susceptible to distractions.
On the other hand, avoid drinking coffee in the evening or at night as to not mess up your sleeping schedule.
8. Music
This might come as a surprise since many people find music distracting but although that might be true for some, recent studies have shown that it actually helps you focus on your thoughts more. No matter your musical taste, play some music quietly in the background and get straight to work.
9. Completing One Task at a Time
Logic might dictate that multitasking can help us get more things done faster. However, it often has the opposite effect, especially when it comes to studying. It might be wise to create a schedule that you can follow and focus on learning one subject or chapter at a time.
This way, you will not only avoid cramming which is not a very good way to study, but you will actually remember things better and will improve your focus since you will only have one thing to think about.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the things listed above can boost your focus and help you finish all of your studying in little to no time. Remember to stay hydrated, optimistic, and simply do your best and you will surely be able to ace all of your exams without a problem.
