Concentration
HOW WELL DO YOU CONCENTRATE?
Take a few minutes to answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions.
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YES |
NO |
| 1. |
Do you have trouble getting back into your work after you've been interrupted? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 2. |
Do you read and study in a noisy, cluttered room? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 3. |
Do you find that even though you schedule study time, you don't actually accomplish very much? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 4. |
Do you use any strategies to help increase your ability to concentrate? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 5. |
Can you concentrate on your work even if the subject doesn't interest you? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 6. |
Do you generally read or study with the TV or stereo on? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 7. |
Do you tend to think about personal plans or problems when you are reading and studying? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 8. |
Do you find that when you finish reading your textbook assignment, you don't really remember what you read? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 9. |
Do you get totally engrossed in the material when you read and study? |
_____ |
_____ |
| 10. |
Do you daydream a lot when you are listening to lectures? |
_____ |
_____ |
Give yourself one point for each "yes" answer to questions 4, 5, and 9, and one point for each "no" answer to questions 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10. Now total up your points. A low score indicates that you need some help improving concentration. A high score indicates that you are already using many good concentration strategies.
SOURCE: Van Blerkon, D.L. (1994). College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
WHAT INTERFERES WITH CONCENTRATION?
HUNGER - If you are hungry, your body will be relentless in its demands for nourishment. You will not be able to settle down for a session of concentrated study until you take care of your body's needs. Remember, "Food for the body must precede food for the mind."
FATIGUE - You cannot concentrate for long when you are tired. Again, the needs of the body predominate. Take a short nap to satisfy your physical requirements so you can be alert and get down to study. Another helpful suggestion is to schedule those times of the day when you are most alert to do your most important work.
NOISE, PEOPLE TALKING, MUSIC, TV, AND OTHER EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS - Distractions take many forms. What is distracting for you may be soothing for someone else. If your attention is divided or constantly interrupted, your mind will not be able to think effectively. To achieve better concentration and improved study, choose a quiet place to study that is free from distractions.
DAYDREAMING - Don't let extensive daydreaming interfere with your studying. If you find yourself daydreaming while you study, quickly guide your attention back to the task at hand. Do allow yourself some other time during the day to do some daydreaming.
PERSONAL PROBLEMS - Personal problems can often prompt your mind to drift away from studying. If you find this to be a problem for you, find someone (a counselor, teacher, friend, parent, etc.) with whom you can talk, and get support and/or help in coping with or solving your problem.
STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING CONCENTRATION
Are you looking for some techniques you can use to help improve your concentration? Here are a number of suggestions:
WANT TO LEARN - Do you want to learn? This is a decision that you will have to make for yourself. No one can learn for you. Your mind is always active and ready to receive new ideas. Wanting to help your mind grow is a good stimulus for concentration.
BECOME INTERESTED - The more you know about any subject, the more interested you become. Try to generate an interest in your subjects. Concentration comes easier when you are working with something that interests you.
BE ORGANIZED - Make a weekly study schedule that you can usually follow. Be flexible if change is needed, but also be purposeful. Having a regular time for studying makes it easier to begin.
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TASK - Convince yourself that nothing else is as important as the task which you have assigned yourself for a given period of time.
CREATE A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT - Have everything you will need (textbooks, notes, paper, pencils, calculator, etc.) ready before you sit down to study. Study in a quiet, well-lit place that is free of distractions.
SET REALISTIC GOALS - Have a clear idea of exactly what you will accomplish during each study session. Setting realistic goals for study means setting yourself up to be successful in concentrating.
HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE - Convince yourself that you can accomplish your study goals and that your rewards from concentrated study will be greater than the effort. Look upon studying as an opportunity to learn.
REDUCE YOUR ANXIETY - Keep up-to-date with your course work. Be realistic in your expectations of yourself. Avoid predicting future outcomes while studying. Practice relaxation techniques if you feel yourself becoming anxious.
DO EASY AND ROUTINE TASKS FIRST - Start study sessions by doing something that is routine, easy, or especially interesting. The satisfaction of completing these tasks will help motivate you and put you in a positive frame of mind so you can move onto more demanding or uninteresting tasks.
BREAK LARGE PROJECTS INTO SMALLER TASKS AND COMPLETE THEM ONE AT A TIME - Sometimes it is difficult to concentrate on studying because the tasks that need to be accomplished are so large that they are overwhelming. Break those large projects into smaller tasks. The smaller tasks will seem less overwhelming when taken one at a time. You will also develop a sense of accomplishment as you complete each step along the way.
STUDY ACTIVELY - You should study with a purpose - that is, to accomplish the specific goals you have set. That way your mind will be so busy achieving your objectives that it will be difficult for you to lose your concentration. Varying your study activities will keep you active toward reaching those goals. Effective study activities include: underlining and highlighting, making notes or outlines, locating major points, developing questions, answering your questions as well as those in your textbooks, etc.
ACCEPT THAT YOU MUST DO UNPLEASANT TASKS - Understand that you may need to do some tasks that are unpleasant or difficult in order to achieve your overall worthwhile goals.
RELATE LEARNING - While you are studying, make meaningful associations. Try to relate what you are learning to what you already know about the subject.
SET TIME LIMITS - Set a time for the completion of a task. Your inclination to beat the clock may bring the sustained concentration that you need.
REWARD YOURSELF FOR STUDYING - Plan to reward yourself with something pleasant after you complete your study session and accomplish your goals. Knowing that a reward is waiting for you will give you an incentive to concentrate on the task at hand.
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