Concentration University of Louisville Disability Resource Center

Improving Your Concentration 3 Steps To Improving Concentration 1. Learn about the barriers that lead to poor concentration.  Which ones affect you? 2. Learn how you can control these barriers.  There are tons of strategies out there. Figure out what works best for you. 3. Apply controls and make a habit of concentrating.  Once you find some strategies that work for you, stick with them!

Causes Controls TV & radio in background Too comfortable chair Food nearby Friends & family nearby Pets Telephone Leave or change the distracting environment Try studying in the library or another quiet place Study away from others and in quiet External Barriers

Causes Controls Hunger Drowsiness Eat high-protein snacks, fruit, and regular balanced meals Plan to study when you are most alert. Get adequate sleep Exercise lightly for 5 minutes to wake up Internal Barriers

Causes Controls Boredom, dislike, & disinterest in a class Anxiety about class Find a satisfactory reason for taking the class Join a study group Talk to instructors about how the course content is relevant to you. Talk with a campus counselor. Talk with the instructor about the course. Improve the effectiveness of your studying. Internal Barriers (cont.)

Cause Controls Intimidating assignments Break large assignments into small pieces and make progress on them everyday. Do the most intimidating part first. Reward yourself for making progress. Work with other students. Internal Barriers (cont.)

Cause Controls Daydreaming When your mind wanders, write down the interrupting thought and visit it later. Look for the main ideas in your text and notes. Ask yourself questions about the material. Stop studying and daydream for a little while to get it out of your system. Internal Barriers (cont.)

Cause Controls Personal worries Identify and define the problem. Develop a plan to resolve the problem. Talk with a friend or family member about the problem. Speak with a counselor. Internal Barriers (cont.)

Tips To Improve Your Concentration Intend to Concentrate  Set aside a specific amount of time for concentrating on studying. Prepare to Concentrate  Have everything you will need ready for that time. Use Concentration Promoting Activities  Condense what your read into organized notes.  Rewrite and better organize your notes.

Tips To Improve Your Concentration (cont.) Vary Your Study Activities  Try reading and taking notes for a while, then asking and answering questions for a while, then recite and review the material for a while. Find a Non-Distracting Study Environment  Find a space that you can use only for studying.  Remove all auditory and visual distractions from the space. Set Up A Specific System for Study and Learning  Try creating flashcards with broad terms on one side and the details of that term on the other and reading aloud the information, or any other system that will work for you.

Tips To Improve Your Concentration (cont.) Eat Regular and Well-Balanced Meals  Avoid sugary and fatty snacks that may cause you to “crash” or feel sluggish. Get Plenty of Night-time Sleep  Drowsiness negatively affects your concentration, so get plenty of rest. Set Daily, Weekly, Monthly, & Semester Goals  Concentrating may be easier when you have related goals in mind. Take Regular Study Breaks  When you are struggling to concentrate, you may need to take a break so you can come back to your studying feeling refreshed.

References Harvard University. Strategies for staying focused with adhd. Retrieved from Focused with ADHD.pdf University of Central Florida. Making concentration a habit. Retrieved from oncentration/Making_Concentration_a_Habit.pdf University of Central Florida. 10 tips to improve concentration. Retrieved from oncentration/10_tips_to_improve_concentration.pdf