The end of the semester is drawing near, so here are a couple of quick tips to keep you focused while you’re prepping for those dreadful exams.
1. De-clutter your space.
Leave no room for distractions. If you know the mess around you is going to easily distract you, then take a break and get it out of the way. Clutter causes additional anxiousness that isn’t needed.
Plus, if you’re having a hard time getting the ball rolling, cleaning your room can give you a good sense of productivity.
2. Close those tabs, girl. (or at least open a new window)
If you’re anything like me, you may or may not have 100+ tabs open as you read this. I mean, it just happens when you’re on the internet… One moment you’re looking for the tab with the chapter 10 example problems, and the next you find yourself scrolling through the “customers also bought” suggestions on a website.
Close the Hulu and Netflix tabs. “I can watch Grey’s Anatomy as I go over notes.” Things start off really well, but all of a sudden you catch yourself staring at the screen while your pen has somehow fallen from your hand. Trust me, you don’t need to spend your precious study time distracted by the intense story plots.
3. Make a plan and set your goals.
Need I say more? Having an idea of how you want your studying to go is a great start, but actually writing down a plan keeps you on track and focused.
I recommend creating a to do list/schedule with time slots for each topic that needs studying. Having a set time interval can help motivate you because you’ll want to make sure you go over a good amount of information before moving on to the next topic.
4. Do Not Disturb!
Turn off your phone to keep your focus on your work instead of on Twitter. You know it’s the right thing to do, but who actually does it? Putting your phone on silence, vibrate, or do not disturb can work just fine! People can still reach you, they just can’t distract you!
5. Study time is no time for karaoke.
Music has a special place in my heart, so I’m definitely not saying you should cut it out altogether. You have to agree that when your favorite song comes on, you have to try harder to keep your mind on the words in front of you rather than on the words playing in the melody.
For study playlists, I recommend instrumental tracks because you don’t have to worry about lyrics distracting you. Additionally, classical music is known to help reduce stress, anxiety, and tension.
I suggest this great Spotify playlist: “ESM: Electric Study Music”. Thank me later.
6. Get your snooze on. zZz
We all know how lack of sleep can keep you from focusing. Depriving yourself of sleep can actually hinder your ability to concentrate, slow you down, and make things harder to remember. To all of my fellow procrastinators and night owls, taking a nap is okay, but getting 7-9 hours of sleep is even better.
If you find yourself slipping during a study sesh, just take a breath and determine what’s best for you.
7. Be Confident.
Finals are stressful, and it is easy to get overwhelmed. Relax, breathe, and try to not psych yourself out. Believe in yourself because you’ve been putting in a lot of work. You got this!!
Good luck on finals to all.
Thumbnail Photo Credit: http://bluelahe.tumblr.com/ (edited by Leslie)