How to Focus on Schoolwork by Matty Haddock
It’s around the time of year when students are hammered with exams, studying, and projects. Procrastination isn’t the result of a lazy student—it’s the result of a stressed student. Stress causes the body to produce too much cortisol, hindering focus. This article will go over some scientifically proven ways to make homework less of a daunting task, and instead, make it easy and interesting.
Right now, a good amount of people feel stressed at the thought of getting work done and don’t know why. Oftentimes it’s because they’re walking into homework without knowing where to start. This stress can lead to a mental shutdown, which often comes in the form of avoiding homework and getting stuck even further behind. Recovery is possible when the stress is eliminated. Preparing the mind for focus is the first step. Do this by making a list of what assignments or tasks need to be completed. Instead of making anxiety worse, this actually instills a sense of control and confidence. Once someone knows exactly what to do, it’s easier to get it done. Set up for success by identifying the tasks at hand.
This next step is infinitely important on the path to making focus easy and not stressful. Contrary to popular belief, humans suck at multitasking. An abundance of research suggests that attempting to multitask almost always ends poorly. The brain will bounce back and forth between tasks. Every time a TV is glanced at while doing homework, the brain will shift its focus completely off of the homework and onto whatever is happening on TV. The same concept applies to smartphones, conversations with others, and even podcasts. Doing this overexerts the brain, so remove potential distractions from the area and go somewhere quiet before studying to avoid unnecessary fatigue.
Due to the instantly gratifying nature of phones, wandering thoughts are put on hold during usage. To avoid going into homework with a flood of wandering thoughts, take a period of time beforehand to do nothing. The brain might fight it, so sit somewhere comfortable and let thoughts be thought. 10 minutes is a good amount of time to clear the mind, but some may benefit from a longer period of mental reset. After this, going to answer that first math problem may actually be entertaining. Additionally, studies have shown that music with no lyrics may benefit most people. If this resonates, listen to some tunes while working to soothe the mind and mute wandering thoughts.
A big rule when it comes to good focus is not to overdo it. Breaks aren’t just nice, they’re necessary for a good workload. A common method people use to divide time is the pomodoro technique, where 5-minute breaks occur every 25 minutes, and after four of these 25-minute study periods, a longer 25-30 minute break is given. While resting, reset your eyes by staring at a distant object for 20 seconds. According to experts, this reduces blurry vision from eye fatigue.
Hopefully these tips will help ease the stress of school!
Right now, a good amount of people feel stressed at the thought of getting work done and don’t know why. Oftentimes it’s because they’re walking into homework without knowing where to start. This stress can lead to a mental shutdown, which often comes in the form of avoiding homework and getting stuck even further behind. Recovery is possible when the stress is eliminated. Preparing the mind for focus is the first step. Do this by making a list of what assignments or tasks need to be completed. Instead of making anxiety worse, this actually instills a sense of control and confidence. Once someone knows exactly what to do, it’s easier to get it done. Set up for success by identifying the tasks at hand.
This next step is infinitely important on the path to making focus easy and not stressful. Contrary to popular belief, humans suck at multitasking. An abundance of research suggests that attempting to multitask almost always ends poorly. The brain will bounce back and forth between tasks. Every time a TV is glanced at while doing homework, the brain will shift its focus completely off of the homework and onto whatever is happening on TV. The same concept applies to smartphones, conversations with others, and even podcasts. Doing this overexerts the brain, so remove potential distractions from the area and go somewhere quiet before studying to avoid unnecessary fatigue.
Due to the instantly gratifying nature of phones, wandering thoughts are put on hold during usage. To avoid going into homework with a flood of wandering thoughts, take a period of time beforehand to do nothing. The brain might fight it, so sit somewhere comfortable and let thoughts be thought. 10 minutes is a good amount of time to clear the mind, but some may benefit from a longer period of mental reset. After this, going to answer that first math problem may actually be entertaining. Additionally, studies have shown that music with no lyrics may benefit most people. If this resonates, listen to some tunes while working to soothe the mind and mute wandering thoughts.
A big rule when it comes to good focus is not to overdo it. Breaks aren’t just nice, they’re necessary for a good workload. A common method people use to divide time is the pomodoro technique, where 5-minute breaks occur every 25 minutes, and after four of these 25-minute study periods, a longer 25-30 minute break is given. While resting, reset your eyes by staring at a distant object for 20 seconds. According to experts, this reduces blurry vision from eye fatigue.
Hopefully these tips will help ease the stress of school!