Mojza Blog
NO DISTRACTIONS
by Maryam Ali | 9 April 2023
Oftentimes, students find themselves easily distracted, which substantially hinders the process of achieving their academic goals. We cannot blame the students entirely for this occurrence, as we are born in a technological era where everything is extremely accessible. This tends to limit our attention span. This is why we have curated the list of techniques you can employ to make the best of your study time.
Removing All Distractions
Technology has truly revolutionised this world, but not all of it is for the better. Just a simple ‘ding’ on our phone, when we receive a notification, and our entire flow of studying is interrupted. This is exactly why it is so important to not let technology take over our lives. There are methods by which you can limit your screentime and thus reach your goal of increased productivity. These include keeping your phone in “Do not disturb” mode, in which you will not get any random notifications and will not be able to receive any phone calls. Moreover, you can make use of these devices in your favor by downloading apps that help you focus, such as Cold Turkey and Forest (it grows a tree depending on how long you stay away from your phone), which will assist you in avoiding such distractions. Desktop users can install website blockers that do not let you access the websites or applications you find distracting for specific periods of times.
Creating a Calm Environment
Sometimes we underestimate the role of our environment in making or breaking things for us. Hence, instead of succumbing to reduced productivity due to your surroundings, there are ways that could help in reducing interruptions. These include finding a calm, quiet place that best suits you, which could either be a library, an empty room, or perhaps even a café. You can also use music to keep away from disturbances. A certain genre of music has been suspected to boost your spatial-temporal reasoning and help you move at the right pace. Your productivity level could elevate if correct methods for studying are brought into use. One of the most well-known of these is the Pomodoro technique, a studying method in which the person takes short breaks in between work. This helps increase focus.
Organising Your Workspace And Make A Schedule
If you are sitting in a messy area, thinking about how disorganized your study space is, and how you should clean it, you’re probably not getting enough work done. Creating a clean, organized workspace plays a pivotal part in avoiding distractions. You could do this by discarding unnecessary items and maintaining whatever organisation system that suits your style. You could also personalise your workspace if you have to work for long hours, by, for example, keeping your favourite plant or scented candle nearby. This has been proven to escalate focus levels on work for a longer period of time.
In addition to organising your workspace, you should also draw up a to-do list at the beginning of the day to avoid wasting your time, so that you can reflect on how you can move forward to produce great work. This not only motivates you to get things done but also reduces anxiety levels, as anxiety often stems from not having things in control. Timetables or to-do lists often work as a great tool to instil a sense of being in control, as you personalise them according to your capabilities to complete the work.
Channelling Yourself Towards A Goal
Whether your goal is to complete a small task, or even a career-changing one, you need to have motivation to work towards it, so that you automatically avoid distractions around you. Motivation levels can drastically change throughout the day. Many strategies can help in keeping these levels high. Firstly, ask yourself why this goal is important to you; reframing the importance of your task could make it seem worth it, thus avoiding the feeling that the task at hand is less valuable than the task you choose to distract yourself with. Secondly, do not forget to validate your hard work by being proud of yourself for getting even small tasks done. Lastly, create a strong visual connection to the things you want to achieve. Whether this is writing down the goal or creating a vision board, it will encourage you further in getting the work done.
Ultimately, by following and adapting to these tips, a better and more productive study rate can be maintained. These steps will allow you to focus on studying alone. Moreover, it will help maintain a self-disciplined and self-approved study schedule. Tag along with these tips and make your way towards the ‘No Distraction Zone’.
Acknowledgements
Author: Maryam Ali
Mojza
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Published 9 April 2023
Last Updated: 5 July 2023
Written by Maryam Ali