<p>I have trouble concentrating at studying for a long time. Usually I can only last about 30 min, and I have to stop. It's not like there are any external factors that cause this, its just me. Any secrets you guys wanna share about maintaining concentration for a long period of time?</p>
<p>Take notes. I can't just read, I have to write it down. That forces my mind to go over the material several times in seeing, thinking, writing.</p>
<p>Well, a nice quiet place always helps. I find that if there are any external distractions (television, music, etc.) I have trouble working. Is this your problem too?</p>
<p>Flax Seed Oil</p>
<p>lol, well that's interesting.</p>
<p>Where did the idea of flaxseed come from? I bought some for omega-3 as I am vegetarian.</p>
<p>Yeah I can't concentrate for long either. And it's almost impossible to do anything at home because there's always a bed nearby so whenever I'm tired I just sleep.</p>
<p>North Americans are usually lacking omega 3 EFA in their diet, and flax seed oil is an excellent supplement for this. The cells of the body
need the omega 3 fatty acids from which they build their cell membranes, which protect them. The brain is largely composed of fats called phospholipids, which are made from essential fatty acids. Thus these oils are essential for the function and structure of the brain and improve cognition, memory, moods and concentration.</p>
<p>Red Bull, obviously!</p>
<p>Well, Red Bull chased with an Arizona Iced Tea is pretty good for concentrating.</p>
<p>Library, 2-3 cans of energy drink, mp3 player, lots of refil, red pen, black pen, blue pen, green and pink highlighter, layering of clothes so you can alter your body temperature to the library's.. I can't study when I'm too hot or too cold.. And I like to organise my notes by writing them out again in really pretty colors. And I like making diagrams.. But not everyone is a color-coordination/diagram person..</p>
<p>Take one of those quizes from the net about your best study position and stuff.. And do what they say.</p>
<p>i "turn it on" for one page at a time and after the page i allow my mind to wander briefly.</p>
<p>i have a very short attention span but im working on it</p>
<p>well you are not actually supposed to stay studying for 30 minutes on end. You should instead break up your studying and work on segments at a time. </p>
<p>Lets say you have to study for history and science. </p>
<p>You start with history, study 15 minutes, take a 5 minute break (get some water, juice, stretch, walk around your house, etc), then study for another 15 minutes, take 5 minute break and so on. When you finish studying math, take an hour break, do something else, ride your bike, watch tv, do something fun, shoot some hoops, play a video game, whatever that takes your mind off school. Then go back and do your science study just like math.</p>
<p>Also, I believe, that you shouldn't really have to study for long periods of time if you simply just listen and absorb the information in class, take some notes, and review every day for like 15 minutes. By the time the test comes, it should all be in your longterm memory.</p>
<p>^^ Good idea</p>
<p>I agree...I can never study for 30+ minutes with no break...I feel like I'm about to snap if I do...I usually have the T.V. on when I study, so I glance up now and then.</p>
<p>I disagree</p>
<p>When I only study for 15min, then wonder off, I usually get sidetracked and it gets really hard for me to go under that deep concentration again. I like to study for 3 hours straight and with an hour break, then study 1 hour. (this is for a test or osmething) Even through the 3 hrs, I can concentrate very well.. (I had to practice alot for this.. In the start, I only could concentrate for 40min..)</p>
<p>But, to each his own</p>
<p>Omega-3 can help with memory but it's not going to necessarily change any bad habits. One can have the best nutrition ever and still play computer games all day. Of course, it comes hand in hand with the elimination of distractions.</p>
<p>For those who cannot study due to that stupid computer next to them all day, try imposing a barrier between your computer and yourself. They will definitely make you think twice before impulsively reaching out for that computer. Though it won't help if you're truly bored and determined to wait for a while until the computer allows you to do what you want to do.</p>
<p>It's all a matter of style. Marie Curie would study for pretty much the entire time without breaks. Of course, she was unique in that studying was to her what computer games are to me, something one cannot get off.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf</a> is an interesting article. In other words, it's no surprise that so many people today have such low attention spans, as the digital world did not require them.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Children raised with the computer think differently from the rest of us. They develop hypertext minds. They leap around. Its as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not sequential. 21 Linear thought processes that dominate educational systems now can actually retard learning for brains developed through game and Web-surfing processes on the computer. 22
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Education in itself isn't very stimulating. However, if you could make it as stimulating as a computer game, it could do wonders for our attention spans. Point is, perhaps our concentration could improve if we put some stimulation in it.</p>
<p>And of course I'm all focusing on theory right now. I've desperately tried to increase my attention span, by using the Internet Explorer security settings to control what I see. All without avail as I then delete those settings.</p>
<p>Here's a surefire way.</p>
<p>Put everything off until the very last minute...that forces you to concentrate.</p>
<p>Like how tomorrow I'm spending the day finishing a physics assigment and writing 12 (no typo) 2-page essays for Religion class. The essays are so important that if I don't do them, I'm not allowed to come to school on Wednesday. So I don't think I'll have a problem concentrating.</p>
<p>That was my strategy last year and it worked pretty damn well, for a while at least. But unfortunately, my procrastination worsened and not only did I hold off assignments until the last day, I held them off until 4:00 AM on the same day the assignment was due! And yet my grades still did not decline (but I was close to being doomed, I was frequently saved when I procrastinated for a due date that was earlier than the actual due date). Pretty risky, it can work for some people, but it doesn't work for others.</p>
<p>But yes, if you dupe yourself in believing that a due date is actually earlier than the actual due date, then it works WONDERS. :D The only problem is that once you get a good portion of the project done, you lose motivation for doing anything extra.</p>
<p>Well, what I do is I do repetative, boring homework infront of the tv during a really good show. Then when that good show is over, I have no reason to be destracted from the important stuff.</p>
<p>Also, staying up late helps my concentrate. I am staying up late right now (I don't need to) and I'm going to finish a majority of my homework. I'll go to sleep and when I wake up, I can get ready for school with no hast.</p>