Some tips for building concentration before studying: easier done than said.

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through social media for hours, absorbed by postings and conversation? Have you been joyful of the “likes” and followers and irritated or even saddened by mean, sometimes hateful, messages? Have you found yourself with so many texts swooshing on your phone that in your hurry to respond, you missed many of them anyway? Have you ever wanted to put your phone down and be away from it, but was afraid to miss a message or an update? We’ve all experienced at least some of the above. All our electronic devices and social media can be useful but take up much time and our attention. When we study, how can we concentrate?

The answer seems obvious. Put the phone away for a while right? But it’s hard to do. Partly as we find ourselves dependent on our phones and media, there are many debates about devices and social media and their impact on us. However, abstaining at least for some time may be more easily done than all that we can think and say about the matter. Part of learning to concentrate is making tough decisions and following through with self-reflection and an action, even if it involves a little bit of tradeoff: we sacrifice something we crave, for something that is beneficial, at least for the moment. The first step is reflecting on whether what we crave is beneficial for us in the moment. How is the phone making us feel in the moment? A quiet moment of breathing in and breathing out to relax can help. Then, ask ourselves: how are we feeling? Is it pure joy or a little bit of anxiety, too, fielding media? If the latter, then we can give it up for some time, at least long enough to finish studying. The second step is to set a time limit. For how long will you not touch the phone while studying? After such a decision, shut off the phone. See how you feel. If you feel tempted to turn it back on immediately but you don’t, then, that’s an achievement. It’s an action followed through. How do you feel about that? With every small sacrifice of something you crave that is not helpful at the moment, you are gaining concentration.