Who does not want to be focused and productive? With college prices skyrocketing, any student would like to get the most out of that expensive experience. However, with the advent of the Internet it has been becoming harder and harder. Now a person who can stay focused for long periods of time is viewed more as an exception rather than a rule.

However, it is not a reason to just give in to your guilty pleasures and accept the status quo. Most successful people know how to combat their desires and concentrate on the important. If you want to be like them, this article is for you.

Prepare the Work Environment

Having the right working environment is crucial to your productivity. You need to make sure that all the potential distracting factors are eliminated before you even start, rather than trying to fight them in the process.

First of all, close all the tabs, organize the folders and turn of the Internet if necessary. Try to put your phone away from yourself and turn off the notifications. It is better to turn it off completely, but it may not be a viable option if you are waiting for an important interview or simply want to be available in case of emergency. However, at least not reacting to your friends’ texts is already a good start.

Secondly, put away all the physical objects like notebooks and books not related to your task. All that clutter may seem harmless, but it is going to distract you subconsciously from what you are trying to accomplish.

Finally, open everything you need for your homework. You do not want to discover in the middle of the study session that you forgot to retrieve an important article from the college database which is essential for your project. It will detract from your time and make you frustrated, which is not a good mood for intense concentration.

Take Care of Yourself

Even if you have a clean study zone and all the materials ready, it is not going to help if you are just way too tired to do anything. You are not a robot, but a human with very human needs like food, sleep, and social interaction. Make sure you satisfy the basic wants of your body, before you can move on to straining your brain.

Also, allow yourself some downtime. The thing is that attention is a limited source, and you physically cannot stay focused 12 hours a day. Therefore, if you are feeling bushed, do not push yourself further. Take a relaxing walk or a quick nap to recharge your batteries.

Do not Do Anything Else

Many students would try to do multiple activities at once like doing physics homework and watching some funny video. Although it may trick your brain into thinking that physics is fun, but it will also make your concentration much weaker, while draining it much faster.

Multitasking has wrong proven to be a bad idea for those who want to get the most out of their studying/working experience. Thus, do not try to shoot two birds with one stone, and concentrate only on one particular assignment. It is much healthier to indulge yourself after finishing the study session rather than doing it simultaneously.