ADD and study

Hey all,

I've just started a Uni course and I've found it hard to concentrate on my work for any long periods of time, which makes it hard to get anything done. Does anyone know how I can increase my attention span to stay focused on study for a longer period of time?

Just as a FYI: I don't want to take prescription medication.

Hi! The main thing is to actively study. You can do things such as make a list of questions as you just skim over the material and then find the answers as you read. Read out loud and stop to summarize the material after a bit. Use a highlighter to indicate lists, definitions, etc. and write in the margins of your book or take notes. Don't just try to sit and just read. Do you get the idea?

spend a little time each day studying, and built a routine. dont try to study for hours on end in the beginning. like 20 mins or 30 mins and see how that goes, try green tea or meditation beforehand.

That will be my top problem, I can’t concentrate for long time, or enough to get the job done! I like the Travelinglady ideas specially the reading out loud part, if I don’t do that I will be just turning pages without remembering a letter.

The key for me to studying is to find a topic that I find interesting. ADD or not, I think most people have a hard time sticking with something for long periods of time that they are not interested in. If it's a course that you are required to take, find ways to help yourself make it less boring. Try highlighting in different colored highlighters or taking notes with different colored pens. Have you tried two-column note taking? It's a great method that forces you to flip the information into a question/answer format and think about the information differently. Google it. Make flashcards. Make up songs to remember the information. Come up with mnemonic devices. Try studying in different places for a change of scenery. Take your materials outside for fresh air. The possibilities are endless.

reading out loud, making lots of lists (in lots of places too), taking thorough notes, studying in different places, these things that everyone else mentioned have been great for me.

I get bored quickly too, so I try to switch activities as often as I need to. You can switch between homework and other things you need to get done, or take a quick break to do something that's fun but not too engrossing (so it's not hard to get back to work). if I'm losing interest in the topic itself, sometimes it helps to watch videos (youtube, TED talks, documentaries) or listen to podcasts about it. doing that at the same time as you do your work might be useful (or distracting, it varies for me).