[lastyearisblank]

I don't know how this happened!!! It's like no amount of coffee will fix it. How do you avoid getting anxious over it? I want my old brain back! Any tips for staying focused? I get so bored and start ruminating on sad stuff. It takes foreeeeever to get a simple project done. Oh yeah and sleeping! I get so, so sleepy! They keep the library here really cold and it's the perfect temperature to just bring a hoodie and nap. People talking on their cell in the stacks really lulls you to sleep too.

[Fresia]

I have really been struggling with this lately myself. You have probably tried these things already but this is what I have been doing, perhaps there might be something that will help:
I have been trying to study in shorter increments with some more breaks. It has helped to eat better, increase my exercise and by using some brief walks for some of the breaks, doing something fun in between as well for a complete break from it, and then coming back to it. The exercise also helped with being more alert, more than the caffeine, and in sleeping better. I've started to use different ways of varying the studying from how I'd normally do it, using different technology, walking around while I read my notes and books, reading out loud, writing it out or typing notes, etc. Just to change it up. Before I read, formulating questions that I want to get answers to so it gets me more engaged has helped as well.

I noticed too that a bit of depression, stress, and anxiety was creeping in. I was already on meds for this, so I need to get them adjusted. Not sure if this is a factor for you or not, but if so, something to consider as all this can influence concentration level as well.

Wishing you the best luck in your studies!!

[siljie]

I totally relate to you! Always make sure to get a good night's sleep at night, and if you have trouble with that I'd suggest medication for it. Try to think of the bigger picture, of what your studies and work will result to in the end. That usually helps keep me going. You can do it!!!

[Perna]

Yes, I do best if I put the whole project into focus and see what's next also so it's just like doing a page of math problems for homework one night only the "problems" are a bit larger and it's over a semester instead of one night. Just assume you will get the project finished (you do generally get all your projects finished on time?) and be businesslike about it; put it in prospective with what you are looking to learn overall in the course. I use to make my projects my own, come up with some angle to them that was entertaining to me so I enjoyed doing them more, didn't get as bored.

[danii24]

Yes i can relate to that. i read a sentence then again then i still dont no what it was a jus read. i dont have ne tips sorry. trying to improve this my self. if i find ne good tips ill post them.

Some1 told me once that coffee makes concentration worse too

[Oxidopamine]

Coffee can improve memory but it's only a short-term boost. It's similar to when you toss something oily onto a lit BBQ, the flames will shoot up high but only a brief moment. I can relate to feeling sleepy because I'm a night-owl, even right now it's almost 5 am and I'm posting!

What I've always found is when you're trying to work on something but you cant focus no matter what, then stop trying, it'll only aggravate you. Myself, I cook because for whatever reason, when I cook, I can relax and I just get a flow of ideas for the stuff I was working on, then I finish cooking, eat and pour out all the ideas.

I'm a naturally very relaxed person because I just rationalize that no matter what happens, the impact is going to be minimal. Even if Murphy's Law is true and a few days become an unstoppable train wreck, I just keep telling myself, "OK, it sucks that happened but it could have been so much worse" and that reduces my anxiety quite a lot. If you cant concentrate much because of the anxiety, try telling yourself the impact is not severe, it's very minor. You don't need to do the entire project all at once, do it in bits and set a schedule where you'll do fragments of it. Make the fragments small and feasible, so once you've completed it, you can look at your list, check it off and tell yourself you're one step closer to finishing it. That one tick-mark can bring quite a lot of motivation and reduce the anxiety because you've shoveled a pile of stuff off your plate.

[IceCreamKid]

Depression has a bad effect on my concentration. I have learned to study when I feel better and to study slowly when I feel bad, knowing I won't remember as much then. The extremes of heat and cold also affect me: they make my depression much worse and my concentration decreases. So I try to avoid extremes, but it is virtually impossible. Then about two weeks before classes are over, my level of interest and concentration just rolls over and kicks its legs up in the air. Once I discovered that, I have learned to study a little all along so that even if I do less well on the last exam, my grade stays high.

[filensave]

I play music in the background, that helps...sometimes...

I've heard that you shouldn't study/ do homework in your bedroom/ bed because your mind associates that with sleep/ relaxation so then you will fall asleep, be less productive, and focus less...I personally haven't tried this out (I still do work on my bed because I have no where else to go) but it may work for you.

Would working with a buddy help? It does for me at times.

If I'm not already stressing out putting pressure or a time limit helps me finish as long as I have a reason to finish it. For example just saying I need to finish at 830 would not make me finish at 830 I'd keep procrastinating...If I said I need to finish at 830 because I also need to shower, check my email/ regular stuff on the computer before 9 so I can watch my show that helps. Also giving yourself a reward at the end may help.

In addition to giving yourself breaks (if you choose to do that) try doing a different assignment/ project/ task after every break it may help you from getting bored. Or you may be the opposite and want to finish the task before you get a break.

Hope something helps!

[Irine]

Thinking of why you chose to study this subject, and where does it lead you - in your life, yeah - to the depth of it...might bring you more to focus, to a feeling of fulfillment
You chose it because you LOVE it and because you have natural inclinations for it. Try to recall....

I know there are things in what you love that you hate....but in the end..it is that inside reward we get that matters. They when you base your deeds on it - your concentration improves because you are more one with the whole study things.

[leeches]

Oh gosh I'm really suffering from this lately. Trying to write my thesis atm and it's going so painfully slow... because I just can't concentrate! I find it really frustrating too. I used to read 4/5 papers a day, now I have to read one paper 4/5 times just to understand what it's talking about. Some of these tips sound like they might be useful though, so thanks

[Flooded]

Yep, I have pretty much no concentration hence the reason most of my posts are only one or two sentences..

[cheraguileragaga]

The exact same thing is happening to me. I used to be a huge nerd, and honestly, I liked being considered that as my rep. But now I don't feel the same anymore cause I get so tired of doing work because I get so overwhelmed with the things teachers give me. If I get tired in class I will wait until we go to watch a movie and fall asleep. I missed a whole assignment one day by doing that

[Primal Pain]

The key is to get some sleep, and to try finding something that motivates you for learning. It can be independence, accomplishment,knowledge, anything. Attention is the most important thing. The good technique is to think of every word and its meaning, then on the meaning of the entire sentence, paragraph, page, lesson. Also, focusing on keywords helps. If you find confusing words that associate you to something else, write them down, and don't read them until you have the entire lesson in your mind. The next step is to ask questions to yourself and to answer as if you are an expert of the area, confident, loud and clear. Study for the knowledge, not to get approval from the professor.