Here’s a top 10 list for defeating distraction at college. What would you add?
- Recognize distraction as a growing problem—and not just for college students. Learning strategies to manage your time and attention will pay dividends for the rest of your life
- Use pen and paper for note taking, not your computer, in class lectures (you are going to class, right?).
- Multitasking is a super power and you’re not a super hero. Focus on one thing at a time. Your brain (and memory) will thank you.
- Stake out your cave: the place where no one can find you and you can get some serious work done. Think the top floors of the library stacks, the quiet end of the anthropology building, etc.
- Turn off notifications for social media—the fewer dings, the better for your attention. Social media companies spend a lot of money to make even more money figuring out how to grab your attention.
- Use Sunday to get a head start on the rest of the week. Time spent productively on Sunday will set you up for a less-stressful week.
- Whenever possible, read from real books and not a computer screen (digital pages are minefields of distraction).
- Set a timer for 50-minute study blocks—then reward yourself with 10 minutes to do whatever you want.
- No texting in class! Professors report a strong inverse correlation between students who text (yes, they can see you texting) and academic performance. You might even learn about inverse correlations if you pay attention and ask a question or two.
- STUDY AT THE LIBRARY—NOT YOUR ROOM!
Anchored Focus Consulting offers the Academic Success Lab providing college students with surefire techniques to defeat distraction and achieve success. To learn more, contact Anchored Focus or call 888-865-5316.