How to Focus and Concentrate on Your Studies: Proven Tips for Students 

If you’ve ever found yourself rereading the same page for the fifth time, you’re not alone. Concentrating while studying is tough, but with the right techniques, it’s completely doable.  

Every student, no matter their age, wants to know how to concentrate on studies. Usually, it starts by aiming for good grades, trying your best and planning to study hard. However, not all study strategies are equally effective. Many students resort to cramming and sacrifice sleep, which ultimately harms their performance. By adjusting your approach it’s possible to boost your concentration and improve study efficiency. To help you succeed, here are proven study hacks for a happier, healthier and smarter exam period! 

10 Quick Focus Tips for Students

1. Eliminate Distractions
2. Create a Productive Study Space
3. Pick the Right Time
4. Use Active Recall to Study Smarter, Not Harder
5. Make a Study Timetable
6. Forget Cramming
7. Take Regular Breaks
8. Stay Hydrated
9. Prioritise Health
10. Reward Yourself

How to Improve Concentration and Memory While Studying

Improving your concentration and memory go hand-in-hand with better-quality focus. Research has found that good study habits lead to better performance regardless of IQ. For your next set of exams, aim to study smarter not harder or longer. What’s needed is to tweak your approach and implement a great study strategy. These are 10 of the best, proven study strategies for getting good grades. 

1. Eminate Distractions

Distractions significantly impact your ability to concentrate. According to research by Dr. Glenn Wilson at London’s Institute of Psychiatry, persistent interruptions, such as phone calls or emails, result in a 10-point decrease in IQ. His research also reports that this effect on concentration is equivalent to a night without sleep. Key elements of minimising distractions when studying are having a quiet, organised space with good lighting and a comfortable seat. Ideally, you need to be able to unplug from email, messages and phone calls and not have anyone trying to quickly grab your attention. 

“Interruptions affect Concentration and Lower IQ.”

2. Create the Right Study Space

Creating the right study environment is key to figuring out how to concentrate when studying. A productive study space can boost your ability to focus and concentration levels. It has also been shown to decrease stress. Furthermore, having an appealing space to study has been shown to encourage more regular studying and improve study habits. 

How to Create a Good Study Environment

1. Choose the right location for you. Ideally pick an area that’s dedicated to you while you’re studying and that you can personalise. If need be, swith study locations occasionally to maintain interest and pruductivity.
2. Ensure that there are no obvious distractions in or around your study area. For example, sometimes it’s better to face the wall while studying instead of a doorway.
3. Keep your study space tidy and organised.
4. Ensure there’s good natural lighting or a great desk lamp.
5. Manage your noise levels. Decide ahead what you need to study best; is it silence, music or general background sounds?
6. Make sure your chair and desk are comfy.
7. Have the necessary supplies on hand that you’ll need while studying; from extra pens and past papers to a bottle of water.

3. Pick the Right Time

Your body runs on a 24-hour circadian cycle that affects alertness and cognitive functioning. Identify your peak productivity time then, to maximise efficiency, use this period for your most challenging tasks. Conversely, during your least productive time, plan to study easier sections or take a break to catchup with someone, exercise or do daily chores. 

4. Use Active Recall to Study Smarter, Not Harder

Utilise effective study techniques rather than preparing to study for endless stretches of time. A very effective study technique is Active Recall. It’s based on the idea that actively retrieving what you’ve studied from your memory improves long-term information retention.  

Using an active recall approach prevents you from having a false confidence of knowing the information. Which is a danger when using only passive learning techniques, like reading and re-reading material without engaging with your learning process. In contrast active learning ensures that you actually know and will remember what you’re studying through revision and constant testing. 

4 Elements of Active Recall Learning

1. Take time to learn your study material.
2. Vary how you study, for example, by using flash cards and mind maps.
3. Teach the material to someone else to enhance understanding.
4. Practive with mock tests to prepare thoroughly for exams.

5. Make a Study Timetable

There are several ways to prepare for studying, and the best place to start is by creating a study timetable or schedule. Start by making a list of the exams or assessments you need to prepare for. It’s also helpful to know the type and duration of each exam (e.g. multiple choice, essay, open book). Next, create a study plan with clear goals. This means having defined in-study milestones and an end goal for each subject. For example, a study milestone might be completing specific sections by this date. And an end goal could be increasing your English mark by 15% in your exam. 

To keep your brain constantly engaging with what you’re studying, plan your study sessions to switch between subjects. Allocate specific times in your daily or weekly calendar for each study session. Set study schedule reminders on your phone and use online calendars like Google or Outlook to stay organised.  

6. Forget Cramming

Cramming is ineffective because it activates short term memory and short-term memory retains information temporarily. This means that immediately afterwards you’ll perform well but the information isn’t processed properly. Research shows that the result of cramming is a lack of understanding and only retaining up to 27% of study material. Other consequences of cramming include increased stress and anxiety. Rather than cramming, deliberately plan sections to study by using a study timetable which spaces out time-slots and varies study material. 

“If you learn something slowly, you forget it slowly. If you learn something quickly, you forget it quickly.”

Itzhak Perlman, Renowened Violinist

7. Take Regular Breaks

A good way to improve concentration and focus while studying is to schedule breaks. Research from the University of Illinois found that short breaks during tasks prevent mental fatigue. Another study, shows that learning with regular, spaced out breaks gives your brain time to process information and create more robust memories. The kind that enables long-term retention of information.  

Each person differs, so you’ll need to figure out your own ideal length of study time. A good place to start is by following the Pomodoro Technique. It works because it helps get your mind into and keep it in a study zone. 

The Pomodoro Technique

1. Breakdown what you need to study into smaller chunks.
2. Choose a section of work to study.
3. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
4. Study for that 25 minutes.
5. Take a 5-minute break and for every 4 Pomodoro cycles take a longer break of between 15-30 minutes.

If you finish studying a section before your 25 minutes are up, then use the remaining time. For example, by going over points you’re still unsure of or doing some extra practice questions. Use your study breaks to get some fresh air and take a walk around the block. If the sun is shining, a dose of Vitamin D will be beneficial. Alternatively, have a power nap or do the opposite, take a cold shower to stimulate the vagus nerve. Both of these options can bolster your brain functions! 

8. Stay Hydrated

Approximately 75% to 85% of your brain is composed of water which means that even mild dehydration can impair concentration. Studies show that a 2% decrease in water causes acute, negative changes in brain functions like memory and attention. Drink water regularly to maintain focus and ensure your brain functions optimally. Your brain also needs sodium and electrolytes to function optimally. Therefore, you could vary your water intake by drinking coconut water, milk or electrolyte-enhanced beverages. 

9. Prioritise Health

In addition to keeping hydrated, good nutrition is essential for optimal brain function, so nourish your brain properly. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables and water in your diet. Also try to reduce caffeine intake, as it can disrupt sleep and increase anxiety.   

Regular physical activity also enhances learning by reducing cognitive decline. Aim to exercise at least once a day to lower anxiety and stress, even if it’s just a 15-minute walk. Exercise increases blood flow to your brain thereby increasing oxygen levels and nutrient supply. This boosts mood, memory and concentration. Exercise also assists with improving sleep quality which helps to improve learning and retention of what you’ve studied. 

An important part of staying healthy while studying is getting enough good quality sleep. For optimal cognitive function and memory consolidation, it’s recommended that you get between 7 and 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. 

10. Reward Yourself

Within your study timetable, set out milestones that when you achieve you give yourself a reward. This helps reenforce good study habits and assists in how to stay focused while studying. For example, after completing a study session or section of work you can read your book for half an hour. Alternatively, you could watch an episode of a TV show or simply sit in a lovely spot with some tea. 

Where to Study

Do you want to study further but feel overwhelmed with options? Is what you want and need a great baseline degree that will open up many different and exciting career options? If this sounds like you, then explore SACAP’s study opportunities. SACAP has three faculties: Applied Psychology, Management and Leadership and Social Work and Community Development. Each faculty offers numerous courses across SACAP’s four campuses located in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria. Alternatively, you can study online. Contact an admissions officer to discuss your options or apply online today.