One of the challenges students face at home is that they can barely focus. Being surrounded by all kinds of distractions can make it difficult for a child to study and get schoolwork done. Fortunately, you can use plenty of techniques and methods to make your study time more productive.
Using applications to stay focused and organized, timers, and some time management strategies can be used to work efficiently at home.
Below, we list some of the most effective tips and tricks to help students focus at home.
Here Are The Top 5 Steps to Follow to Help Students Focus at Home
1. Establish a plan.
A good goal is always to have a plan and stick to it. However, sometimes we tend not to stick to the plan or might procrastinate. An article by ZenHabits has given incredible information about why we do not adhere to the plan and how to overcome that.
Sticking to the plan means writing down a schedule, creating deadlines, and listing goals you want to achieve in each study session. You want to know what you want to study, when, what deadlines you want, and how long the study session should be. Doing that can really help and will make a massive difference in the entire process.
2. Make sure that you have a relaxed study environment.
Establishing a great study space is essential and will make studying much simpler and more accessible. The last thing you want is for your kid to learn in a place with a lot of noise and little to no place for their books and notebook.
Creating a study nook is a much better idea. You also want to ensure everything is fully organized and that no one and nothing will disturb your kid while completing their homework or studying.
3. Take breaks often.
Many studies have shown that taking breaks is actually beneficial for the human brain. It makes it easier for the brain to boost focus, and at the same time, you also get to retain more information. Yes, it can be rather tricky, especially in the beginning, but the benefits can be excellent if you manage it right.
4. Remove digital devices.
The reason why you want to remove digital devices is that these are a significant distraction. You want to pull all of these away or ask a parent to keep them. The idea is to avoid having your child on social media while also trying to study. It just leads to a low retention rate and a lousy studying experience. Your kid should focus only on learning and not on their timelines and status updates.
According to a survey by Statista in 2019, 40 percent of tnternet users in the US within the age group of 18 to 22 years are addicted to social media, which is a staggeringly high percentage. Furthermore, the pandemic has made it worse.
5. Drink enough water (but not too much).
Staying hydrated is important since it helps your brain function optimally. You want to drink only a little water, though, as it will involve multiple washroom visits. While there’s no problem with that, it will bring challenges since it breaks immersion and makes studying harder.
Furthermore, while someone is working, the brain tends to be more efficient if it is in a flow of constant concentration. Taking unscheduled breaks mean losing the momentum of concentration.
The same thing can be said about eating. You don’t want your child to overeat because doing that might lead to body fatigue, and they want to stay and rest for a bit. So yes, avoiding over-drinking and over-eating is extremely helpful and will make a difference in a situation like this.
Instead, focusing on self-care while studying also improves concentration.
How to Focus While Studying at Home?
Having a checklist and sticking to it is always a great idea. This helps students plan what topics to focus on, in what order, and how to optimize the learning process. You always want to avoid any rush, which will make a huge difference. It’s important to remember that while you want to avoid adding too much to your original plan, modifications are key in ensuring your checklist accommodates your learning style and routines.
It’s also recommended to use some of the breaks for physical activity. Your body can become sore after studying for quite some time, so walking or performing some minor forms of exercise makes sense. Even if it might not seem like a whole lot, these simple things will make a difference, and that’s undoubtedly a thing to keep in mind.
Remember to remove physical distractions as well, such as clutter, gadgets, or toys, so your kid can focus on the task. If a child sees all kinds of distractions, that can make learning more challenging, and that’s definitely one of the things that you want to avoid if you want to help students focus at home.
How to Increase Focus While Studying?
As we mentioned above, minimizing distractions can be a great starting point. On top of that, eating healthy snacks and not thinking about anything other aside from the topic is a very good idea. Even if it seems counter-intuitive, simple things like taking breaks can help quite a lot. The last thing you want is to deal with any stress. As you stay in the same place and study for a long time, that brings stress. So yes, taking breaks is efficient here.
Why Can’t Children Focus on Studying at Home?
There are many different reasons, but the main one is that there are a lot of distractions at home. That’s why some adults avoid working from home. Many students also lack a dedicated place where they can study, making it difficult to find a quiet space, store learning materials, and stay organized. Then there’s also the fact that at home, kids can access a computer, mobile phone, and many gadgets, all of which are significant distractions. There’s also the appeal to go and talk with a family member instead of studying.
Conclusion
Even if it can be difficult to study at home, there are ways to get around all those challenges. Having the proper schedule, sticking to a program, and knowing when to take breaks are extremely important. You always want to keep the process simple, and the results can be very impressive. We recommend planning, testing these ideas, and then implementing them to see how it works in your case!