How to stay focused? 7 tips for keeping your full attention

The main work tool, concentration is a pillar of success . Many of you express difficulty staying focused , whether in class or during your personal work. However, the more concentrated you are , the more effective you will be in your learning. Even if it means getting up early in the morning to go to class, you might as well understand it and memorize it ; This will be less to learn during your revisions and time saved for other activities.

Concentration is linked to memory. The more concentrated you are , the better you will memorize. The better you memorize, the more successful you will be!

how to stay focused in class? 7 tips for maintaining attention
SUMMARY
How to avoid distractions
To stay focused, you need to take breaks
Have an appropriate body attitude
Planning and organization promote our ability to concentrate
Drink and eat to take care of your brain
Movement can promote attention
Regular and sufficient sleep, key to strong concentration
Concentration is fragile and also depends on our external environment. Our brains are very sensitive to distractability; as soon as there is a distraction, it cuts the thread of its cognitive task and the other network captured by the distraction takes over. The neural network attached to the cognitive task pauses. We have already seen in a previous article that our brain is monotasking.

Also, the first thing to do to stay focused is to

Avoid distractions
Cut off all attentional capture : phone put away and silent, no computer windows open on social networks/series/shopping/information that has nothing to do with the course or the work required, television or radio turned off, etc.

To improve your concentration in class, place yourself at the front, next to studious students; you will be less tempted to chat and less caught up in various movements or agitations.

At home, during your personal work, sit in a quiet, tidy, safe and soothing place. It may be a good idea to let the rest of the family or your roommates know that you are working and would like not to be disturbed.
If music helps you maintain your attention , choose instrumental music adapted to your tasks.

To stay focused, you need to take breaks
We are not made to stay hyper- focused for hours on end. It's good enough to know that NO ONE can stay focused on the same task for hours on end. So, now you can already tell yourself that yes, you are normal! Our concentration works in cycles and roughly these cycles are between 20 and 30 minutes.
For those who find it difficult to stay focused for 20 minutes, start at your own pace and increase the time little by little.

Every 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your capacity, take a break. In class, consciously allow yourself to relax your attention : “Okay, that's okay, I'm taking my break” And there, you can then put down your pen and, as desired, for example: stretch (arms and legs ), yawn if necessary, drink a sip of water, rotate your pelvis a few times, place your hands on your eyes, all this discreetly without disturbing the rest of the class and for about thirty seconds. As you have consciously released your attention, you also consciously regain it; you tell your brain “I took my break, I'm coming back here and now during XXX, with Mr. or Mrs. XXXX, who was explaining to us how…. The more you contextualize your recovery, the quicker and more efficient it will be.

At home, to maintain your concentration during your personal work, you can do the same exercises. Or, you can get up, take a few steps, move more widely, breathe deeply while opening the window, etc.

After 1.5 to 2 hours of concentrated work , give yourself between 5 and 10 minutes of break. Tailor this reward to being able to easily return to your work. You will launch into a long conversation or the organization of your evening, when you have finished your work 😉 No unwanted scrolling on screen or “recreation-video-games”!

Have an appropriate body attitude
Concentration is an internal state. It is therefore linked to physiological manifestations . Learn to identify the way your body holds itself, in different contexts, that promotes your concentration . Straight back? Legs stretched? folded under the chair? Hands forward? Head resting on fist? Body stretched forward? Well positioned? Everyone has their own language. It's up to you to realize this.
Once you have identified your preferred attitudes, you can immediately position yourself in an attitude that calls for concentration.

To plan
Planning and organization are important supports of our ability to concentrate.
Defining a time for each task, prioritizing, and sequencing your learning will allow you to feel confident and secure, and thus carry out your activities successfully while freeing your mind from any parasitic stress.
You can help yourself with a weekly schedule, designed to respect your personal rhythm , and above all remember to divide your work into objectives and sub-objectives.

Managing your time and defining your objectives must correspond to your functioning and your abilities, while adjusting to your motivations. Your needs also differ from your boyfriend or girlfriend. To build realistic time management, you must rely on good knowledge and respect for yourself .
This concretization of your work promotes motivation , and therefore concentration .
Drink and eat to take care of your brain (water + breakfast)
Poorly regenerated, the brain functions less well.
Start a day of classes with a good, complete breakfast, to which you allow 15 to 20 minutes. This is an extremely important first step, which considerably reduces memory and concentration problems .

The brain is an organ that draws about a quarter of our energy needs. Leaving on an empty stomach therefore terribly reduces your cognitive faculties.

A good breakfast that helps cognitive faculties must bring together different elements: minerals, fiber, proteins, trace elements, B vitamins, slow sugars, omega 3.
You will find all of this in wholemeal breads and wholegrain cereals, without added sugar; fresh fruit or pure juice; eggs; cheeses; white meats; dairy products; dried fruits or oilseed purees.
Example of a preferred breakfast: 1 or 2 slices of bread with cheese or almond puree, 1 fruit or 1 squeezed orange, some dried fruits (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.), 1 cup of tea or infusion.

And drink ! The brain loves water!
Like the rest of the body, the brain needs to be hydrated to function at peak performance. Make a habit of drinking regularly throughout the day. (approximately 1.5 liters of water per day)
Note that sodas or others have no recommended virtue for good hydration. 😉
For an exam, bring a bottle of water and dried fruit (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.). This is the best way to stay focused and efficient. You can drink 1 to 2 sips regularly approximately every quarter of an hour. And remember to take your mini-breaks!

Create movement
Sitting in a chair behind a desk all day, while in full expansion of energy, is not extremely natural. For some, it's almost impossible. Know that movement can promote attention . Yes yes ! Not just any movement, of course, but some movement can help you stay focused.

This is already the case with the drawings. It is easy to see that some students tend to draw during class. Doodles, automatic drawings, or more sophisticated drawings. It’s a way of integrating what they hear. Just like scribbles when you're on the phone, for example.

In the same way, we sometimes like to hold a pen in our hands, move our feet, etc.

The movement can also be initiated internally. The brain does not differentiate between reality and imagination. So you can imagine running, swimming, walking, even flying, in your head for your mini breaks; likewise, you can imagine the application of what you are learning.

Remember to visualize the knowledge heard. Through images, or even a film. Certain materials lend themselves to this more than others; in history, literature, sociology… think about building sequences around what you learn. Imagine Julien Sorel wandering in the garden, Montaigne getting out of his carriage and La Boétie welcoming him; imagine the mud of the trenches, the noise, the rats, the rain; travel through India, Japan, or the Andes; Imagine your lessons, make them a reality, make them an experience.

At home, remember to alternate positions, chant the texts to be learned by heart while walking, revise out loud while making mind maps...

And sleep !
Sleep! Sleep well, sleep enough, sleep regularly! You can apply all these tips to concentrate better , if you don't get enough sleep, it will be of no use.

Concentration is based on restful sleep.

Like our body, our brain needs to recover. Although it never stops, during our sleep, it sorts, reinforces and memorizes certain information, forgets others, makes connections... Shortened sleep, diminished brain !
Go to bed at a regular time and respect your cycle.

For good quality sleep ,

Turn off any electronic device in your room, even when on standby.
Put your phone on airplane mode or leave it in another room.
Ventilate your room and keep the temperature cool.
Protect yourself from blue light from screens by installing an application (eg: f.lux )
Stop using screens 1/2 hour to 1 hour before going to bed or turning off the light.
Establish a bedtime ritual as a transition time.
So ! Start with these 7 tips by paying all your attention to them , and you will very quickly be able to notice a clear improvement 🙂
Play sports, meditate, breathe!