5 ways to stay focused

One of the hardest parts of learning something new, especially if you do not actually enjoy what you are learning, is staying focused.

Recently, I have started a Calculus I class so that I can schedule some more Computer Science classes for the upcoming semester. However…four weeks past and the only things I was able to focus on were getting a job and updating my projects!

Now that I have found a job, I should be able to focus on this new priority.

It is time to enter super focus mode. Here are 5 ways I have stayed focus my first few weeks out of the job search grind.

1 | 📱 download a motivating productivity app (example: Forest).

One of the best ways to stay focused is to use technology to your advantage, and utilize one of the many study apps our phones now have to offer (if you use a flip-phone or any other non-smart-phone - great! You already have less distractions).

The app I personally use is the Forest app. There is also a free app that is very similar to Forest on the app store called Flora.

The idea of Forest is to start a timer and grow a tree. Before doing this, you can either create a blacklist full of websites you can not visit, or a whitelist full of websites that you are allowed to visit.

The other option is to do a deep focus, which does not allow you to leave the app at all (this is a need for apple users, since security features on IOS does not allow the app to know when other apps are open).

At the end of your timed study session, you are awarded with coins that can allow you to buy different species of trees/plants. When you get enough coins, the motivation for me is that you can plant a tree in real life with your coins.

2 | 🎶 play lyric-less music, alpha waves, or white noise.

I find that having lyrics in my music distracts me from problem-solving work, or deep thinking. In addition, I find that if it is too silent for too long, my mind could start to wonder during down moments when I have to take a moment to think.

To counter these issues, I’ve found that instrumental music, alpha waves, and white noise help me concentrate the most.

🎧 instrumentals

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Instrumental music I usually dabble in consists of anime and movie soundtracks, lofi hip hop beats, and classical music. I save this for creative driven tasks because listening to different sounds put creative ideas into my head, enabling me to use my artistic skills on my projects and writing activities.

🎧 alpha waves

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Alpha waves have been known to filter out distracting sensory information and change the brain activity. ¹ In fact, I love to use these sounds for tasks for school that require me to problem-solve and commit information to memory quickly. ²

Of course, there is not a lot of concrete evidence that support these claims scientifically, but the monotonous frequency actually does help me focus on tasks that are less interesting to me… like Calculus.

🎧 white noise

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White noise is known to help with sleep, but it has also helped individuals with ADHD focus on tasks that are usually affected by ADHD ³. Other studies have found that like alpha waves, white noise can improve learning.^{4 5} Ofcourse, this will not work for everyone and is definetly not a cure - but it does not hurt to try!

I like to use white noise before I use Alpha waves. This is usually when I am learning new information or listening to lectures. I usually turn on a fan - but there are also white noise sounds available on Spotify and Youtube.

3 | 🌃 do the hardest work when you have the most energy/focus in your day.

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I use to think that the 4am routines on YouTube were holy grail and the only real way to become successful and rich. This is absolutely NOT true.

Biologically speaking, everyone is different and has their own natural circadian rhythm clocks. Studies have found genetic links to whether or not someone will be a night owl or a morning bird 🐦.⁶ Others have even suggested that people who prefer to stay up late have different brain structures than people who naturally wake up early. ⁷

Personally, I find myself being smack in the middle - and for me this is okay. I tend to naturally want to sleep around 12 and 1 a.m. and wake up between 7 and 9 a.m. And, because I am a little bit of a night owl, my focus tends to be the best in the late afternoon to night rather than the morning.

I believe that the best way to wake up is to wake up naturally. The days I wake up naturally are the days I am the most focused. Figuring out when you naturally wake up and the time of day you focus the best is essential to keep up with a busy schedule and stay on task.

4 | 🧽 beautify your surroundings and clean your working environment.

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I admit that I have had my fair share of messy teen years. However, once I started cleaning up and keeping things less messy - the time it takes me to focus on a task once I sit down is much shorter than before.

Studies have found links to procrastination and messy environments. ⁸ When my room is messy and I try to work - I still get some things done, but seeing the mess around me eventually became subconsciously stressful. Additionally, I would also get stressed about having too much stuff and would spend hours trying to get rid of things. Becoming stressed and anxious over my daily life was bad enough, but when it invades your own room and desk it can put a damper on your concentration and work efficiency. ⁹

On top of having a clean area, look into making your area look aesthetically pleasing. I find that having a pretty work area makes me more excited to sit at my desk and complete tasks, even if they are deathly boring.

5 | 🖥️ join a discord study group, watch study-with-me’s, or livestream your studying online routinely.

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I watched a good video from a YouTuber named Tina one day who mentioned that setting a StudyWithMe livestream schedule helped keep her accountable because her own fans were watching. This BLEW my mind and I realized that I should start my own livestreams (and am getting that set up as we speak).

However, if you are camera shy, live streaming is not the only option. There are endless amounts of streamers who study at all times of the day and livestream to their fans to help motivate them. In addition, I have dabbled into some study discord servers during the pandemic that had people livestreaming on there too. Some people would even livestream their work, sharing their screen, so that they could not click off into other websites and get off task.

So, there are a few options for this step - you could make your own study group full of accountability partners, view livestreams that will motivate you to stay on task, or even livestream your own sessions.

Conclusion

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There are so many ways to stay focused, so this post will definetly need a part two. During these tough and uncertain times, there is no doubt that many people will find it very hard to focus.

But do not beat yourself up over it! We are all only human. Any step towards your goal is amazing and deserves praise 🎉. What are some ways that you stay focused? Answer in the comments below!