What does concentration mean when you are studying?
Can surfing social media affect my concentration?
NOTE: Life’s far too short to spend most of your time scrolling.
How does someone get addicted to the Internet and scrolling through social media?
It begins with seeking enjoyment ( this is fun!) or escaping (this game/activity takes the mind off my problems). Screen time leads to a pleasurable experience, and the neurotransmitter dopamine mediates it in the brain. Dopamine is known as the pleasure chemical in the brain.
Because we quickly build up tolerance against pleasure, we seek more of it for the same amount of fun. This psychological process requires ever-stronger stimuli to produce the same effect, like a drug chases the next high. So, it drives the person to watch more and spend more and more time online.
What is multitasking?
How effective are we when we multitask?
The truth is we all suck at multitasking. Multitasking can hinder productivity and increase the likelihood of mistakes. While you might be able to multitask when you perform habitual or simple tasks – people tend to make more mistakes and take longer to complete tasks the more complicated or unfamiliar tasks become. It means that studying – which usually involves unfamiliar or complex work, should receive your undivided attention if you want to complete it correctly and on time.
Am I addicted to the internet and social media?
Problematic internet use covers a range of severity, namely:
Mild problems we perceive among typical well-functioning individuals who text multiple times per hour or ignore family and friends to get together in favour of texting.
Moderate problems we perceive among individuals whose screen time activities result in moderate family discord and inefficient work but who are still able to, for example, get good grades and participate in sports (if it’s a kid).
Severe problems are detected among individuals who cannot control their online behaviour despite significant resultant problems such as isolation, falling grades, family turmoil and withdrawal from friends, family and activities. These can be caused by addiction to social media, pornography, gambling, or online gaming.
How can I improve my concentration?
Set yourself up to study:
- Choose a quiet place with good lighting and an average room temperature. Quiet means no music – the only music that may improve concentration is baroque music (a type of classical music with a plodding beat).
- Reduce visual distractions – for example, a TV, a window in front of you that looks out on the street, or a cell phone that lights up as messages come in.
- Talk to yourself. If you lose focus, tell yourself out loud that you must complete a chapter before moving on to something else.
Set yourself up for success:
- Plan what you have to cover per session. It helps to have a calendar on your wall for every month of the year on which you have marked all tests and assignments due for the year.
- Break up overwhelming tasks into manageable units.
- Know your best time of the day: If you have more complex tasks to perform, always schedule them for a time during the day when you feel most energetic.
- Have a study plan: ” Time is an enemy for many people. We race against the clock to finish assignments and meet deadlines. The Pomodoro® Technique teaches you to work with time instead of struggling against it. A revolutionary time management system, it is deceptively simple to learn and life-changing to use.”
- The Pomodoro Technique breaks down study time into 25-minute intervals (called “Pomodoros”) with 5-minute breaks in between, so ensure you have a timer. The technique is based on the theory that we can stay focused and productive if we break down time and work on tasks for short intervals with regular breaks.
- Know what type of study method suits you best? When studying, determine which methods work the best for you, whether tactile, visual, auditory or a combination of all three.
Tips to improve your memory:
Chunking – means to memorise small pieces of a concept first and later put them together to form the whole. A simple example is remembering your ID: 940111 5069 086.
READ / READ/ READ as much as you can.
Write while you study. Make notes. Write down what you remember in your own words.
Use ACRONYMS – for example
| LASER | Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation |
| FOMO | Fear of missing out |
Make silly sentences to help you remember.
Turn what you have to memorise into a story.
Say things out loud to yourself.
Question what you learn and ask why.
Use dual coding. A simple example is when you have to remember someone’s name. Repeat the name and add a visual image to it. Together, they will help you remember the name more easily.
Understand what or why: You will remember better if you understand what and why. To make the content more relevant, connect it to everyday examples. Test yourself.
Teach it to someone else – it can be someone imaginary.
Draw diagrams.
Write down keywords.
Practise, practise, practise.
How to ween yourself of spending too much time on social media
- Limit the time you spend on social media to 30 minutes per day. There are apps available that track your screen time per week.
- If you study or sit in class, put your phone off, on silent, and away from your eyesight, like in your bag. If you don’t, every message will break your attention.
- If you use the Pomodoro study method, check your phone only during that 5-minute break and leave it in another room when you return to resume your studying.
- Get enough sleep. That means stop checking your phone 30 minutes before you plan to go to sleep. Instead, read a book or do a SUDOKO puzzle before you sleep. Flickering screens or any blue or red light in your room activate your brain.
- Get enough exercise – at least 30 minutes 3 days per week.
- Eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Caffeine can temporarily make you feel more alert, but too much can interfere with sleep and cause headaches.
- Use a traditional alarm clock to wake up, not a cell phone.
- Do not listen to music while you are sleeping or studying—it, too, triggers dopamine, which can affect you.