A lot of us understand the feeling of looking up and realizing that we have not heard a thing our teacher has said. Losing concentration in class is very common and most students find it hard to keep their concentration throughout a full lesson. This might have a profound effect on your learning outcomes as well as your grades. This is why it is so important that you learn how to stay focused in class. Below, we will look at six simple ways to improve your focus in class.
1. Do Not Sit With Your Friends
Having friends in school is encouraged as it helps build social skills that will come in handy in the future. That said, friends can distract you in class. They might want to catch up, whisper to you or chat with you. If they are not talking to you, they might talk among themselves, which is another source of distraction. If you can, ask your teacher to assign you a seat away from your friends and catch up or chat with them when you go on a break or during lunch.
2. Use Apps to Block Sites that Might Be a Distraction
Use technology to help you stay focused in class. Download an app to block social media and other sites that are distracting when you're trying to focus on your studies. Your teacher will thank you.
3. Get Enough Rest
Preparing for a class is one of the best ways to get the most out of it and one way to do this is to get enough rest the previous night. You should aim for 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night, so you are well rested for the following day. However, getting this many hours of sleep won't work if you do not have a bedtime routine. Try to stick to the same sleep pattern each day, whether you are in class or not. This will train your brain to understand that this is the time for rest. This way you can enjoy deeper and better-quality sleep.
4. Participate in Discussions
Participating in discussions lets you keep your mind on the class topic. You do not want to be the student called out who cannot answer or share an opinion because they have not been listening. In addition to helping you stay focused, participating in class discussions can also help you better understand the material being taught or discussed.
5. Ask Questions
Asking questions is one of the best ways to stay focused because you need to have an idea of what is being taught to ask questions or request clarifications. If you teach yourself to always be alert enough to ask questions, you will find yourself focusing more on the material being taught and less on anything else.
6. Take Detailed Notes
Students who do not take notes participate passively in the class. If you are just listening passively, it becomes easier for your mind to wander off and you'll quickly lose concentration. Taking detailed notes forces you to concentrate and stay focused on the material being taught. It can also help you break down and process the material in a digestible form and in a way that you can easily understand. So, if you know that you lose concentration in class a lot, taking notes might be the best way to rectify the situation.
Losing concentration is fairly normal, especially for younger students and in classes that teach highly technical subjects. That said, there are a few things that students can do to improve their concentration and focus, even when in these classes.
The six tips above are a good place to start if you struggle to remain focused in class. Try them and see how you get on!
