Improve Concentration and Study Effectively

How many times have you found yourself practicing good study habits, but fail to study effectively due to a lack of concentration?  To ace your finals, there is so much more to the process of studying than merely avoiding procrastination and preparing quality notes. Often times, students forget that quality studying begins with good concentration.  Below are a few tips on how you can improve your concentration this final exam season.

1) Snack on "Smart Foods": Studying can be very tiresome, and often times students feel that they deserve a treat after a productive study session.  When this moment arrives, AVOID JUNK FOOD! Although eating junk food can feel very satisfying in the moment, the human body digests these foods fairly quickly.  As a result, this will leave you feeling fatigued.  To have a more sustaining energy source, snack on more nutritious foods including fish, nuts, seeds, yogurt, vegetables and fruit.

2) Get Enough Sleep: Firstly, plan your time wisely and avoid procrastination to ensure that you never have to pull an all-nighter!  As students, we all know that the occasional sleepless night can leave you feeling fatigued.  Several nights without adequate sleep can cause your brain to fog, making it difficult to concentrate and make decisions.  Ensure that you get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night to wake up feeling refreshed and to allow for another day of productive studying.

3) Stay Active: Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.  Exercise can involve a game of your favourite sport, or even going for a walk.  Physical activity not only improves concentration, but also helps students manage stress and lifts their mood.

4) Take Study Breaks: Take a short 10-minute break after every hour of effective studying; however ensure that you do not get carried away.  Taking breaks is an efficient method of studying because during that period of time, your brain is still able to process the information you were studying earlier.  Taking short breaks also allows you to refresh and maintain a school-life balance that will encourage you to continue good study habits throughout your entire time here at UTSC. 

I hope the above mentioned tips will help you tackle your finals this semester.  For some more tips on how to improve your concentration this finals season, check out the "Concentration & Memory" Tip Sheet on our website.

It's never too late to brush up on your study skills either. The Academic Advising & Career Centre also has a broad range of study skills services and resources.  For more information about these services, pay a visit to the "Study Skills Services" Tip Sheet as well!               

Feel free to visit www.cln.utoronto.ca to sign up for any events, or come by our office at AC213 to book an appointment.  

For more information about the Academic Advising & Career Centre, visit www.utsc.utoronto.ca/aacc. 

Good luck on your final exams!  Until next time,

Klarrissa Antony

Links to resources used in this blog:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/461051-how-does-junk-food-affect-the-way-you-concentrate/
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/counselling_centre/resources/brochures/studytips.html
http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/health-and-support/exam-preparation-ten-study-tips
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/tiredness-and-fatigue/pages/lack-of-sleep-health-risks.aspx