11 Tips To Deal With Distractions While Studying For Students

Gadgets and internal and external pressures are great distractions for students. According to research, social media ranks as the highest distraction, causing students in Singapore and worldwide to end up online instead of studying. Below are expert-proven tips to help students get better at studying. So, pay attention to learning how to make the most out of study sessions. But first, it is necessary to understand the reason behind the distraction faced by students. 

Why Do Students Get Distracted While Studying?

Human attention constantly wavers due to disruptions from sounds, objects, or other stimuli in their immediate environment. Thus, it’s no surprise when a student’s mind wanders or technology steals their attention. After all, focusing on one thing for a long time becomes boring, so the brain takes a break by shifting attention to other things away from the books. 

Fortunately, good secondary schools in Singapore are extremely accommodating, allowing students to learn in their preferred mode of learning. So, learning is fun and gives students enough time to study for their exams. On average, a Singaporean student studies for 50 hours a week. Therefore, they need to keep their brains stimulated to prevent distractions.

Types Of Distractions While Studying For Students 

Distractions inhibit learning, which differs for each age group. What affects students in secondary school might not affect college students. However, common types of distractions include the following.

• Social Media 

A 2020 study by Statista revealed that 100% of Singaporeans aged 15 to 24 used smartphones. Access to social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram is unregulated. Thus, students like, tweet, and chat when they should be studying. It might seem harmless initially, but it’s addictive and consumes most of a student’s study time. 

• Friends and Family 

Family and friends are integral to a student’s life. Still, they can cause a distraction for young learners if they need attention during study times. Of course, students need to maintain their social life by attending family gatherings and spending time with friends. However, dedicating specific times to them is the only way to stop them from intruding since they’re always around. 

• Hobbies 

Sports and other activities outside the school curriculum keep a student’s life exciting. However, they have the potential to overrun a student’s life, causing them to focus more on their hobby than schoolwork. Attaining a balance between the two is crucial for young learners.

• Poor Study Plans and Organisation 

A lack of organisation leads students to lose focus. For instance, if students are missing a book or tools to aid them while studying, they must stop and get them. This wastes time and diverts their attention. On top of that, poor time management is another issue leading to concentration problems. 

• Noise 

Playing music or studying in an area with background noise is distracting. Although some students don’t mind the noise, some find it difficult to concentrate in such environments. 

The Effects of Distractions on Students’ Academic Performance 

Psychological studies indicate that distractions while studying significantly affect a student’s performance. Here’s how!

• Learning Takes Longer 

Time spent on distractions increases the time a student needs to complete a task or learn a new concept. In addition, once they get back to their schoolwork, students must refamiliarise themselves with the content to grasp it better. They are most likely to fail if they have minimal time to study. 

• Distractions Cause Mental Fatigue 

Switching back and forth between distractions and studying gets exhausting. Ultimately, the quality of study diminishes. For instance, a student writing an essay and texting their friend might use a casual tone while writing. This is because their mind is too exhausted to multitask, leading to low score. 

• Poor Long-term Retention 

The aim of studying is to grasp concepts and retain information over a long period, not just pass exams. Unfortunately, studying with divided attention impairs long-term retention. So, there’s a higher possibility of failing final exams since students cannot retain information for long. 

• Poor Processing of Information 

When young learners have distractions, their brains process and store information differently. Instead of gaining useful information, they acquire less useful and low-quality data that is irrelevant in class or on tests. 

• Low Grades or GPAs 

Automatically, studying while texting reduces a student’s ability to grasp new concepts or understand new information introduced by their teachers. Parents pay the singapore school fees, especially to expose their kids to better learning conditions. However, they will fail if the student is not 100% attentive. 

How to Deal with Distractions While Studying

Identifying distractors is crucial. However, the most important thing is finding ways to deal with them. Below are recommended ways to help easily distracted students.

• Establish a Study Schedule 

Poor organisation leads to distractions. So, dedicating specific time to studying and getting everything ready, like books and study tools, allows students to concentrate. Plan a day’s schedule the night before to know what to do immediately after starting the day. 

• Track Time 

Although studying is integral to passing exams, students should not overdo it. Instead, it’s best to dedicate specific times for tasks. Besides, allocating time stops students from grabbing their phones since they must complete one task and move to another.

• Reduce Open Tabs on Devices 

Having irrelevant open tabs tempts students to go on other platforms instead of focusing on their coursework. The internet is a great resource for students but is also a huge distraction if not properly utilised. 

• Use Applications that Block Websites 

Not all students can avoid checking their favourite social media sites. That’s how these blocking apps come in handy. These tools block access to specific websites during study times and disallow notifications, keeping the focus intact. 

• Keep the Phone Away 

If the phone is not silent, notifications will keep popping up, causing distractions. Besides, texts and emails are also very distracting. So, switching off the phone or putting it on silent is best.

• Take Breaks 

Naturally, the brain gets tired after long hours of performing mental tasks. Thus, it is recommended to take breaks to recharge before continuing with the study session. A few minutes are enough to get a student re-energised. 

• Choose Perfect Study Spots 

Clean, aerated, and secluded areas promote concentration. Fortunately, Singaporean schools have dedicated areas for studying. However, if the student is at home, they must choose a workspace that allows them to study peacefully. 

• Avoid Unwanted Noise 

Loud constructions in the neighbourhood and screaming siblings are highly distracting, especially when students need to concentrate. Fortunately, using noise-cancelling headphones or going to the library solves this problem.  

• Take Care of Physical Needs 

Being hungry, sleepy, or anxious prevent students from staying focused. Before sitting down to begin a study session, students must ensure they are full and relaxed to grasp information much better. 

•  Break Down Big Tasks Into Smaller Achievable Tasks 

Studying gets overwhelming if students don’t split big tasks into smaller ones. Besides, if the to-do list has several tasks that look impossible to complete, it makes a student lose momentum. 

•  Use Different Study Tactics 

Traditional study methods are boring. Students should use more interesting tactics, like turning tasks into games and rewarding themselves after completing tasks. 

Why Is Managing Distractions So Important For Students? 

Distractions are time-consuming and stop learners from achieving their study goals. They also undermine students’ mental capacity, stopping them from reaching their full potential. Here are more reasons why distraction management is important.

• Improves concentration 
• It saves time and money 
• Helps produce high-quality work 
• Helps retain more information 

Conclusion  

Distractions are a great barrier to a student’s success. Yet, if prevented, learners make better use of their time and money by achieving goals and completing projects on time. But first, it helps to discover the distractions to devise the best ways to deal with them. Afterwards, learners create the perfect environment to study and retain information better. 

For more blogs click here.