Working from home is not the ideal situation for many students. One’s household can contain many distractions – ranging from crazy younger siblings to the buzzing of a cell phone. Focusing during school hours is now harder than ever, but there are many effective ways to improve one’s concentration and get schoolwork done in an efficient manner.

The first step is to eliminate the distractions one has control over. This ranges from shutting off a cellphone to wearing headphones while in the company of others. By reducing the preventable distractions, more focus and effort can be put into completing assignments.

A big downside to remote instruction is that students don’t have the same opportunity to be active; they don’t walk from class-to-class and aren’t forced to be active in physical education or sports. Whether students realized it or not, this physical activity was helping to improve their concentration during the school day. Many students are noticing this dip in their level of concentration during remote learning, and so they need to do something to make up for the lack of physical activity. Studies show that getting up and walking around between online classes is an effective approach. It’s important for students to take those breaks during school hours but also while they’re working on homework.

There are a few other tips that students can follow to help improve their level of focus during the school day: (1) don’t attempt to multitask – it tends to slow down a person’s progress more than improve it; (2) Practice mindfulness – studies show that those who practice mindfulness generally have a higher attention span than those who do not practice it. Students who try to implement at least one of the tips mentioned will notice an improved level of focus and they will find that they are able to complete assignments more efficiently

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/things-you-can-do-to-improve-your-mental-focus-4115389

https://education.jhu.edu/2020/04/8tipsforfocus/