We all want to do more in less time, and while we often turn to a variety of different strategies to make that happen, they all rely on one thing: Your ability to focus. Let’s discuss 6 simple tactics that will help you develop laser focus.
When we work to improve our focus, we usually implement direct strategies, such as the Pomodoro Technique or distraction blockers. But there are so many indirect factors that contribute to your focus, or lack thereof, from sleep to your workspace to what you had for breakfast.
Successful students take a holistic approach to their studying and lifestyle. Here’s what you’re missing from your productivity regimen.
1 | Work Environment
Tactic number one is to set the stage with your work environment.
Maintaining your focus is a habit you can build just like any other. In his bestselling book Atomic Habits, author James Clear uses a mantra: One space, one use.
This means each space in your home should be reserved for a single task.
When you spend enough time on the couch watching TV or eating at the kitchen table, you start to associate those habits with those locations. As soon as you sit down on the couch, you reach for the remote almost unconsciously.
Preserving one specific space for working or studying will help build the association between the location and the habit. When you sit down at your desk, you know it’s time to start studying. Over time, you’ll begin to get in the zone as soon as you take a seat or stand at your desk.
Because your desk is reserved for studying and working, avoid completing other activities at your desk.
When you take a break or have a meal, leave your workspace to complete those activities elsewhere. Blurring the lines between spaces enables the easier or more entertaining habit to take over. If you start eating your lunch or scrolling on Reddit at your desk, over time, you’ll begin to associate that space with having a snack and browsing social media, leading to reduced focus.
Your surrounding environment, and especially whatever’s in your line of vision, is just as important. Environmental cues influence our habits. For example, keeping apples on your countertop builds an association with healthy eating. Because you see the apples more often, you’ll be more inclined to eat them, leading to a healthy habit.
The same goes for studying and the associated distractions you need to limit in your study environment. The visual cues you associate with breaks, like your phone, television, or bed, must be out of sight when you’re working so that you aren’t tempted by them.
To learn more about the teachings from James Clear, check out our two part Atomic Habits book summary.
2 | Your Social Circle
Next, who you spend time with has a direct impact on your focus and efficiency. You may think of yourself as incredibly independent, but we are all highly social creatures, and we take many of our behavioral cues from those around us, often subconsciously.
If you spend time with people who have trouble focusing or prioritizing their studies, you’ll naturally begin to do the same. Even if you think you’re not influenced by others, you are.
Take a close look at the top four to five people you spend the most time with. Examine those relationships.
Do those people prioritize the healthy lifestyle habits we’ve already discussed, like nutrition, exercise, and sleep? Or do they encourage you to stay up late to have just one more drink with them at the bar? Do they help you prioritize healthy, mindful activities, like going for a bike ride, playing board games, or learning a new skill? Or do they waste time doom scrolling on social media, making excuses, or complaining about circumstances that are completely within their power to change?
You will never fully optimize your focus if you surround yourself with people who habitually distract you and keep you from fulfilling your goals. Developing a different habit will be all the harder if your social circle is working against you.
Now, this isn’t to say you should cut everyone from your life and pursue a life of solitude. The relationships you build in school are incredibly important. It may just mean you need to prioritize relationships with people whose goals and values more closely align with your own. Choose your study partners carefully.
3 | Nutrition
The third thing derailing your focus is your eating habits.
Your brain needs fuel. It may only weigh 2% of your body mass but it uses 20% of your body’s energy to function. And when you’re studying intensely, it needs even more fuel. You’ll actually find you get hungry more quickly when studying intensely because you’re burning through energy despite not being physically active.
So, to help sustain those study periods or longer intense exams, look to starchy foods instead of sugary ones. Eating sugary foods can lead to fatigue and decreased alertness within an hour of your meal. Part of this is due to how our body responds to these meals.
When you eat a meal that’s high in glucose, your body releases insulin, a hormone that uptakes glucose, to lower your blood sugar levels. The trouble is, it can bring your blood sugar too low. When your glucose levels decrease, less energy is available for the brain, leading to decreased concentration and a dysregulated mood. This is called reactive hypoglycemia, but it’s more commonly known as a “sugar crash.”
On the other hand, eating balanced meals from various sources can help improve our focus and prevent these crashes. Some of these foods include many varieties of fish that are high in healthy fats like Omega-3, as well as fiber-rich foods like beans and spinach, and dark chocolate.
Complex starches that are high in fiber, such as sweet potatoes, help fuel you for a longer period of time because they won’t spike you as severely as having a sugary or heavily processed meal. Combining your carbohydrates with fats and proteins will prevent blood sugar spikes, too.
When drinking, you can easily consume way too much sugar, which leads to slumps in energy, reduced concentration, and headaches, and in the long-term, more serious health concerns like diabetes and heart disease. This includes sugary drinks like Coke, Red Bull, Gatorade, or coffee or tea with a lot of sugar.
Caffeine, when consumed in excess, can also have a significant negative impact on your health and ability to study effectively. Caffeine is alright when consumed in moderation, but too much coffee can give you the jitters, cause headaches, and upset your stomach—none of which are ideal for a long study session. Check out our videos on how to cycle coffee correctly, linked in the description.
Lastly, drinking plenty of water throughout the day also improves your focus. It may not be that sexy of a drink, but water and proper hydration is absolutely necessary for effective studying. Even a slight bit of dehydration can cause headaches and irritability while lowering attention, concentration, and cognition.
Electrolytes can aid hydration during a long study session or exams. You can find them at most grocery stores, Costco, or online from companies like LMNT.
4 | Perspective & Mindset
Another aspect of your life that’s throwing off your focus is your perspective and mindset. A negative outlook and a scattered mind prevent you from maximizing your focus.
A negative mindset can have devastating consequences for your focus. Quite simply, if you’re unhappy and don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t be able to operate at optimal efficiency.
Appreciation and gratitude can do wonders for altering your mindset. When you feel annoyed or are feeling down, force yourself to change your self-talk. Take a breath and open your journal or notes app on your phone. Rather than writing that you feel annoyed, force yourself to be grateful. Instead of saying “I really don’t want to study for my anatomy exam,” say, “I get to study for my anatomy exam. Isn’t it incredible that I am fortunate enough to learn about the human body in this deep way?”
Making that little shift to your mindset over and over again will add up over time. Soon enough, you won’t be so bogged down with negatively, and you’ll find yourself able to approach life with greater focus.
Reading a chapter while angry or upset will be so much more difficult than reading a chapter while happy and excited to learn.
Similar concepts are outlined in the book Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal. Read our book summary to learn how to build joy into your study habit or watch the companion YouTube video.
5 | Physical Activity
The next lifestyle choice that could be hindering your focus is your physical activity.
Physical exercise biologically and psychologically improves our cognitive wellbeing, affecting multiple brain processes, one of which is our ability to focus.
Physiologically speaking, exercise releases a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as BDNF or abrineurin, which supports the growth and survival of neurons in our body, increases blood flow to the brain, and improves our cerebrovascular health.
These biological processes are related to cognitive improvements that lead to better attention and improved executive-control functions.
Psychologically, exercise promotes stronger feelings of wellbeing, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and discipline, which can all lead to increased productivity and focus.
So many students think they don’t have time to include exercise in their busy schedule, but it’s up to you to set your own priorities. If you don’t block time for exercise and stick to that schedule, it won’t happen. No matter how busy your schedule is, you can find time for exercise—and your ability to focus depends on it.
When I was in residency, I made the decision to bike to and from the hospital. This ensured I got exercise every day and saved me money on my commute. Learn how to find time for exercise in our previous video that breaks down How to Exercise with a Busy Schedule.
6 | Sleep
The last critical factor that’s often overlooked is sleep.
If you’ve ever pulled an all-nighter, you know how groggy and distracted you feel the next day. Poor sleep causes drowsiness and fatigue, which are less-than-ideal conditions for studying.
A poor night’s sleep can have many negative effects on cognition and memory, especially since sleep is essential to consolidating new information. Without proper sleep, you’re more distractible, your concentration declines, and so does your reaction time.
Prolonged lack of sleep is equivalent to being drunk. Being awake for 17 hours straight equates to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%, and 24 hours without sleep is the same as a BAC of 0.10%. You can be charged with drunk driving if your BAC is above 0.08%.
Of course, getting enough sleep is easier said than done. Learn how to improve your sleep with the insights that I’ve gained after years of optimizing my sleep over on the Kevin Jubbal channel.
While you shouldn’t be overly sleep deprived when hitting the books, some studies have demonstrated that studying close to when you go to sleep can help with memorization because memory consolidation largely occurs while you’re asleep.
If you enjoyed this guide, check out 4 Things They DON’T Tell You About PROCRASTINATION or our YouTube Productivity Strategies playlist.
