Staying Focused on studying

Make a timetable

If you have a long night of studying ahead of you, make a plan for the day. Aim to work for 30-60 minute periods with 5-10 minute breaks in between. Your brain needs the break to recharge. It's not laziness – it's letting your brain synthesize the information.

• Try to switch subjects every hour or so, too, to prevent yourself from getting bored and saturating your mind. Too much of one subject and your brain will start going on autopilot. A new subject will wake up your mind and your motivation.

Set aside time to worry or think about other things. 

Sometimes it's hard to study because the real world keeps creeping into our minds, good or bad. We feel like we don't have control over our thoughts, but we do. Tell yourself that you'll think about that problem or that girl or boy when you're finished. You'll feel a bit of solace knowing you'll get to it eventually. And when the time comes, the urge may have actually passed.

• If you start to feel your mind wander, stop it dead in its tracks. Take a second to shake it off, and then resume with the material. You are the ringleader of your thoughts. You started them, and you can stop them, too!
• Keep pen and paper besides you and write down everything that comes to your mind during your study sessions. Do or think about those things once you're having a pause.

Switch up how you learn 

Let's say you just got done reading 20 pages of a textbook. The last thing you should do is jump into is 20 pages of the next textbook. Instead, do a quiz with some flashcards. Make a few charts to help you remember those economics stats. Do some studying that involves different skills and different sections of your brain. Point blank, you'll be less bored.

• And it'll be easier for your brain to process, too. Switching up what skills you're using helps you brain process the information faster and hold onto it. The time will go faster and you'll remember it better? Check and check.

Reward yourself

Sometimes we need a little pick-me-up to keep ourselves going. If the good grades aren't enough of a reward, create something else to keep you concentrated on your studies. Maybe some sweet treats and some noshing time in front of the TV? A shopping spree? A massage or a nap? What would make studying worth your while?

• If possible, get your parents involved. Could they help supply you with incentive? Maybe getting better grades could get you out of your least favourite chore or could temporarily up your allowance. Ask them whether they're willing to help work out some type of reward plan – it never hurts to ask.

Backtrack, if need be

Have you ever been handled a pile of paperwork and wanted to fill it out, but you just didn't know what some of it meant? That can be what studying is like sometimes. Recognize when you need to go back and make it simpler. If you don't know the basics, don't try to tackle the content. Parse it out first.

Make studying more active 

Teachers know it, but they'll rarely say it: reading can get boring, especially when it's in a topic you don't enjoy. To make your studying more effective and to make it easier to concentrate, use active reading techniques. This'll keep your brain from wandering and make sure your grades stay top drawer. Here are a few ideas:

• Ask yourself questions as you read.
• Look away from the page and summarize out loud what you read.

Make notes on the concepts, characters, plots, or events described 

Use as few words as possible and brief examples to tell what you mean to say. Abbreviate the spellings of what you write in your notes. Note page numbers, titles and authors of books in case you need to refer to them again for a bibliography or another reason.

• Create a quiz as part of your note making, as you read and use it later for checkup and a review.

Get on the Internet, and then get right back off after your break

During your break, make your time online count. Get right on Facebook. Turn your phone on and check for texts or missed calls. Don't spend time answering them right then unless there is an emergency. Take part in all your favourite break activities – but only do so for a few minutes. Get it out of your system, and then get back to studying. You'll feel a little better having been "plugged in" and "connected," even if was just for a few minutes.

• This little recharging session will do wonders for your focusing ability. You may think it could be distracting and get you off course, but ultimately you'll be able to get more done. As long as you use your break wisely, that is.