Distraction

Distraction. We all know it. We all love it. It's that old pal that lures us away from studying for that exam. It's that website that absorbs 3 hours of our time when we're trying to research a paper. It's that thing that leads to sleepless night and OUCH grades on our work. If only we had had more time!

 You see, I know a little bit about distraction. As a girl who's dealt with AD.....HEY LOOK! THERE'S A CHICKEN! Excuse me. As a girl who's dealt with ADD for her entire life and only recently been put on meds, I had to learn some skills in order to survive out there in the academic jungle.

 I get it. Holiday Fever abounds and everyone is burned out with their classes. The downside is that the latter half of the semester is your most workload heavy portion. Copping out now could easily unravel all of that hard work you put in at the beginning. So here's a little collection of pointers to stay focused and get the job done.

** note, this blog has taken a week to complete because I keep getting, you guessed it, DISTRACTED!!

1.      Time of day. Learn when the best time of the day is best for you to study and easiest to focus. My best time is early morning or late at night, but it’s different from person to person. Find a good, quiet place for yourself. If you want to study in your dorm, take note of when it's the calmest and the fewest people will be around to distract you.

2.      Avoid the internet and your cell phone. It’s best just to turn off the computer (or at least the internet) and put your cell phone in a drawer to avoid temptation.

3.      Write by hand, redraw figures, or read in depth. The more senses you can involve, the more likely you’ll be able to hold your attention.

4.      Have everything you need (including snacks) nearby. This will keep you from moseying over to the fridge…and to the tv…and to your roommate….etc.

5.      Find a good study spot. Avoid lots of people, noise, televisions and other things that might detract your attention.

6.      Develop realistic goals. Think about how much you want to have accomplished in 30 minutes or an hour and then get to work on making those goals happen.

7.      Take a break! Every hour, try to take 10 minutes to get up, walk around, text your friend, etc. to release that built up desire to be doing something else. As long as you keep reminding yourself that you can do whatever is nagging the back of your mind after your hour stint, it should help you build endurance.

8.      Work in groups of 4 or less. Anymore, and the likelihood that studying will become socializing increases. Working in small groups allows you to have someone to discuss concepts to check for understanding and develop learning hooks with one another.

9.      Work out. Increasing blood flow to the brain by doing a little cardio can help improve one’s brain function. This is one of the best things for a non-medicated ADD person.

10. Caffeine. Although this is a bit controversial, caffeine is a stimulant that may boost your brain’s function. However, too much may cause you to get the jitters, so be cautious of your intake. For a person with ADD or ADHD, caffeine will actually calm his or her mind down to allow them to focus on one thing at a time.