7 Clever Tricks To Improve Concentration When Studying

Trying to concentrate when you’re studying is so difficult. There is a long list of things that can distract you and you probably won’t work that hard to avoid them if you don’t want to be studying in the first place. It might be your phone or social media, or even just staring out of the window. Whatever it is, you just need to find a way to maintain your focus and be more productive. There are quite a few different ways to do this. Finding the right work space is a start, but if you’re still struggling, you can try some of these handy tricks.

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Pixnio




Shut Off Your Phone




Your phone is one of the biggest distractions there is because there are always notifications popping up and you won’t be able to resist picking it up to check it. Once you’re on your phone, it’s easy to waste half an hour without even realizing. That’s why it’s a good idea to switch it off whenever you’re trying to study. If you still need the phone on in case you get a call, you can download some great apps to stop yourself from getting distracted. You can block everything apart from phone calls and shut off all of the notifications. If you try to open your phone and start procrastinating, it simply won’t let you once you’ve activated the app. You can turn it off, of course, but it’ll make you wait for a minute and then ask you again if you really want to open your phone. Most of the time, you’ll realize that you don’t really need to use it anyway and get back to work.




Take Regular Breaks




The biggest mistake that people make when they’re studying is thinking that if they have fewer breaks, they’ll get more done. But you can only concentrate and work effectively for a short period. If you carry on working after that, you’ll still be working but you won’t be productive. But if you have a small break and then come back to it, you’ll get a lot more done. Don’t think that working for 8 hours straight without taking a break is going to help you get more done. You’ll just end up getting stressed out and that’s the worst possible thing for studying. You need to take regular breaks and do an activity that relieves stress. When you come back to work afterwards, you’ll be a lot more focused.




The Right Background Sounds

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Some people prefer to work in silence but some people find that even more distracting and they prefer a bit of background noise. Picking the right background noise is essential because it can do more harm than good. Music with lyrics in it can be a big distraction so if you are going to listen to music, something instrumental is best. You can also listen to specific music designed for focus. Certain tones and melodies impact the brain in different ways so there are pieces of music that are composed with the sole purpose of improving concentration. If you do a quick search on Youtube, you’ll be able to find plenty. Get yourself a decent quality pair of headphones from this website so you can shut out any other noise from the outside and focus solely on working. Listening to the background music for video games is another tip that sounds pretty odd but it really works. The soundtracks are designed to keep you engaged so you play for longer so they’re actually great for improving concentration.





Meditation





You probably haven’t considered meditation before and most people associate it with spirituality and religion, but it’s actually a useful tool for everybody. Meditation is a great tool for relaxing and de-stressing when you aren’t studying, but it’s also great for improving focus beforehand. The Calm app has loads of guided meditation programs that only take 5-10 minutes. There are ones for relaxing and reducing stress as well as ones that improve focus. If you do this before you sit down to study, or when you find yourself getting distracted, you can get back on track. There are some great ones that help to improve your sleep which is very important when you’re trying to be productive.





Dress For Business





The clothes that you wear have a big impact on your attitude. If you’re wearing pajamas, you’re not going to be in a working mindset and you might find it harder to stay focused. But if you dress like you would if you were going into an office to work, you’ll be a lot more motivated. That doesn’t mean you need to put a full suit on every single day but you should take pride in your appearance and you’ll find it a lot easier to work hard.





Get Some Plants


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Pxhere



Putting some house plants in your room is a great way to brighten the place up but it’s also good for productivity as well. Studies show that it improves your overall mood and increases productivity by up to 15 percent. It also helps to clean the air and improve air quality in your study area which is always a bonus. Creating a comfortable and inviting workspace is important and this is one of the easiest ways to do it.





Exercise





Exercise is important for your general wellbeing and it can really help you to improve your studying as well. A regular workout will improve your overall motivation and energy levels which make it easier to study. You should also consider doing a workout immediately after you’ve finished studying. Research suggests that exercise improves brain function and helps you to retain information. If you do a workout immediately after you’ve finished studying, you’ll remember a lot more of the information the next day. Exercise is also a great stress buster so it’s the ideal way to end a hard day of studying.




Staying organized and creating a good workspace are both important when you’re studying but if you’re struggling to concentrate, you can use these simple tricks to improve productivity.  

5 ways reading makes your life better

With all our modern technology and so many entertainment options at our fingertips, there is little wonder that many of us are turning our back on the written word. We are missing out on so much, however, because reading can be a great source of entertainment. There is nothing quite like getting lost in a book, you can be gripped for hours. There are also so many other benefits to reading, it can literally change your life. Read on to find out what reading could do for you.


Reduces stress

Studies have found that reading can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. The study also found that often reading worked to calm participants down faster than any other method. It is thought that reading works so well because it offers you a true escape from the real world. A good book literally offers you a sanctuary.


Improves analytical thinking


Reading actively stimulates your brain which causes an expansion that helps you to think in new ways. You can actually grow your mind every time you pick up a book. Analytical skills really help you when it comes to problem-solving, something which employers tend to cherish in their workforce. If you are looking for a promotion or new job, it might be worth picking up a book first so that you can develop new skills to show off to potential employers.


Increases vocabulary


When you read you are exposed to so much more vocabulary. Even if you are reading words that you have already come across, they tend to seep into your consciousness more and more as you read them and you will find yourself them using them increasingly in conversation. You could make yourself look more business savvy at work by reading some corporate achievement books and letting that business-related language seep into your brain.


Improves memory


Reading really is a great workout for the mind. When you pick up a book, you are asking your brain to operate in a number of different ways. It needs to use vision to concentrate on the words, process what the words are and add things to your learning bank if you haven't come across them before. Using your brain in this way helps to keep your memory sharp, just like using the gym keeps your muscles in shape. There are many ways to help improve your memory, but giving your brain a good workout should always be at the top of the list.


Helps with prioritizing goals


Sitting down with a good book can really give us peace, even when the to-do list is screaming at us. The thing is when we are in the middle of the hustle and bustle of modern life we can't think straight and planning can end up being counterproductive. Escaping for a bit, into another world can help centre and bring some peace from all of the pulls that we have on our time. Through this peace, we can effectively plan and prioritize what is important in life.

What To Get Up To After Your Exams

We all like to imagine what’s going to happen to us throughout life. We like to think of the places we’re going to go, the people we’re going to meet, the career ladders we’re going to top, and sometimes we just like to think about how many hours we can spend lounging on the sofa after a hard week of work. Especially if you’re someone who’s sick and tired of academia, and you want to stretch out the world to your liking!


So exam season is getting you down, but it’s not going to last forever! And because of this, now’s your chance to do a little bit of dreaming, and then work a little bit of magic on your plans for what you’re going to do after all your tests are through. Here’s a couple of ideas to get you started.


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All your hard studying is going to pay off! (Source)



Throw a Barbecue (and plenty of other social outings!)

Sure, you might be a bit drained of energy right now, and want to do nothing more than lay in bed for the rest of the year, but this time right now is perfect for you to use for your social life! All of your friends, in and outside of your circle, are going through the same thing right now, and this is your chance to make sure you’re all being uplifted by each other in some fun and friendly situations.



So, why not throw something like a barbecue? Everyone loves chowing down on good food, surrounded by friends, in an outside setting where the sun and the breeze is on their skin. Even head down to the beach with your disposable BBQ tray and get grilling next to the waves - this is perfect for playing some music and dancing along as a group, and is the cornerstone of recreating experiences from all those teen movies you absolutely loved growing up!



Bulk Out Your Finances

If your exams are over, or ending soon, give yourself a day or two to gather yourself, and then start thinking about what you can do next to really bulk out the money in the bank. After all, your pursuit of academic achievement was to make sure you never had to look into the debt collection laws!


So whether there’s some part time positions going, or you have a blog and now have a real chance to set your mind to monetizing it properly, this is the time for you to apply yourself. Future you is going to seriously thank you later on - you’ll be better able to afford that holiday, or that new car, and you’re going to have a few more friends and relative experience on your side to take you further!


Exam season is a time of stretching out your courage to the max, but there’s plenty of ways for you to unwind and grow afterwards. Why not use ideas like these to really inspire yourself towards bigger and better heights?

People Who Make The Most Money Do These Things

If you want to make more money, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of making more. Many people who make a lot of money have things in common; below, we have a few things that people who make the most money do. Take a look and see what you can start doing today:


They Have A Positive Outlook

A positive outlook is key if you want to increase your earning potential. Why? Because when you have a positive outlook, you’re more likely to find solutions to problems, rather than only focus on the problems themselves. You’re also more likely to spot more opportunities, and have a can-do attitude about making money. You will also be able to build a positive money mindset far easier.


Work on your outlook and your whole world can change for the better.


They Do What They Love

Doing what you love isn't guaranteed to make you more money alone, but there are numerous benefits. You’ll enjoy life more, and you might just come up with more inspired ideas to make money. Take the time to do what you love, even if it’s just as a hobby.


They Make Their Money Work Harder

Making money and then spending it right away isn’t how you’re going to get wealthy. You need to make your money work harder for you if you’re going to build wealth. Investing in stocks, shares, property, and other things will help.


They Invest In Themselves

Investing in yourself is never a waste of time and money. Something like going back into education can help you to improve your skills and you earning potential. In fact, 54% of people go right into employment after university, according to Effat.


credit to Effat

How You Can Make Extra Cash By Playing Games Online

If you’re a bit short on cash and you’re looking for a way to earn a little bit of extra cash, you probably start by looking at ways to earn money online. There are all sorts of things you can do like website testing or filling out surveys to earn a bit of extra money on the side. The only problem with that stuff is that it can get a bit boring. You don’t usually make that much money from survey sites and other similar money making schemes so you’ll have to spend a while doing the same boring tasks over and over before you get any real money out of it. But what if there was a way to earn money online while you’re doing something fun at the same time. It might sound too good to be true but you can actually do that.

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Pixabay

Playing games online is usually considered a fun pastime, not a good way to make money but what a lot of people don’t realize is that you can actually do both. There are plenty of different ways that you can play games online and earn money while you’re doing it. These are just some of the best ways to earn money online by simply playing games.

Streaming

Video game streaming sites have really exploded over the last couple of years, the most popular one being Twitch. All you have to do is set up a webcam and stream yourself playing your favorite games and people can drop in and watch. Then there is a donation section on there and if people like to watch you, they’ll send you some cash. You’ll also make money from ad revenue if you feature certain games. It takes a while to build a fanbase before you start making any big money but if you enjoy playing games anyway, that’s not really a problem. The most successful channels are the ones run by people with a big personality that people can relate to and the ones that do something interesting with their games. If you’re just playing through a game normally then people will get bored and switch off, but if you can think of a new and interesting way to play it, you’ll get lots of subscribers.

As well as streaming on sites like Twitch, you can start a Youtube channel to make money more directly. Once you hit a certain number of views on a video, you’ll start getting paid advertising revenue by Youtube. If you can build a loyal fanbase that watches all of your new videos, you can make a lot of money this way. There are popular Youtubers out there that have made millions just from playing games.




Esports Competitions

This one is a bit harder to get into and you really need to be good at a game to make money from it. There are a lot of new competitive gaming competitions out there and the prize money is in the millions for the biggest ones. Those are for the best players in the world and you’ll probably struggle to get into those unless you’re really good, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make good money from some smaller competitions. If there is a game that you play regularly and you think you’re pretty good, why not see if there is a local team that you could join?



Casino Games

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Pixabay

Getting into professional gaming or building a Youtube channel takes a lot of time and dedication and if you aren’t a serious gamer, you’re probably not going to manage it. That doesn’t mean you can’t make a bit of extra money by playing games though. Casino sites are one of the easiest ways to do it. There are plenty of online gambling sites where you can play with real money and sometimes win big. There are, of course, risks involved so don’t think that this is an easy way to make money fast. However, if you bet small and limit the amount of money you spend on there, you can use it as a way of making cash.

Bingo

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Wikimedia

If you’re not too keen on the idea of casino games, why not try something simpler like bingo instead. There are so many bingo sites online where you can play with real money and you don’t have to spend that much at all. Some of them let you play with pennies per game so you’re not risking that much. Obviously, the more you play with the more you stand to win but ingo sites are often a cheaper and safer alternative to playing casino games.

Second Life

Second Life is a massively popular online game which, as the name suggests, lets players live out a completely virtual life of their own. You can do pretty much anything you want in the game whether that be working in a store, being a cab driver, becoming a businessman or even being a criminal. The most exciting thing about it though is that you can trade the in-game currency for real money once you’ve accumulated enough. There are people that have become millionaires from playing the game and, while you might not have that many hours to dedicate to the game, you could still make a lot of money.

One of the most popular ways to make money is trading in virtual real estate. If you build up enough in-game cash to buy some good properties, people will pay you a lot for them and you can then trade that for real money. Other people that own businesses in the game will pay you to work for them and you’ll earn a wage, just like in real life, which can then be swapped for real money. It’s a strange concept but there are plenty of people that are making a lot of real money just by playing a game online.


It seems too good to be true but if you put a bit of work in, it is possible to make some money on the side or even make your living from playing games online.