By Aluko Deborah J.B
“Dave, you should have been done solving those MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) by now.” Stephen says, wearing a puzzled look on his face. Dave sighs indifferently as he brushes his hair in preparation to go out for the umpteenth freshers’ hangout. What does his roommate mean by his unsolicited show of concern? For him, second semester is a time to flex and have unlimited fun. After all, he has no iota of doubt that he will succeed in making A’s in his first virtual semester courses without much stress.
Stephen stares at Dave in frustration and disappointment. Was it now his fault that he had assented to Dave’s mum pleas of looking after her son who is still a fresher in his early teens?
Everyone can probably relate with the issue of distraction while in school, especially during the second semester which is often regarded as a dangerous semester. Many students have had their CGPA jeopardized as a result of getting involved in every activity and social gathering. It is important to note also that distraction can occur both in virtual learning sessions as well as physical sessions. The result is usually a decline in learning, knowledge, skill, experience and productivity.
Therefore, below are some effective ways to curb distractions both during online learning or physical learning. These ways have certainly been tested and proven.
• Determine and outline your purpose: Why are you in school and why have you chosen to pursue a bachelor’s degree? The answers to these questions are what keep you going. When you discover your purpose and you are able to connect it with your essence of being in school, you will be determined to stay focused and cut off from unnecessary distractions. Your dreams and goals will keep coming to your mind each time you’re about to engage in excesses and this will save you the risk of misplaced priorities.
• Monitor and Reward yourself: Have you ever considered setting a short timer while studying or in class? Distraction-free learning/studying sessions are usually those that are not excessively lengthy. For instance, while you might not have all the time to study all day, you could challenge yourself to finishing some tasks in a number of minutes. When you fulfill the challenge, don’t hesitate to reward yourself with anything you fancy and cherish so much. You can treat yourself to your favourite meal or watch a latest blockbuster movie, the list is endless.
• Mute trivial notifications/Block distracting websites: During your learning hours, ensure to ban notifications and websites that can reduce your focus. Remind yourself that you can always have access to any other online platform during leisure time. Help yourself distinguish between learning time and play time. It’ll do a lot of good and aid productivity.
• Take strategic breaks: Some people often believe that staying up so long before their work will help them achieve a lot. However, this is isn’t very true and healthy. Always make sure you help yourself take a break from work at specific intervals. You can decide to take a work, play some games or grab a snack. This will prevent boredom and help your brain become more refreshed, on getting back to continue the tasks.
• Keep a quiet and clean environment: Most times, a cluttered, dirty and rowdy learning environment tends to discourage and weaken the mood to get serious with work. Hence, it is very important to keep your study area as neat and tidy as possible. It is also very essential to eliminate noises that could steal your attention. This way, you’ll definitely be more motivated to learn.
