Im going back to college,but have a really short attention span, any tips on how to improve this?
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This sounds daft but can really work.
Sweets and toys.
Stimulating the taste buds helps to keep your brain receptive and is more likely to increase the amount you take in during a lecture. And if you're a fidgety person, a small toy to fiddle with (I have a yellow stretchy man - something that doesn't make noise) has a similar effect as movement in the body can stimulate movement in the brain, or something like that.
I never go into a lecture without my yellow stretchy man, a fruity drink and a packet of polos.
ETA I was also told that it's best to work with what you've got. IE, if you can concentrate for 15 mins, then take breaks every 15 mins. Don't try to push yourself to concentrate or you just end up fidgety and restless. I rotate subjects - do about 10 mins on each reading before switching to the next until I feel I can read no more. Then it's time for fruit, or a walk, or to check my emails. Then back to 10 mins per reading.
Have you tried taking Ginko Biloba?
Read.
Drink lots of water and do work in short times with breaks, rather than doing work for prolonged time
Set yourself a time limit to accompish work on a subject, then take a break and start over.
I'm sorry. . .what did you say? ;-)
Hi, good luck in your schooling. If you say that you will succeed, then you will succeed. I would first start with feeding the brain the proper nutrition, this is the answer to everything. 8 hours of sleep is a must as well. I'm not sure I enjoyed what I studied and that was the reason for my attention to be elsewhere. Looking back at the types of courses that I took there was a correlation between good grades and certain types of classes. Bad grades came with the classes I did not like too much. Try and sort out the good from the bad before you go back to studying, if you take classes that you are totally into then it's possible that you will be able to succeed and excel in those things. It's the difference between going to a boring seminar, and one that you are thrilled to be at, so much that you don't want to miss an ounce. Good luck, you can do what you set your mind to, so feed your brain wisely.
Be strong, you will accomplish this.
~sas
read...and study something you really enjoy..do you enjoy your degree?
When you write an essay-choose a subject you find facinating.
Brain exercises are good though..memory games or card games are amazing..its a muscle!
Short term fix is coffee.
Make a schedule for yourself. Do a half hour of work, then 15 minute break, half hour of work, 15 minute break. Obviously you know there will be tons of reading, so just pace yourself and stick to the schedule. Good luck!
i have a short attention span too. i find the only way i listen is when i am interested in what has to be said. if your on a course you are interested in you should be able to keep your attention on what is said in class. make sure you sit away from people who are likely to distract you or the window. see what works for you. sit in class one day and analyse where you lose attention. if it is with what is happening outside then close the window or move away, if it is other students then move away from them. remember to pay attention. quite often you find yourself forgetting to pay attention. if you have a note on your hand or somewhere you are likely to look you remember to pay attention. hope this helps.
sometimes i find it hard to get to sleep coz i am too busy thinking about other things not paying attention to the zzzzz's
Hi, I am a part timer at college. I have bipolar disorder (manic depression) and struggle to concentrate especially during lectures and reading. The way I found helpful was to "build up" in lectures, we have really long lectures (4 hours) with only 20 minute break in the middle but most places only do 2 hours or so. Start your first lecture seeing how long you can concentrate for, chat to the lecturer/teacher afterwards and try to arrange it so you can leave (quietly!) if you need to and see if they produce notes you can be given. If you have any kind of health problem get in touch with the disability adviser at the college and see hoe he/she can support you. All the best
if yr interested in whats being said and you really want to learn, you will listen. water helps too, dont get dehydrated or u will switch off
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