Focus

When you know how your brain works, you know how to guide it.

• Discover how focus works (video, 6’)
• Learn more about focus and test your focus (website + video 3.30’)

Where is your focus at its best?
Try out different locations and find out where your concentration is at its best:

• In your residence, in your student room or at home
• In a library
  - the university library on campus
  - the 'study and workplaces' in the library in Hasselt (Martelarenlaan 17, Hasselt)
• In other on-campus study spaces
• …

Is your attention best when you're alone or better while studying with other students - in real life or via webcam?

• Studying with classmates might have some benefits (website)

Is your focus best with or without music?

• Learn more about the effect of music on studying (video, 6')
  → Try different study settings and choose the optimal study location for you!

A clean and well-organised study space enhances your concentration.

• An organised study space, step by step (website)

• If there’s less distraction, there’s more focus! So, remove all distractions from your study space.
• Learn how to stay focused without distraction (video, 9’)
• Discover four ways to avoid distractions (website)
• Avoid distractions with these 45 tips (website)
• Deal with all kinds of distractions with this decision tree (image)

One of the most significant sources of distraction is digital media.

• Discover why you are addicted to your smartphone (video, 6’)
• Read more about the effect of digital media on your learning (website)

But how can you resist the tempting social media?

Make it easy on yourself:

• Put your phone in aeroplane mode or put it away
• Decide if you need your computer, and if not, close it down
• Use these tips to avoid digital distractions (website)
• Block tempting websites  (video, 7’)
• Block digital distractions with these apps (website)
• Decrease stimuli and ameliorate your focus: take the challenge (video, 15’)

Open a window daily for 10 to 30 minutes to bring in some fresh air.
Sufficient oxygen is essential for your brain to function.

• Apply these three strategies to improve the air quality in your room (Infographic)
• Do you like plants? These plants boost air quality and your productivity (video, 3’)

After a well-chosen break, you restore your concentration and focus.
Your brain needs occasional rest to keep performing.

• This how a ‘concentration cycle’ looks like (document)
• Learn more about the perfect break (website)

Tip
Do some exercise during your break! Exercising stimulates your focus.

• Get ready for this 4-minute active power break and feel your focus growing (video, 4’)
• Learn more about the use of exercising and how to do it (website)

Why? Because you can’t focus on two things at the same time. You really can’t!
So stop scrolling through your social feed or watching TV while studying.

• This is why multitasking looks like a good idea but is not (video, 4’)
• More about multitasking and why it doesn’t work (video, 5’)
• Do you feel like multitasking? Look at this first! (Infographic)

This technique helps you to 'monotask' and stay focused with a fixed schedule:

- blocks of 25 minutes of non-stop study time,
- followed by a short break of +/- 5 minutes.
→ More info via this infographic and this video (3')

It’s true: you can train your focus, just like you can train your muscles!

• Discover how you can train your focus (video, 7’)

Did you know that practising meditation can help you focus?

• These are the benefits of meditation on your brain (website)
• Overcome your barriers to meditation (Infographic)
• Start to meditate step by step (Infographic)
• Read this beginner guide to meditation (website and audio)

That way, no one will disturb you while you study and disrupt your focus.
Maybe they can even support you and help you with your plans.

Don’t just read and reread your course material; DO something with it.

• This is what an active study approach looks like (website)

Study tip
Alternate between your subjects or tasks.
Alternation prevents boredom and keeps you alert.

When there is enough arousal (stimulation, adrenaline, motivation), you are in your ‘focus zone’: your attention is at its best.

• This is how the link between attention and arousal looks like (image)
• The ‘optimal arousal theory’ explained (video, 3’)
• Read more about the relationship between performance and arousal (website)

Put a bottle of water next to you while studying. Since your brain consists mainly of water, drinking enough water is essential to focus.

• This is why water is vital for your focus (video, 1’)

Avoid so-called ‘energy drinks’; they have adverse effects in the long term.

• Discover why you better abstain from energy drinks (website)

Healthy food like fibre, nuts, fruits and vegetables can contribute to a good focus.

• This is how food affects your brain (video, 5’)
• Meet the foods that help you study (website)
• An overview of some ‘brainfoods’ (Infographic)

A student testifies (3') how she stays focused.