how to stay focused while studying

Hey y’all,

This week, I want to talk about staying focused.

In a world filled with distractions, our ability to focus is a priceless asset—yet one that’s more abundant than you think.

Think about the last time you sat down to watch a movie, listen to a podcast, or play a video game. Chances are you had to sit and focus for several hours.

So you don’t lack the ability to focus. You struggle to control your focus, especially when working on something mentally taxing, such as studying.

Chances are, this struggle stems from one of the following reasons:

1. You’re tempted by distractions.

2. The work feels boring.

3. The work feels overwhelming.

I want to tackle each of these issue head-on and provide tangible solutions.

📱 Reason 1: You’re Tempted by Distractions

I have two solutions here. The first is simple: make it physically impossible to get sidetracked. Take your phone, give it to a parent or sibling, and tell them to keep it from you until you finish your work.

Sounds a bit absurd, I know. Why not just put your phone in a different room?

Because the temptation would still exist.

Even though your phone might not be within reaching distance, you could very easily waltz into the other room during a break, pick up your phone for just a “few minutes,” and get swept up by the TikTok algorithm for the next few hours.

You need an external force to hold you accountable.

The second solution is a bit more complicated, but even more important: you need to enter the flow state.

The flow state is when you find yourself wholly immersed in the task at hand—when you feel like nothing else exists in the world. To reach this state, however, you need to give yourself time to warm up. You don’t just jump into the flow state; you transition into it.

When starting a task, force yourself to get through the first five to ten minutes, after which you’ll have an easier time continuing along.

And once you enter the flow state—the key is to remain there. If you come across an obstacle while studying, keep moving forward. Skip to the next problem. Work on a different portion of the essay. You can always revisit the obstacles later.

🥱 Reason 2: The Work Feels Boring

We have an easy time focusing on a movie or a video game because it’s inherently gratifying.

But it’s hard to say the same about studying.

Studying is akin to exercising—we need to put the work in in order to reap the benefits. But we can make this process more enjoyable.

My first piece of advice is to pretend. Pretend to be an expert, and imagine that whatever you’re studying is the most interesting material you’ve come across. If you’re studying history, pretend to be a historian. If you’re studying biology, pretend to be a biologist.

And maybe you don’t have to pretend. Take some time to think about the broader implications of what you’re learning and how it connects to the world around you. You might naturally start caring about what you’re studying.

But if you still struggle to find the material inherently interesting, you might need an extrinsic source of motivation. In this case, I recommend you envision the consequences of not staying focused. How will you feel come exam time? How will getting distracted impact your grades?

You can also envision the opposite. What are the rewards of staying focused? How will you feel if you actually obtain the grades you want?

😬 Reason 3: The Work Feels Overwhelming

And finally, we sometimes struggle to focus because the work feels overwhelming. I have a simple piece of advice here: focus on your next step, not the final outcome.

If you obsess over the final destination, you’ll feel overwhelmed, impatient, and have a harder time focusing on your work.

Just think about the next step. As you study, think about the smallest next task that you need to focus on. For example, if you’re taking notes on a chapter, focus on the next paragraph or section that you need to parse—don’t dwell on the number of pages you have left.

Consistent, focused efforts will get you to your destination faster than you expect.

Hope that was helpful! Also, if you enjoy these newsletters and would like to see them more consistently, DM me on Instagram to let me know (@goharsguide). Would love to hear your thoughts!

If you want additional study advice, come join my Discord! We have a global community of students helping each other succeed in school. Would love to see you there.

And if you need help with college applications, check out Next Admit! We have a team of Ivy League consultants eager to help you navigate the admissions process.

I’ll see you next week!

Best,
Gohar