Imagine you are at the Prize Distribution function at your school. Your best friend is winning accolades left, right and centre and the whole school cheers for him as he walks up the stage. Much as you like him, you wish you were at the receiving end of that applause. You spend all your waking hours together, but what is that ONE thing which puts him in the topper’s list? READ MORE…
Focusing on a task for any length of time isn’t easy. There’s a lot of busyness and commotion in life, so helping ourselves to concentrate and focus is a critical life skill.
For most, it is difficult to focus for more than a few moments on any task, and that’s quite natural, due to curiosity, exuberance and energy. However, concentration is essential for studying, for homework and for the completion of any task.
Grown up people can improve their concentration with special exercises, however, with children, one needs to use a different strategies.
You can help yourself to increase concentration in various ways. These ways will teach certain habits and rules that would make it easier to focus and be less restless, while doing homework or carrying out tasks.
What to do when you can’t concentrate:
- Have your comprehensive task list ready and by your side. E.g. 10 Calculus problems in Maths, Important terms in Business studies and a self-quiz of Chapter 5 in Sanskrit.
- Start studying.
- The minute you realize that you have started thinking about your friend’s party or your upcoming school picnic, STOP STUDYING
- If this thought comes from something you have to do, write in on a piece of paper (I used post-its) and keep it aside.
- Move on to the next study task. But before you do….
- Do one more small and easy item of work from the current task. So, if you were doing Maths, do one more problem. If you are doing Biology, practice that one diagram.
- And now the most important step. Even if you are in that flow, let it go. Don’t fall into the temptation of doing more. It’s time for a change!
The ability to concentrate for long periods of time takes time and practice. Try these simple ideas for increasing your child’s concentration. It’s something that he or she will benefit from for life.
Your brain is your muscle and the minute you release your brain from the pressures of sticking to a job, it relaxes and gets interested. And to excel, we need to tone our brain muscles a step at a time, everyday!
Hope for a productive day ahead.
