How To Build Focus To Ultimate Level?

[Shubham]

Anyone there to help me in this topic?...

please this is very important...

my problem...

when I am studying... I rarely get that state of flow.. Everytime there come a thought that grabs my attention.. Cuz those are either wrapped into some kind of emotion..like fear.. Excitement... Anxiety... Regrets...

and I can feel that... So what to do?

[Guest]

I think this is probably one of the most important topics, and I'm always disappointed at the apparent dearth of literature on the subject. I hope actualized.org covers this topic a lot more. I long to be one of those elite individuals that can work for an entire day without moving-- to achieve total absorption.

[100rockets]

I have the same issue with studying, working, paying attention, it shows in every area of my life. Meditation helps a lot!  A few months into it and I can feel a big difference in my ability to move my attention to where I want it to be without my thoughts taking over. I really recommend meditating. You can watch some of Leo's videos on the subject. Also having a good diet and making sure that you dont have any vitamin deficiencies is important for focus and to staying calm.

[Soumya]

@Shubham

When you are get different kinds of emotions while you study, you could do many things to prevent them .

1)Become aware that you have a "thought'

2)Start to focus on your breath, your breath is the only thing which brings you back to the present moment

3)Even I face the same , while I study. But we got to train our minds! For ex- when you feel anxious, drink water and then get back to study. Repeat this a several times , your mind remembers these patterns easily. The next time it happens, repeat!

In the long run, try to understand why such anxieties arise ? Is it because you aren't studying effectively? Is it the fear that you won't crack the exams? Do you fear the outcome/results more than you love your studies? Is it because you are distracted due to social media?

Other suggestions that might help - Block studying helps! Like divide your topics into a block of 45 minute each, study for 45 minute then reward yourself with a break of 10 minutes. Stay motivated , affirmations are important for us. Make sure that you use your study table for studying, remove any items that distracts you from your study table. Use a timer to study, to assess how much of cumulative hours you put in! If possible get up early , I have noticed that from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. I take less effort and learn more.

I try to do the above things while I have a thought. Hope it helps you!

[Shubham]

@Saitama what is the technique?

[Shubham]

@Soumya I drink water... Repeatedly

becoming aware of my thought is itself a focus removing thing that I do repeatedly and hence I was able to write that my thoughts are wrapped in emotions...

 

[Shubham]

8 minutes ago, Shubham said:

@Saitama what is the technique?

i do meditation too... Not working...

just that I calmly go into distraction...not neurotically

 

 

[Mr Green]

This is definitely a problem, especially in modern culture with the prevalence of technology. I read somewhere that the average attention span of a modern human being these days is around 8 seconds, which is apparently less than a fish!

 

The first thing you need to realise is that this is not an easy fix. You'll need to rewire your mind as it has been conditioned. The first thing that I recommend you do is to completely remove multi-tasking from your vocabulary. Multi-tasking is a disease, and the only cure is to remove it all together. Start giving 100% of relaxed, focused attention into absolutely everything you do, not just to study. Even if it is only drinking a cup of coffee or checking your phone messages. Instead of doing both at the same time as one would normally do, focus first on the coffee; savour the taste, the temperature, how sweet or bitter it is. Really enjoy it. After that is over focus time on your messages; text slowly, carefully, and thoughtfully. Now apply these principles to study, to reading, to listening to people talk, to everything that you do. It will take time and practise but it can be done and you'll become a better, more patient, more focused person for it.

Secondly you can apply a technique that some people call 'time blocking'. Essentially by setting an alarm on your phone from chunks of time to perform specific time you can create artificial deadlines. For example, if you plan to study french, set an alarm for 30 minutes and that is the time you will study for. The illusion of the deadline allows your mind to focus more clearly for a period safe in the knowledge that the time will eventually end. You can combine this with more pronounced goals and breaks to make it even more effective. For example, don't just say you're going to study french, say you're going to study french verbs in present tense for 45 minutes, then have a break for 15 minutes, and then watch videos in french for another 45 minutes. Giving yourself these specific deadlines and activities to perform will help to narrow your focus. If you're too vague you're mind will naturally wander because it has no clear direction.

Finally, the impact and importance of meditation as mentioned by others here can not be overstated. Think of your mind as a big machine continuously moving and grinding, even as you sleep. Meditation is like turning off that machine for half and hour, cleaning out the gunk and oiling it. Look forward to that time as it will make you sharper and more focused. 

Good luck!

[Soumya]

@Shubham I guess my words did not explain the context well

what I meant to say - {when you have a thought - do an action instantly (ex- drink water/talk to a friend/ walk around)- this behavior/action will help you to reprogram your mind- then get back to studies}(its a cause-behavior/act-effect phenomenon) - the cause why you walked around is reflected in your behavior and this behavior tells you what to do next i.e. study.

there's a difference between being aware and acknowledging a thought! when I say be aware of your thoughts, it means your thoughts should trigger an action  instantly and this behavior of yours will train your mind

[Electron]

@ShubhamI don't really think focus is the problem. I would say the major problem is lack of interest and fear from the study of the subject. If one manages to replace that fear with love, studying becomes probably the most enjoying activity you can possibly imagine. After that you are just playing and exploring. You need a lot of revision and practice to master certain things at times, and it might feel like grind but I'd say if you try to learn something just because someone is forcing you to, or its in your school curriculum and now you don't have any choice, you won't get very far if that's what compelling you to study. It's like forcing a child to play something. What are the odds that he will enjoy it? And if he doesn't enjoy it, why would he give all his attention and focus to it? You just gotta ask yourself, what are you REALLY curious about, then go and open a book and explore what other people have to tell you about it. Studying is not something to fear from.Who told you that? Throw away that shit from your mind. Its fun, LITERALLY. 

Edited March 2, 2016 by Sigma