Stay focused at home Once you've created the right homework environment, you have to stay focused, stick with it, and get the job done. Did you get stuck? Do you need a break for a minute? Take it away from your work desk. Get yourself a glass of water or a take a short walk (but come right back!). Dont turn on the TV or start playing a game those tasks are likely to suck you in. Keep your eyes on the prize: a finished assignment. To keep your mind focused, talk yourself through the work.
Ask yourself, "What do I need to do now?" and then answer yourself. May be you'll answer, "OK, I need to do the next math problem. Lets see ... Im up to number 5. I will start by reading the problem to myself." Then go ahead and do that. Ask yourself: "What do I do next?" Then answer yourself again: "OK, I need to find out what half of 46 is." Now what? "OK, so I write down 46 and I divide by 2, then do that. You get the idea. Talk yourself through what youre trying to do, step by step, just like youre the teacher. This really helps you to keep your mind on the job and stay focused. Dont give up! Youre getting there. (Remember to tell yourself that, too!) You might be wondering, "But how can I stay focused when Im cleaning up my room or doing some other chore my parent asked me to do?" To stay focused on any job, talk yourself through it the same way. If you're cleaning your room, ask yourself, What did my Mum ask me to do?"
Answer: "Oh, yeah, clean my room." Ask yourself, "Where should I start?" Your possible answer: "I guess Ill pick up all my clothes from the floor." Then go ahead and do it. . . Now lets say that under the jeans you've just picked up, you discover that CD youve been looking all over for. You decide to play it, and before you know it, you're singing away with your pretend microphone. Still focused? or you got distracted! Ask yourself, "Wait what am I supposed to be doing right now?" Answer "Oh, yeah, picking up my clothes." Then get back on the job. After all the clothes are picked up, ask yourself, "What should I do next?" Possible answer, "I will make my bed. "Then do that. Keep talking yourself through the whole job until the room is clean. Notice the progress youre making and tell yourself, "I'm doing great. My mum will be happy (and may be surprised!)."
STAY FOCUSED: It can be hard to stay focused all day at school. But luckily, the subjects change, so you don't need to focus on the same thing all day long. Each subject lasts for a short while, so you need to focus for short periods of time. Theres usually a quick break as you change books or supplies for a new subject. At school, if your mind wanders (or dozes off!) while youre listening or doing work at your seat, you might want to change the way youre sitting so youre more comfortable. Take a nice deep breath or get up and stretch (when your teacher says its OK) so you can better tune in to whats being said. Keep your mind on the work, talk yourself through it. Ask yourself questions about what you need to do, then answer the questions and do the steps you need to do.
Do one step at a time until you get it done. If the work is hard, dont just give up on it. Give it a good try or ask for help. Putting it off or stalling for time wont help you learn it, and it wont make the work any easier. Give your brain a challenge its good exercise! When you dont understand something or dont know how to do something, ask the teacher for help. If you dont, your mind will drift and before you know it, youre off in la-Ia land. Instead, ask your question and listen to the answer. If youre still confused, talk to your teacher after class. Day dreaming Theres nothing wrong with a good imagination, unless its. taking over at the wrong time, like in the middle of a class lesson. If day dreams clutter your mind, find a way to channel them to the right time of the day after school.
You might start writing your day dreamy thoughts in a journal at the end of each day. Then youre not turning off your daydreams, youre just putting them on hold until a little later. If you dont like writing, try painting, building, or other ways of letting your creativity flow. Noisy Neigbbours , If classmates are distracting you, ask them nicely to stop talking. Are you the talker? Save your chitchat for lunchtime or recess. If youre still distracted, maybe theres something the teacher can do to help.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited