4-2: The Environment

Where you study can have as much impact as what you study. Here we discuss how to create a physical space that supports your learning.

Focus

Your spot, wherever it is, should be as free of distractions as possible. That's not always the easiest thing to do, especially if you share your living space with others. Even so, you want to try to create a space to maximize focus. For me, this means I want all of my study materials in one place so I don't have to move around too much. It also means headphones. Even if nothing's playing in them, reducing outside noise helps me significantly. Not everyone is as audiosensitive as me, but I still recommend giving it a shot.

If you take notes by typing, make sure you can easily type while watching/listening to the material you're consuming. Splitting your computer screen between two windows can be very helpful for this—or if you have two monitors, that works too. If you take handwritten notes, make sure your writing surface and viewing surface (if applicable) are comfortable. Do you have pens? Paper? Is your tablet charged? Don't let resource issues prevent work.

Now, I don't know about you, but I find it harder to focus on one thing for a long time than I used to. Maybe modern life really has diminished our attention span. But I can tell you this much: if I can easily switch tasks on a computer, odds are I will, even if I should be focusing on one thing in particular. So when I really need to buckle down, I make it harder to distract myself. One simple trick: move my hands away.

I'm a computer guy. I grew up before the era of smartphones, so I despise typing on touchscreens. Heck, I learned how to type before I learned how to use a pencil (true story). So I take notes by typing—on the same device that will offer any number of distractions from my study material. Social media is a keystroke away. Maybe this is the same for you.

That's why I recommend purposefully removing your hands from your device while not actively taking notes. If you're just watching or reading, try keeping your hands on your lap. If you're using a touch device like a phone or a tablet, consider propping it up or using a stand so you can reach out to scroll or shuttle a video as needed, but aren't tempted to switch to another app.

If you are using a device besides your phone, put that thing away! Research shows its mere presence in your field of vision can be enough to reduce your attention.

And of course, on all devices disable notifications! Do Not Disturb mode is a beautiful thing.