Depression can make it difficult for you to concentrate when it is most important for you to do so. Are you struggling to stay focused on revision for upcoming exams? Then take a look at the tips mentioned in this article. They will make it easier for you to study despite depression.
To be more focused on studying beside depression, try the following:
- Get enough rest
- Plan your tasks
- Talk to your tutor
- Avoid social media
- Choose your associates wisely
Are you ready to see how applying these tips can help with depression? Then take a look at the more extended guide below. Make a note of the suggestions that you would like to try so you can start seeing the results.
Actionable Tips To Be More Focused On Studying Beside Depression
Do negative thoughts stop you from studying? Do you get so distracted by these thoughts that 10 minutes, 20, or even half an hour can go by in an instant?
Then come the feelings of guilt. The time you spend thinking and not studying makes you feel frustrated. It makes you regret trying. You think about all you could have accomplished with your time and beat yourself up for not doing so. You end up feeling worse after a study session than you did before you started.
So what can you do to beat this vicious cycle of depressive thoughts and feelings of guilt? Take a look at the following tips that will help you with the battle against depression.
Get Enough Rest
How can you find out if you’re getting enough sleep at night? Take a look at the information below:
|Age Range||Recommended Hours of Sleep|
|Teenagers 14-17 years old|
Young adults 18-25 years old
Why is it important to get enough sleep at night? Getting enough sleep makes us more productive, happy and keeps us healthy.
Getting enough sleep is especially important for those who:
- Have health issues
- Exercise frequently
- Work in labor-intensive jobs
Are you constantly fighting against depressive thoughts throughout the day? Then make sure you are getting enough sleep for your age. This will make it easier for you to concentrate when studying. It will make you more productive throughout the day.
As far as possible, try to set a good sleep pattern. Go to bed at the same time each day and wake up at the same time each day. This will make it easier for you to get up in the morning. You will also encourage you to feel tired at the right time at night.
Plan Your Tasks
Planning your tasks is a key step that will help you to deal with depression while studying. Do you find that your mind wanders while studying? Do hours go by where you have been unproductive and cannot seem to motivate yourself to get started?
If you answered yes to the above-mentioned questions then it is time to start planning your tasks. Organizing your time well will help you to feel more in control. As a result, you will start to feel better and more positive about yourself when you come to study.
Not sure how to start planning? Then take a look at the following suggestions:
- Buy yourself a nice organizer. A brand new organizer will encourage you to get studying! You can also download a good to-do list app for your phone, tablet, and computer.
- Write the most important tasks in one color. Timestamp your tasks to keep yourself on track. Set reminders for important tasks if you are using an electronic to-do list.
- Write less important tasks in another color. These are tasks that you can skip if you don’t have time for them.
- Make sure you program some leisure time into each day.
- Don’t program studying at times that don’t work for you. If you’re an early bird, program your studying into the first section of the day. If you’re more productive later in the day, study later. Make sure your study sessions don’t start too late when you begin to feel tired.
Talk To Your Tutor
Depression is something that a lot of us like to keep close to our chests. But why might it be beneficial to talk about it?
If your depression is affecting your study habits and your grades, you should let your tutor know. Your tutor could mistakenly put your lack of performance down to:
- Your lack of interest in the course
- Poor time management
- Distractions such as social media
- Alcohol/substance abuse
So what could happen if you talk to your tutor about your depression? The following is a list of just some of the benefits that come with opening up:
- You’ll put less pressure on yourself. If your tutor knows your circumstances, you won’t beat yourself up about what you couldn’t achieve. Knowing that your tutor is aware of your circumstances will ease your load.
- Your workload could be reduced. Your tutor may be inclined to reduce your workload. They may encourage you to concentrate on the most important parts of your assignment and refrain from overburdening you.
- Your tutor will show you empathy. If your tutor is aware of your depression, they can show you empathy when you need it the most. If you’re having an off day in class, they can give you the attention you need.
Avoid Social Media
Social media is a massive distraction when studying. Do you find yourself opening apps and scrolling through posts unnecessarily when studying?
Research continues to link the use of social media with depression. Why is that? Well, you could have thousands of “friends” on social media and still feel like you have no one to talk to.
People post snapshots of the most interesting things they do in life on social media. Getting caught up with looking at all the fun everyone is having while you should be studying could be depressing.
But the biggest reason of all is the time-wasting. Do you spend time on social media when you should be studying? Doing so will make you feel guilty when you think about all the time you’ve lost. You may then have to rush through assignments and end up underperforming. This will make you feel frustrated with yourself.
So what can you do to combat depression linked to social media? Take a look at the following suggestions:
- Turn your Wi-Fi off. If you are studying with books or writing an essay offline, turn your internet connection off. Only turn it on when having a break or when you have finished studying.
- Turn your devices to flight mode. It is important to do this across all your devices. That way you will not be tempted to open your social media account on your phone, tablet, nor computer.
- Adjust your social media notification settings. Go to the notification settings for each of your social media accounts. Once in settings, you should be able to silence the notifications. Silence them for the entire length of your study period. This will help you to concentrate.
Choose Your Associates Wisely
Your group of friends will have a strong impact on your study habits. Try asking yourself the following questions. The questions will help you see what kind of influence your friends are having on you:
- Are your friends studious?
- Are your friends positive?
- Do your friends encourage you to strive to meet your goals?
- Do your friends encourage you when you do something well?
If you’ve answered yes to the above-mentioned questions, then congratulations. You have great friends!
Whether we like it or not, our friends’ habits tend to rub off on us. That means that if your friends are studious, you are more likely to be so too. If your friends are positive, their positivity is contagious. And positivity is a great antidote for depression! If your friends encourage you to meet your goals then you will be more driven to study. And if they praise you after you do something well, then that’s all the initiative you need to keep moving forward.