The world is noisy. Noisier than it’s ever been. And every year it gets a little bit worse. In our commute to work or school alone, before even beginning the day, we’ve already seen tens of thousands of advertisements. On our phones. Our computers. The subway walls. Everywhere. Advertising is an unavoidable reality of everyday life for humans in 2016 and it is literally designed to distract us from whatever it is that we are doing. They say the average attention span when surfing the net is shorter than that of a goldfish. No one wants to admit it but anyone who owns a smartphone can relate. Big Apple’s exclusive tutors Manhattan services can help.
Anyone 25 and up at least has a bit of context. We have a point of comparison, since the Internet was still relatively young some years ago. But for kids growing up today, it’s far trickier to stay focused than it ever was for us. If your kid is having trouble staying on task, just know that he or she is not alone. However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing he or she can do to improve. So in the interest of combating the endless onslaught of noise, here are two terrific focus tips to give to your child.
Schedule Tasks From Hardest To Easiest
A common mistake is to start with the mindless and work to the mentally taxing. It seems logical to get the easy stuff out of the way early, but really you’re doing yourself a disservice in ordering your activities this way. That’s because no matter how simple or intuitive a task may be, it will always take up a least a bit of brain power in the process. And it stands to reason that you’d want to maximize the amount of energy you have for the most difficult tasks. So if you have any assignments that are going to require some creativity, like an essay or reflection piece on a reading, it’s best to put that as your first priority, and leave the easier stuff for last.
Be Intentional
People tend to use their energy sparingly. When you really break it down, most people spend around six hours per week (!) really truly giving 100% concentration on any one task. As farfetched a claim as that may seem, ultimately you know it’s true. And that’s why it’s so important that when you actually do get down to brass tacks, that you spend that time wisely. Priorities are crucial. What can you complete in one hour’s time at the peak of your focus? Also, be sure to keep in mind at what time of day you find that you are at your most productive. Some people work best in the morning and others at night. Whichever one you are, be mindful of that and you’ll save yourself a lot of stress.
The point is to recognize that attention spans are short, especially today, which is why the best course of action is to ration your efforts accordingly and recognize that sooner or later your energy is going to diminish. So get the hardest part done first. Do it at a time of day in which you’re at your most productive. And recognize that that window of time is the most important part of your day. To learn more about how to develop more productive and useful study habits, contact Big Apple Tutoring today at 212-479-0830 and we will connect you to the best exclusive tutors Manhattan has ever seen.
