Despite the importance of techniques for expanding the angle of vision, as well as suppressing the pronunciation of text when reading, it should be noted that if the reader is not concentrated, the speed and quality of assimilation of the material will be at a low level.

What factors affect concentration when reading?

1. Physical condition of the body.
2. Wrong reading material.
3. Extraneous irritants.
4. Lack of motivation.

How does the state of the reader’s body affect reading speed?

If a person does not get enough sleep or is not healthy enough, then the percentage of information assimilation will be at a low level. The more rested the reader is before reading, the more fully the information will be remembered.

Memorization of information is influenced by biological rhythms:

It is better to learn theoretical information in the morning, and techniques related to muscle memory in the evening.

Rest and concentration on business

You should take breaks between lessons. Rest does not necessarily mean vegetating on the couch - the best rest is a change of activity.

Are there special diets for focusing brain power?

Scientists are developing special diets for people involved in extreme activities. For example, special diets exist for astronauts and politicians. There is a very simple rule of health and well-being - 80% of the food consumed should be fresh - this is exactly how the top officials of the state eat.

According to people who work in the Federal Security Service, the top officials of the state eat a very restrained diet. 80% of what they eat is raw vegetables or fruits, and 20% is meat and processed foods.

Change your diet according to the 80/20 principle (80% raw vegetables and fruits and 20% processed foods) and your brain power will increase. Fatigue and headaches will disappear.

How does a text thesaurus affect comprehension and reading speed?

The more simple and understandable the text is written, the more simply it is perceived by the reader.

What is a thesaurus

Thesaurus is a special terminology, collection of information, corpus or code, fully covering concepts, definitions and terms of a special field of knowledge or field of activity. Unlike an explanatory dictionary, a thesaurus allows you to identify the meaning not only through a definition, but also by correlating a word with other concepts and their groups, due to which it can be used to fill the knowledge bases of artificial intelligence systems.

How do unfamiliar words affect the speed of learning texts?

To make it clear how unfamiliar terminology affects reading speed, let's conduct a small experiment. Read the phrase in different languages ​​and think how easy it was for you to understand the text.

In Russian

Have you noticed that some people read at the speed of light and implement what they read, while others take years to open the first page of a book?

Ukrainian language

Have you noticed that some people read in the light and enjoy reading, while others need courage to open the first side of the book?

English language

Have you ever noticed that some people read the speed of light and introduce old, whereas others require years to open the first page of the book?

Georgian language

ოდესმე შენიშნა , რომ ზოგიერთი ადამიანი წაკითხვის სინათლის სიჩქარით და დანერგვა წლის , ხოლო სხვები მოითხოვს წელი გახსნა პირველ გვერდზე წიგნი ?

Texts in Russian are easier to understand. The same pattern can be observed when reading specialized literature. The more familiar and understandable the language used when writing text, the faster and easier it will be to read.

How to choose the right reading material?

When choosing literature, be guided by the following principles:

• Before reading, review the text and note how clear the author’s language is.
• Write down unfamiliar words. The more incomprehensible words there are, the slower your reading speed will be.
• Pay attention to the examples the author gives.

If the choice of books is not large, then adhere to the following reading algorithm:

1. Look through the book from five to ten.
2. Set the text aside for a few days.
3. Read the text in depth.
4. Take notes in a notepad.

Read books with unclear terminology in two passes. For the first time you are introduced to unknown words. By reading a second time, you clean up and assimilate the material, while more fully assimilating the structure of knowledge.

What to do if it is psychologically difficult to convince yourself to read a book a second time?

Choose 3-5 books in the area you need and speed read them one by one. This reading algorithm will allow you to overcome the psychological barrier of “re-reading”.

How do extraneous stimuli affect brain function?

If you are an “auditory learner” - you perceive information through sound channels, extraneous noise will pose a serious problem for you while reading.

Here are some tips for those who are annoyed by outside conversations:

1. Study in the library or somewhere where the noise level is minimal.
2. Use headphones while studying. Turn on calm music or sounds of nature (the cry of seagulls, or the rustling of leaves).
3. Practice late at night after everyone has gone to bed or early in the morning.

How to turn off obsessive thoughts

In addition to auditory stimuli, there are stimuli that are ingrained in the mind and require attention. Obsessive thoughts spin in circles and prevent you from focusing on an important matter.

Here is an example of obsessive thoughts:

• Did I lock the car?...
• The report is due soon, I can't make it...
• What did my “friends” write on Facebook?
• Did I lock the car? Need to check...
• The report is coming, but there is no time...

If such thoughts are swirling in your mind, it is very difficult to concentrate and begin to read carefully.

Techniques for turning off obsessive thoughts.

1. Do some physical work. As a minimum option, do 20 push-ups. Go for a walk or do a set of stretching exercises.
2. Replace the annoying emotion with an even stronger one. For example, imagine what will happen if you succumb to the harmful influence of the blues.
3. Promise yourself to deal with the questions that are swirling in your mind a little later.

Important!

Carry out procedures to turn off thoughts, regardless of whether you feel an influx of obsessive thoughts or not. It often happens that after cleansing procedures, like after a hot shower, the body begins to feel how tense it was.

Lack of motivation and reading speed

It is important to note that if the reader has no interest in the book, then the reading speed and reading comprehension rate will be practically zero.

How to motivate yourself to read?

It is almost impossible to motivate in a strict sense of oneself.

What is motive?

"motive“- this literally means a stick for driving cattle. Will you push yourself with a “stick”? Others can motivate you, scaring you with expulsion from the institute or failed orders, but you should take more humane measures towards yourself.

You can motivate yourself to read only through interest and the possibility of practical application of the acquired knowledge.

How to maintain interest in classes at a high level?

To maintain interest in the work at hand, try switching to another task as soon as your focus begins to lose. It's similar to how athletes train: do five push-ups, five sit-ups, five pull-ups, run a lap... and do five push-ups again.

You should have a switching plan prepared in advance. For example, like this:

• Editing article "A"
• I'm reading book "B".
• I'm editing program "B".

It is in this mode that I am writing this text. Initially I made a plan. Then I began to work in more detail on each point of the plan. As soon as I feel a loss of interest or fatigue, I switch to another activity, for example, editing photos or writing programs or drawing. After a short period of time, I get back to editing the text.

This mode of maintaining consciousness in good shape works well because consciousness constantly requires changes. If there is no change, then interest is instantly lost.

Psychological sublimation before reading

You can also use another method to increase your interest in reading. The method is to visualize the future result.

How to spark your imagination and get interested in reading

1. Visualize what you want to avoid. Color this picture in dark colors. For example, imagine how you go to a boring and uninteresting job, listen to orders from a nervous boss...
2. Imagine in colors what you are striving for. Paint the picture of the future in light colors. For example, you are doing what you love.
3. Alternately call up either a positive picture or a negative picture, alternate between them.

Keep an eye on yourself while watching an imaginary movie. As soon as interest in the activity you are planning appears, get to work immediately!

Why does a slow reader have no interest in reading?

Let's remember ourselves in an exam when you didn't memorize the question you were supposed to answer. And then, lo and behold, your neighbor gives you a sneak peek at his cheat sheet. How long will it take you to remember what is written in the hint? I am sure that one moment will be enough.

People read slowly because they have no idea why they need the information they receive.. It should be borne in mind that motives like “ I will learn the subjects, get a diploma with honors, become a good specialist and make a lot of money“These are just words - there is absolutely no specificity in them. There are many pitfalls in this phrase.

Let me list some of the pitfalls:

1. How well do you need to study to pass the subject?
2. Does a diploma guarantee that I will be a good specialist?
3. Do good specialists always get paid a lot?
4. How does this idea correspond to the realities of the world?

As a rule, a slow reader begins to read at the moment when his level of mental energy is most reduced. And, as a result, he reads without interest and at the slowest speed.

What should you do to increase interest in reading?

The more specific the task facing you, the more clearly you will understand what you need to achieve it, the more interested you will be in reading and memorizing the text.

The patterns of increasing interest in a matter are very simple:

1. Without understanding the practical application of the material you are reading, reading will be a waste of time.
2. The clearer the vision of the future result, the stronger the motivation.
3. If visualization is impossible, as for example with passing an uninteresting exam, then imagine what will happen after successful passing and what will happen if the exam is not passed.
   

Development of attention and memorization of read information

A person who has no interest in reading is said to be inattentive.

Lack of attention manifests itself as follows:

• From time to time the reader loses the thread of the story. He is in a sleepy state.
• The reader constantly returns to the same sections of the text.
• The reader does not understand what he should understand after reading.

What is attention:

Attention is the ability to maintain the focus of consciousness on a specific subject. Like many qualities, attention can be trained.

How to test attention?

Most often, attention is trained by performing monotonous operations. For example, they are asked to multiply three-digit numbers. Perhaps, at first glance, it seems that intermediate results from calculations are impossible to keep in mind, but this indicates insufficient development of attention.

Books are an important part of our intellectual and personal development. It doesn't matter what media you use - paper or electronic. A well-read person absorbs and analyzes information faster, can use an impressive amount of knowledge for work, and his brain is like the trained muscles of an athlete.

But many cannot read long and carefully. They are distracted from the process by extraneous thoughts, noises, and the habit of switching from one thing to another. To know how not to get distracted while reading, you need to learn how to read correctly. It's actually not that difficult if you follow some rules.

1. Move from simple to complex. If a reader is distracted by extraneous thoughts and actions, this is often a signal that he simply has not yet made reading a daily habit. The brain doesn't like to be stressed. Therefore, when you try to force him to perceive information from the pages of a book, he immediately begins to diligently sabotage. It gives you tempting thoughts about interesting news in your social network feed, invites you to think about a future vacation or sleep... And the more complex the text, the more actively the brain will try to “get it.”
   Therefore, you need to develop the habit of reading gradually. Start with light, easy reading, popular fiction. Over time, you can move on to more complex texts. Reading time also needs to be increased gradually. At first it could be half an hour a day, then an hour, and then - and before you know it, you’ve been reading all weekend, forgetting to eat and sleep.
2. Take a break before reading. You also need to be able to start a reading session correctly. If you have just been engaged in some complex mental activity, then for some time after completing the work you will return to it with your thoughts. The head should “cool down”, thoughts should settle down. Rest for 15-20 minutes, don’t think about anything, listen to birdsong or calm music, walk the dog or sit with a cup of tea in the garden, if you have one. Relax and complete previous tasks, and then you will fully join the reading process.
3. Don't eat while reading and don't read while eating. If you do something at the same time, neither one nor the other will really come out. This applies to all activities in general, so if you have the habit of combining several things at once, fight it. Your thoughts should be completely focused on what you are reading.
4. What to do if noise bothers you? It often happens that what prevents you from concentrating is not your internal monologue or confusion in your thoughts, but objective external factors. Neighbors are watching TV, children are screaming in the yard, cars are driving on the street... You can deal with annoying sounds in different ways. First, remove it. That is, try to minimize it - close the window, ask your neighbors not to make noise. And in the end, just plug your ears with earplugs. You can change the reading time by choosing the part of the day when there is the least noise around. You can interrupt, for example, by turning on unobtrusive instrumental music. True, music also interferes with reading for some, so this option is not suitable for everyone.

But the most effective method is to learn to abstract from noise. To do this, you need to “turn off” your hearing and not analyze the sounds coming to your ears. Focus completely on the text, think about the characters and the plot - and the noise will cease to be felt. It will take some effort to train yourself not to perceive external stimuli, but if you succeed, you will become a reading god. You can read on the train, in the subway, in a cafe, and on the beach.

1. Force yourself to reread. Our brain is an instrument of cognition. This is not an independent uncontrollable organism, but a part of you that you need to be able to subjugate. When the mind tries to draw thoughts into a more pleasant and simpler direction or “chews” some emotions, then your eyes simply rush through the text without thinking about the meaning. This way you can sit for a few minutes staring at a book. If the brain trick works, then you simply put the volume aside.
   The brain doesn’t want to read, it’s too lazy. Therefore, stop yourself, look carefully at the text and return to the place that you were still reading consciously. Reread what you skimmed over and try to comprehend it. Sometimes it happens that you have to re-read a paragraph many times. But this way you make it clear to your inner lazy person that you won’t be able to cheat, and that you will still force him to read everything in good faith. After some time, the habit of being distracted from the text by an internal monologue will disappear, since repeated reading of the same passage will work as a punishment effect.
2. Perhaps the problem is complex? Often, an inability to concentrate on reading is just a symptom of a larger problem. It is called disorganization and lack of internal discipline. A person grabs onto one thing, quickly gets bored, and immediately takes on another, or even several things at once. This phenomenon is sometimes proudly called multitasking, but this lady with an exotic name is the twin sister of stupidity, and the main thing here is not to confuse it.

You will have to think carefully - perhaps a person is distracted not only from reading, but also from work, and from everyday activities, and in general cannot really complete anything? If this is about you, then you will have to seriously start organizing your time and change your attitude towards your own activities. Learn to focus on one activity without being distracted by others and finish what you start, work on setting goals and writing plans. But this is a completely different story...

To stay focused while reading, you should do concentration exercises

Exercise 1:

Imagine what will happen if you don't read the right book. Imagine the picture in negative colors. Now imagine what will happen after you read the book. How the world will become a better place.

Exercise 2:

Clear your brain of debris. Enter into a state of not thinking anything.

Develop effective reading and learning strategies

Determine the purpose of reading. The research topic itself can act as a distraction if you don't know how to handle it. Set clear reading goals based on why you read. Determine in advance what information you need to take away from the text and look for it instead of reading from beginning to end.

• Make a list of tasks and questions that you might find answers to in the text. This will turn the task of reading into an investigative job and allow you to skip over irrelevant passages. If, for example, you are only interested in the general argument created by the author, find a paragraph where it is clearly stated and go through the data.
• Review and analyze. Read to get the general meaning. Look for key words and paragraphs in the text. Pay more attention to headings and the first and last sentence of each paragraph.
• You can preview the text by simply reviewing the headings and subheadings. You can then come back to them with a mind map of their most important argument. On your second reading, you'll know what to expect and which sections you should spend more time on.

Engage all your senses as you read.

Reading is much more than just a visual activity: you can read important points or make comments out loud, write them out or mark them in the text. All these actions will create a connection between you and the text and involve you entirely in the learning process.

• If you're a better visual learner, highlight text and take notes to help you focus on it and remember it. If you remember sounds better, use rhymes and acronyms.

Mark the text and take notes.

Highlight or underline important passages and key words, or take notes in the margins or on another document. This will make it easier for you to return to the text and immediately see the main points.

• If you borrowed the book from the library, take notes on a separate sheet of paper or in a document on your laptop.

Focus your energy on understanding the subject.

When you read, your mind may wander to thoughts that have nothing to do with the information in the text. Repeat the main points in your own words, silently or out loud, to make sure you fully understand the meaning of the text. Being interested in what you are working on is a major factor in your level of focus. If you're having trouble making a connection with the text, here are some ways you can develop interest in it:

• Critical Approach: Ask yourself questions and don't hesitate to disagree by coming up with evidence against a particular argument.
• Predict what will be said next based on what you have read up to this point, this can speed up the reading process.
• Make connections with what you already know.

The easiest way is to throw the book into the far corner and say: “Reading is not my strong point!”

But remember that all rich and successful people read a lot, and not a single millionaire would prefer TV or a computer game to a book. You just need to make a little effort to learn not to be distracted while reading, and then this activity will bring a lot of pleasure and benefit.

Source S auap.org

How not to be distracted when reading is probably of interest to all readers. Every person has been distracted from reading a book at least once. Everything is natural, if interest in a task is lost, then the person’s brain switches to other things. To stay focused when reading, you should do concentration exercises.

Exercise 1:

Imagine what will happen if you don't read the right book. Imagine the picture in negative colors. Now imagine what will happen after you read the book. How the world will become a better place.

Exercise 2:

Clear your brain of debris. Enter into a state of not thinking anything.

How not to be distracted when reading - dealing with noise

Reading productivity is greatly affected by external noise. External noise, both single and continuous, has a very large negative impact on reading productivity. We are talking not just about lowering the level of attention when reading, as was above, but about switching attention from the text to another object.

Very often, external noises distract from reading: they irritate or, on the contrary, captivate to such an extent that the book is sometimes put aside. We are especially happy to switch our attention from the book (and are ready to do this at the slightest opportunity) if we do not like the material we are working on. Constantly being distracted by external noises, the reader gets used to working with relaxed attention and cultivates inattention.

External noise factor and its impact on text memorization

The factor of external noise while working with a book is objective (after all, we cannot change, for example, the noise conditions in the reading room), but also subjective at the same time: You can change yourself by learning not to react to noise as an obstacle when reading. In order to “not listen to noises,” you need to learn not to evaluate the noises that you hear, not to process them.

If you are distracted from reading by noise behind the wall, you can no longer concentrate and put the book down. Try turning on the TV, and it will distract you from the recently disturbing noises; your irritation will be replaced by a pleasant state. You will forget about the noise that annoyed you, take your mind off it, and even turning off the TV, you will not pay attention to the noise for some time, although it will continue. You can hear the noise, but not listen to it. Thus, the unpleasant was replaced by the pleasant. A temporary shift in attention protected you from the effects of noise.

How to turn off external stimuli when reading books

One of the ways to tune out extraneous noise and learn not to react to it while reading is the tennis ball method, developed at the School of Rational Reading.

This method is based on the principle of double switching of attention. The tennis ball method, as practice shows, is universal: almost everyone who has used it learns to be distracted from external noises and stops listening to them. If the reader, using the tennis ball method, has trained himself to the point of automatism, then the fight against noise will be carried out on a subconscious level, without distracting the consciousness from understanding the content of the text being read. For such a reader, 1-3 seconds are enough to get rid of annoying noise while reading. After this, all attention is again focused on reading.

Quick reading. How to avoid distractions when reading To gain a more complete understanding of speed reading techniques, enroll in an in-person course, however, you can learn to speed read on your own. Improve your reading technique and you'll spend less time researching documents. Follow the tips and you will increase your productivity. Reading types Super slow reading. A detailed study of the document is pursued - for example, the study of legal documents. Slow reading - for example, a work of fiction. Pre-reading. When you need to get an idea of ​​the document you read Speed ​​reading. How to scribble text in speed reading mode By acting in accordance with this scheme, you will reduce the time it takes to find the necessary information. Read the introduction carefully. Look through chapters five to ten that interest you. Pay attention to examples and highlighting in the text. Review the passages of text that you find important. Read the index. Understand the thesaurus and concepts covered in the book. Think about how similar the content of the book is to the content of previously studied documents Write a review of the text or a letter to the author. Read the author's examples. How many examples are repeated? Does it seem that the author of the text borrowed the content of the document? Review the introduction to each chapter, read the last page of each chapter. Read the table of contents. Have a general idea of ​​the book's content before reading it. If you are studying a reference text, you need to study selected passages. Therefore, the reading strategy described is very useful. How to read documents and articles First, you should look at the places in the text where conclusions are indicated. And, then, read the document. In this case, the essence of the article will be clear from the first paragraph. Study the presentation of the text, the overview, the first few paragraphs, the introductory part. Study the conclusion or the final few paragraphs. Study carefully the places that seemed most important to you. Scanning reading. Using the subconscious while reading. When a person reads quickly, he understands phrases rather than individual words. Use a diagonal eye movement to scan the page. As soon as you feel that you have found something interesting, then move on to regular reading. Notes in the margins. Take notes as you read. Write down questions for the author of the text. You don't waste time. Thanks to notes and formulated questions, the studied text is fixed in the mind. If the document and new information are thought out, then there is no need to return to it. While reading a book, mark important places with a marker and underline key words. Look for Alternatives to Reading

"TENNIS BALL" method

One of the most common obstacles to deep reading is external noise. The conversation of neighbors in the reading room, the crying of a child on the train, the sound of a TV working behind the wall prevents you from deeply immersing yourself in the meaning of what you are reading, especially if you have to read something necessary, but not very interesting. As a rule, attempts not to pay attention to external noise are not only unsuccessful, but, on the contrary, lead to the fact that after a long struggle with the noise, the reader begins to analyze what he hears, distracted from reading. (“They talk about illnesses all the time, as if there is nothing else to talk about!”, “Why don’t parents pay attention to a crying child!”, etc.). Gradually, the reader’s irritation grows, and he already has to cope with his own condition.

There is an effective way to combat such reading interference - the “tennis ball” method.

The “tennis ball” method is based on the use of certain processes occurring in the human brain.

You can imagine the human brain in the form of a platform on which fires are burning - centers of excitement caused by the analysis of various information simultaneously entering the brain: the reader comprehends the content of a paragraph - this is a large fire (most of the attention is paid to comprehension), in the room where reading takes place, hot - this is a second fire, but small, because so little attention is paid to the perception of this that the reader almost does not feel the increased temperature. As lunch time approaches, another fire appears and flares up more and more, associated with a feeling of hunger, etc. Such small fires (small parts of attention) light up from all the sensations and thoughts associated with clothing, shoes, comfort of posture, lighting, physical or mental fatigue, etc. The size of the fires-foci of attention is regulated at a subconscious level, so the reader, despite all his the desire to concentrate nevertheless switches attention to noise, distracting from reading. So, at the moment, the main attention switches from comprehending the text to noise as the main source of brain excitation. In this case, the following conditions are met:

1. The more active the thought processes are, the greater the total sum of parts of attention devoted to the simultaneous analysis of all stimuli (external and internal), i.e. the greater the number of fires.
2. An increase in attention to some stimuli is accompanied by a decrease in attention to others (some flaring fires take away the energy and fire of others, reducing them).
3. That part of attention grows (that fire flares up) that is directed to the event that is relevant at the moment. For example, if while reading you remember that there is now a program on TV that you definitely wanted to watch, then the success of further reading will depend on what you consider more important (relevant) at the moment.

Consequently, if on an area with a large fire (caused by comprehension of what is being read), a small fire appears (corresponding in magnitude to the irritation due to disturbing noise, and this fire is not extinguished, then perhaps it will flare up, absorbing energy from the large fire, and even can put out a large fire. To prevent this from happening, the “tennis ball” method is used.

The essence of the method is as follows: having caught himself involuntarily beginning to listen to an external stimulus, the reader mentally:

1. He puts a spacesuit on his head;
2. Imagines an audible noise in the form of tennis balls flying from noise sources;
3. He imagines the rebound of balls hitting the spacesuit and hears the clicking sound of the impacts.

All this must be done while reading, without ceasing to comprehend the content of the text. As a result, part of the attention gradually switches from the external stimulus (noise) to the tennis balls, and then to comprehending what is being read, i.e. a double switch of attention occurs. As soon as you start training, guided by this method, in the very first stages of work you will feel positive changes.

The “tennis ball” method (TBM) works as follows: with the appearance of a small but dangerous fire (i.e., as soon as distraction from reading by external noise begins), the reader artificially creates a new and sufficiently large fire caused by tennis balls bouncing off the spacesuit ( i.e., significant attention begins to be paid to the suggestion of the spacesuit and the balls bouncing off it, as well as the suggestion that the reader hears the sound of their clicking). As a result of the relevance of this process at the moment, a new fire begins to grow by pumping energy from other fires. This leads to a decrease and then attenuation of the fire, corresponding to the external noise.

And at the same time the fire will decrease, corresponding to the comprehension of what is being read, which is undesirable, but forced. After adjusting the strength of the fires for some time, the reader consciously focuses attention on the reading process (i.e., begins to fan the fire, corresponding to the assimilation of what is being read, at the expense of the fire, corresponding to the ideas of the spacesuit and the ball). Thus, after some time, attention shifts more and more to understanding what is being read and less and less remains on tennis balls and, especially, on external noise.

Thus, although the regulation of foci of excitation occurs in the brain at the subconscious level, through training, by practicing certain exercises, you can achieve switching the main attention to the object you need.

The tennis ball method allows you to:

1. Switch attention from the main stimulus to the worked-out ideas until the comprehension of the stimulus stops.
2. Transfer the attention concentrated on these ideas to the main work:

To use MTS, you must first develop the ability to quickly and easily call:

1. Feeling of a spacesuit around the head;
2. Representation of tennis balls flying towards the spacesuit from a noise source;
3. Representation of balls hitting and bouncing off a spacesuit;
4. Perception of the sound of balls hitting the spacesuit.

This can be learned step by step as follows:

Stage I

Learn to quickly create and sustainably maintain the sensation of a spacesuit around your head by repeatedly imagining the spacesuit in your mind. A spacesuit or shell can be of any color, size and shape, choose what you like best, but there are two essential conditions: it must be transparent and light.

Stage II

Learn to imagine tennis balls flying from a noise source and dissolving in your head. The balls should be light, of any color and small in size. They must fly slowly. As soon as one ball reaches the head and dissolves in it, another ball immediately flies out from the noise source. (For example, if readers at the next table are disturbing you with their conversations, then you need to imagine balls flying out of the place where these people are sitting). Where and how exactly these balls are born does not matter. The balls should fly out regardless of the volume of the noise and its frequency (for example, if the creaking of a door bothers you, then as soon as the next one is heard, you immediately imagine a ball flying from the door. After the ball dissolves in your head, you imagine the next ball flying from the same place, regardless of whether the door continues to creak at the moment or not).

Stage III

Combine the two previous ideas and add auditory sensations. you need to imagine a spacesuit and balls flying out from a noise source, reaching the spacesuit and bouncing off it, and at the same time hear a clear clicking sound from the imaginary impact of the ball on the spacesuit. Next, follow the bounced ball until it disappears into infinity and also imagine the flight of the next ball, etc.

You can not make the first balls bounce, but pass them through the spacesuit and, only starting, for example, with the fifth, imagine them bouncing.

The first and second stages can be mastered alternately within two weeks. And only after you learn to clearly imagine the spacesuit and the balls separately, you can start combining them and train for another two weeks.

There are, of course, readers who can work fruitfully even in any noise. Some of them even believe that it is better to read while listening to music or with the radio or TV on.

Experts, based on experimental data, believe that everyone should work in the conditions to which they are accustomed. But still, in order to achieve the greatest productivity of mental work, they advise creating silence, but not absolute, but relative. A slight hum, the rustling of pages in the reading room (of course, in the absence of chatter at the next table) contributes to the best assimilation of the text. It has been shown that it is more difficult to maintain attention in complete silence than in weak monotonous noise.

The ability to isolate attention from external noise may become another requirement for improving your reading culture.

Content:

You've probably already heard that the ability to concentrate is a natural gift: you're either the type of person who can read an entire novel in a day, or the type who looks out the window every five seconds to notice the slightest change in a passing cloud. . But concentration is a skill that can be learned through practice, it is not entirely an innate ability. There are certain steps you can take and strategies you can develop to get the most out of your time and get the job done without too much distraction.

Steps

Part 1 Create the right environment

1. 1 Find a quiet place. Consider potential workplace distractions and choose one where there will be fewer of them.
   • The ideal location will depend on the person: if the presence of other people distracts you, you should not choose a library or a common room in the house. If your main concern is only noise, a library, on the other hand, may be the perfect option for you.
   • You should also avoid places that you associate with other activities: this can also serve as a distraction. If you decide to study in a room where there is a TV, for example, you may end up being tempted to turn it on. The bed may be a good place to work for some, but for some it may make you want to sleep.
   • If you have chosen a certain place, thinking that it will suit you, and then find that some factor still distracts you, leave that place and go somewhere where this factor will not be present. If you force yourself to ignore distractions while trying to read or study, your attention will definitely not be on the task at hand.
2. 2 Prepare your work area. Make sure the area is well lit and spacious enough to accommodate all the necessary books and supplies. Use a chair that helps you maintain good posture but is also comfortable for you. Check that you have everything you need before you start. If you stop later to look for something that is missing, it will disrupt your work flow and may lead to other distractions.
   • Good lighting is very important. Dim lighting causes your eyes to tire more quickly, which can lead to you taking more breaks than necessary. If you are using an artificial light source, place it directly above the page, not behind your shoulder.
3. 3 Play some music if it helps. The effect of background noise on concentration is highly subjective: you may work better in complete silence, or perhaps music will help you completely tune out both actual and mental distractions.
   • Try listening to different genres of music and see which one helps you concentrate the most: you might find the lyrics distracting and you'll prefer ambient, or you might find that the rhythm of rap helps you stay focused. When you find a genre that suits you best, listen to it.
   • Creating a sound environment that promotes concentration does not have to involve music. Perhaps you prefer the background noise of a dorm room or a coffee shop.
4. 4 Sit down and do what needs to be done. This, of course, may seem like obvious advice, but it can be difficult to bring yourself to accept the fact that there is some work to be done, and the sooner you take on it, the sooner you will finish it. Once you have prepared your work area, imagine yourself as a jet pilot - enter the cockpit and sit at the controls. The plane is waiting to take off, and you are responsible for it!
   • You can also imagine a thin bubble around your body and workspace: everything that really matters right now is inside. The bubble will burst once you're done and let the outside world in again.
   • To this end, listening to music with headphones is a good way to use sound to put yourself in a focused bubble.
5. 5 Return to the same place every time you need to concentrate. The habit of reading or working in the same place has its psychological benefits. When you arrive at this place, your mind associates the environment with the activity you are doing there (such as reading) and begins to work faster.
   • Once you develop this habit, you will no longer have to struggle to concentrate. Through association, your mind will automatically read the physical move to that location (the study room) as a mental move into concentration mode.

Part 2 Set the right pace

1. 1 Find the schedule that suits you best. This, of course, is subject to other obligations, but first of all you need to understand how your body works. This is again subjective. Whether you're a morning person or a night owl, choose a time of day when your energy is at its highest.
   • If you need to make the most of your time to complete a large project, leave the easiest tasks for the time of day when your focus level is lower. For example, if you're writing an essay, think about thinking, reading, and researching when your attention span is highest, and formatting or editing text when your attention span is lower.
   • A set schedule is like being in the right place: you train your body to associate a certain time with a task, which makes it easier to transition from leisure to work when it's time to focus.
2. 2 Focus on one thing. Multitasking is usually the privilege of those who have no problems concentrating in any situation. But if you find it difficult to stay focused, it is better to limit yourself to one task, so you will not be distracted by other tasks.
   • Choosing the right environment and the right time is extremely important: this is why it is better to avoid places where you are engaged in other activities, such as bedrooms, kitchens or living rooms. Because libraries and study rooms are designed specifically to eliminate distractions, most people find it easiest to concentrate there.
   • A mobile phone or laptop can be a huge distraction. If you are reading from any of these devices and find that you are checking your email too often, download the necessary documents you are working with (if it is an online source) and turn off the Internet, put your phone on silent mode and put it in your pocket or bag.
3. 3 Divide large tasks into smaller ones. Sometimes the distraction comes from the task itself: if you feel overwhelmed by the size of the task, make a clear plan of small steps you can take to complete the task. It will be easier for you to take on the job if you break it down into more manageable parts.
   • For example, having to read 15 books in a week can be a little overwhelming: make a list of those books that are more important and that you need to read more carefully; divide them into categories; make a plan of what you should read each day; Spend some time reading the sources that summarize the main points of each book so you know what to expect when working with them.
4. 4 Take breaks. It is not natural for a person to remain focused throughout the day. If you don't allow yourself to take breaks, it reduces your concentration and leads to fatigue. Be sure to include several breaks of varying lengths in your daily schedule so you can reset and renew your energy.
   • You can take more breaks when you're just starting to work on your focus skills, and take fewer breaks as you feel your attention span is improving.
   • For breaks, choose activities that help you clear your mind (this could be exercise) or focus on something outside of work (like cooking or chatting with friends).
5. 5 Be strict with yourself about sticking to your schedule. If the break has to last 10 minutes, enjoy it to the fullest, but as soon as it is over, get back to work immediately without any delay.
6. 6 Reward yourself. Having a small prize waiting for you at the end of each focus period will help you work faster and more efficiently. Reward also gives the mind greater incentive to develop long-term concentration skills. It can be anything that brings you pleasure.
   • The size of the remuneration must correspond to the volume of the completed task. After a two-hour study session, reward yourself with a tasty snack, after a full day of work, it's better to treat yourself to a fancy dinner, and a whole week of writing an essay is worth a nice evening in the company of friends.

Part 3 Develop Effective Reading and Study Strategies

1. 1 Determine the purpose of reading. The research topic itself can act as a distraction if you don't know how to handle it. Set clear reading goals based on why you read. Determine in advance what information you need to take away from the text and look for it instead of reading from beginning to end.
   • Make a list of tasks and questions, the answers to which you may find in the text. This will turn the task of reading into an investigative job and allow you to skip over irrelevant passages. If, for example, you are only interested in the general argument created by the author, find a paragraph where it is clearly stated and go through the data.
   • View and Analyze. Read to get the general meaning. Look for key words and paragraphs in the text. Pay more attention to headings and the first and last sentence of each paragraph.
   • Can read the text first, simply by reviewing the headings and subheadings. You can then come back to them with a mind map of their most important argument. On your second reading, you'll know what to expect and which sections you should spend more time on.
2. 2 Engage all your senses as you read. Reading is much more than just a visual activity: you can read important points or make comments out loud, write them out or mark them in the text. All these actions will create a connection between you and the text and involve you entirely in the learning process.
   • If you're a better visual learner, highlight text and take notes to help you focus on it and remember it. If you remember sounds better, use rhymes and acronyms.
3. 3 Mark the text and take notes. Highlight or underline important passages and key words, or take notes in the margins or on another document. This will make it easier for you to return to the text and immediately see the main points.
   • If you borrowed the book from the library, take notes on a separate sheet of paper or in a document on your laptop.
4. 4 Focus your energy on understanding the subject. When you read, your mind may wander to thoughts that have nothing to do with the information in the text. Repeat the main points in your own words, silently or out loud, to make sure you fully understand the meaning of the text. Being interested in what you are working on is a major factor in your level of focus. If you're having trouble making a connection with the text, here are some ways you can develop interest in it:
   • Critical Approach: ask yourself questions and feel free to disagree with them by coming up with evidence against a particular argument.
   • Predict what will be said further, based on what you have read up to this point, it may speed up the reading process.
   • Find a connection with what you already know.
5. 5 Present the information using a diagram. You can either simply picture it in your mind or draw it in your notes. This will help to summarize the arguments and focus on their overall meaning.
   • Even so, it is helpful to relate the information in the text to what you already know, as this is the best way to make connections to the text and fit it into the structured knowledge you already have.
6. 6 Use self-regulation techniques to avoid distractions. If you've tried all of these strategies and you're still having trouble concentrating, or you're studying in a place where there's no way to avoid outside distractions, here are some basic techniques to help you disconnect from them:
   • Be here now: When you realize you've lost touch with what you're reading or doing, tell yourself "Be here now" to actively bring your mind back to the task at hand.
   • Spider method: Learn to ignore background noises and activities, recognizing that they are not important. This method is named after the spider's reaction after an object shakes its web several times. After the first few oscillations, the spider will check to see if an insect is caught in its web, but then it stops associating these oscillations with the potential presence of food and ignores them.
   • List of worries: Keep a notepad handy so you can jot down unrelated things that need to be done that pop into your head when you're trying to focus on work. When you write down these worries, you will definitely not forget them - put them aside to deal with them later, when you have completed the current task.
   • Wedge method: To start, focus on working for a very short period of time, let it be 5 minutes. When it's over, you can take a short break if you want, but if you do, promise to return to work for a slightly longer period of time, after which you can take another short break and then work even longer. This will help increase your attention span.

Part 4 Take care of your body

1. 1 Eat enough. Skipping meals or eating in a hurry will not help you stay focused longer. Concentration requires a lot of energy. Being hungry at a time when you should be concentrating will only cause you to weaken your ability to concentrate and end up interrupting your work to find something to eat.
   • A healthy diet is as nourishing for the mind as it is for the body: balance your nutrients and eat regularly several times a day. Breakfast is especially important in fueling you for the day ahead.
   • Drinking plenty of water is also helpful to improve concentration.
2. 2 Get enough sleep. To be energetic, you need to rest. The more you stress your body, the more it takes a toll on your mind. Additionally, during sleep, information you learned throughout the day is consolidated in your mind and turned into long-term memories.
3. 3 Get physically active. This will help you relieve stress before a work or study session or release mental and muscle tension after a day spent at your desk.
   • A good way to blow off steam after a long period of concentration is through cardio exercise, such as jogging or swimming. But it essentially depends on a person's preferences.
4. 4 Use stimulants in moderation. Caffeine, sugar, and other natural stimulants like yerba mate tea may help you stay focused, especially after a big meal when you feel drowsy. But consuming too much of them can lead to restlessness, and therefore loss of concentration or disruption of the sleep cycle.

• Some schools and universities offer study skills workshops where you can develop personalized strategies.

Warnings

• If you think your low attention level may be due to a learning disability or attention deficit disorder, consult your doctor for advice.

James Clear

Blogger, entrepreneur.

Concentration: what it is and how it works

Let's start with the most basic: what is concentration? According to psychologists, it is the act of directing interest or action towards one goal. Yes, it sounds boring, but there is a very important idea hidden here.

What is concentration

To concentrate on one thing, you have to ignore everything else.

Concentration appears only when we say “yes” to one option and “no” to all the others. In other words, exclusion is a necessary condition for concentration.

What you don't do determines what you can do.

Tim Ferriss, writer, speaker

Of course, staying focused doesn't require saying no all the time; it's about saying no now, in the moment. Later you can do something else, but for now you should focus your attention on only one thing.

Focus is the key to productivity. By saying no to any other options, you open up your ability to complete the one remaining task.

Now the important question: what can you do to focus on the things that matter and ignore the unhelpful ones?

Why can't I concentrate?

Most people have no problems concentrating. They have difficulty making decisions.

We can convince ourselves to focus on the task at hand by removing all distractions from the path. Have you ever had a task that you had to finish no matter what? You did it because the deadline made the decision for you. Maybe you are, but as soon as the matter forces you to make a decision, you act.

Often, instead of making the difficult decision to choose one thing to do, we convince ourselves that it is better to multitask. But this is an ineffective approach, and here's why.

Why multitasking doesn't work

Technically, we can do two things at the same time. For example, watch TV and cook dinner or answer incoming calls during a phone call.

But it is impossible to concentrate on two things at the same time. You're either watching TV while stirring pasta in the pan in the background, or you're cooking pasta and the TV becomes background noise. At any given moment you are concentrating on either one or the other.

But no matter what method you use and no matter how serious you are, at some point the concentration disappears. How to stay focused longer? To do this you need to follow two simple steps.

Measure your results

Attention often disappears due to lack of feedback. Naturally, your brain wants to know if you are achieving your goals.

We all have areas of our lives that we claim are very important to us, but that we don't keep track of. This is a fundamentally wrong approach. Only with the help of numbers and full tracking can we take action when we get better or worse.

• When I started counting how many push-ups I did, I became stronger.
• When I started following the 20-page-a-day reading habit, I read more books.
• When I wrote down my values, I became more principled.

The tasks I was tracking remained my focus.

Unfortunately, we often avoid measuring results because we are afraid the numbers will be unimpressive. Understand that measurement is not needed to judge yourself. This is simply the feedback you need to understand where you are now.

Measure to discover, to know, to understand. Measure to know yourself better. Measure because it will help you focus on the things that matter to you.

Value progress, not outcome measures

The second thing you can do to stay focused longer is to focus on the process rather than the events. Too often we think of success as something that can be achieved and completed.

Here are some examples.

• Many people think of health as an event (“If I can lose 10 kilograms, I’ll be in great shape”).
• Many people think of entrepreneurship as an event (“If our business was written about in the New York Times, we'd be successful”).
• Many people think of art as an event (“If my paintings were exhibited in a big gallery, I would become famous”).

These are just a few examples of many where we define success as a single event. But if you look at people who are focused on their goals, you will realize that it is not the events or results that matter, but the focus on the process itself. These people love what they do.

And the funny thing is, focusing on the process will allow you to enjoy the results anyway.

• If you want to be a good writer and publish a bestseller, that's great. But the only way to achieve this result is to love writing.
• If you want the whole world to know about your business, it would be a good idea to be featured in Forbes magazine. But the only way to achieve this is to love the process of promotion.
• If you want to get fit, you may really need to lose 10 extra pounds. But the only way to achieve this result is to love healthy eating and exercise.
• If you want to become much better at anything, you have to love the process. You have to fall in love with building an image of a person who does business, and not just dream about the desired results.

Focusing on goals and results is our natural inclination, but focusing on progress results in the long term.

Life hacks to improve concentration

Even when you are truly passionate about the process and know how to stay focused on your goals, daily practice can create chaos and harm your mindfulness. Here are some additional ways to improve your concentration.

1. Select an anchor task

Choose one (and only one) priority for each workday. Although I plan to complete other tasks throughout the day, my priority is one non-negotiable task that I must finish. I call it the "anchor task."

With a single priority, we don't hesitate to start building our lives around that commitment.

2. Manage your energy, not your time.

If a task requires your full attention, schedule it for a specific time of day when you have the energy for it. For example, I noticed that my creative energy is highest in the morning. I feel more alert in the morning, write better, and make better strategic decisions for my business. That's why I plan all my creative tasks for the morning. And I push all other work matters to the second half of the day: meetings, answering incoming messages, phone calls and Skype chats, analysis and processing of numerical information.

Almost every productivity strategy includes a better tip. But time itself is useless if you don't have the energy to complete the task.

3. Never check email in the morning

Concentration is the elimination of all distractions. And email can be your biggest distraction.

If I don't check email at the beginning of the day, I can create my own routine rather than having to adapt to someone else's routine.

I understand that for many people there is no point in waiting until the afternoon, but I want to challenge you. Can you wait until 10am? Or until 9? Before 8:30? The exact time of the restriction is not that important. The point is that you can carve out time in the morning where you can focus on what matters most to you.

4. Leave your phone in another room

5. Work in full screen mode

Every time I run a program on my computer, I use it in full screen mode. If I read an article on the Internet, the browser takes up the entire screen. If I'm writing notes in Evernote, I use full screen mode. If I'm editing images in Photoshop, the program window is the only thing I can see. I configured the desktop so that the menu bar would automatically disappear. When I'm working, I can't see the time, application icons, or all the other distracting things.

It seems like a small thing, but in terms of concentration, this is a very important action. If you see an app icon, you'll be tempted to click on it from time to time. However, if you remove the visual signal from your field of vision, then the desire to be distracted disappears after a few minutes.

6. Remove all tasks that interfere with your concentration in the morning

I like to do the most important things first thing in the morning, because at this time there is no rush yet. So I moved the first breakfast to noon to free up a little extra time in the morning to work rather than cook.

No matter what strategy you follow, remember that when the world distracts you, all you have to do is stick to one thing. You may not succeed at first. But you just need to start.