learn – Momo's Musings

Studying and working is a chore to many, and that’s part of the reason why most people lose their focus when they get around to it. I’m sure we’ve all felt that boredom at some point. No matter how much you love the subject, and no matter how much you schedule your day, sometimes it just doesn’t work out.

“I don’t feel like doing it today… I’ll just get this done tomorrow.”

Sound familiar?

EXERCISE your Focus All Day

So how do we find the focus to sit down and learn? Believe it or not, focus doesn’t start with studying — you need it with you all the time.

It really does make sense: if you let your mind wander for the entire day, playing games and scrolling through social media, do you think it will listen to you when you tell it to focus at 6 PM after the entire day? (This doesn’t mean you can never have fun. Let me explain.)

Practice focus throughout your day; this includes your free time! Focus on playing that game for one hour, focus on reading that book, focus on finishing your food quickly. Once you teach your brain how to focus, once you start practicing it more often, you will see that it comes naturally to you when you actually sit down to get some work done.

Above all, enjoy what you’re doing in the moment — don’t dwell on what you could be doing/what you’re not doing. Then, when you start to study, your brain will enjoy it.

Social Media?

One stumbling block to focus is a huge part of our lives these days: social media. We can easily spend hours on all of the different sites these days without even realising. Many kids can’t even live without checking messages and information every few minutes — I see it happening before my very eyes, and I used to be guilty of that as well. Those apps (like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Tumblr) are designed to keep people engaged. So how do you break free?

Set a daily limit on your account after 1 hour
Turn off notifications!
Exercise self control
Use another app for music (not YouTube!)
Find news on traditional news sites (perhaps even twitter, but no reposting!)

By following these rules, you’ll find that you have way more free time at the end of the day. You’ll also feel happier and probably even more energetic!

Above All, Take Initiative

In the end, it’s all about what you want to achieve. Embrace the joy of learning and bettering yourself throughout your life. The world is interesting — magical, even — so discover it through your hard work!

Happy Learning!
– Your fellow student

Photo Credit: Shutterstock – *Elizaveta Galitckaia*

You’ve honestly probably heard this before: ask questions! It’s good for you! But I’m also going to present this from my perspective, one of a student that grew from a supremely shy kid into somebody that was confident enough to ask all the right questions to further my understanding of subjects in school.

Asking Questions Means Taking Charge of Your Own Learning

I grew up as a shy person. Even though I had the blessing of a welcoming environment with supportive friends and teachers (for the most part), whenever I went to parent-teacher meetings, the first thing that my teacher that year said would be “they’re so quiet”.

Other than being extremely shy, I was afraid to be laughed at by my classmates. At a young age, I knew that many people even silently judged my actions. I thought that I would ask stupid questions or give a wrong answer. So for a long time, I became self conscious and chose not to talk in class. I marveled at those that just made it seem so effortless when it came to questions.

But I’m here to tell you that isn’t the best way to think. If you have a question, ask away! As I grew up, I realized that the people that asked questions were usually the ones that were taking charge of their own learning. And in that way, they became smarter.

I also realized that people don’t really care if you ask a question — most people are grateful that you asked a question so that they could get it cleared up too.

If you’re still feeling iffy about asking questions, just try it out for one day, in one or two of your classes. You’ll probably see that your teacher will appreciate your contribution to the subject, and the class will as well. And, most importantly, you’ll feel better knowing the answer. But if all else fails, you can still see your teacher after class or during their break hours.

Being Curious Is Good!

I believe that being curious allows for creativity and is a gateway to inspiration and passion. Curiosity is good — I hope that nobody has ever told you otherwise. Question how the world works. Question the flaws of society. Question everything from atoms to giant stars, theoretical concepts to the thinking process of an author. Because questioning is how you learn, and learning is how you can better yourself.

Does that mean that curiosity has to be one of your main characteristics? No, of course not! (But if it is, good for you!) But ask questions about the subject that you’re passionate about. And don’t let anything stop you from taking charge of your learning.

So go out there and be the best you can be!

Happy studying!
– Your fellow student

Tag: learn

It’s OK to Ask Questions (and Be Curious!)

Asking Questions Means Taking Charge of Your Own Learning

Being Curious Is Good!