Online learning is growing at an overwhelming pace and will continue to do so. It is convenient, flexible, and makes economic sense as well. But it is not without its challenges. The biggest deterrent to successful online learning is a lack of focus. Here’s how you can practice unwavering focus:
What area of life do you want to concentrate on? It could be work, learning, or even marriage. Make a list of things that are distracting you. Is it a person who feeds you with negative opinions every time you try to focus? Is it a Twitter or Facebook feed that’s pinging you every few minutes? Is it emails? Identify and then manage these factors as practically as possible.
We’ve been pressured into accepting that multitasking is cool. It is not a skill to add to your resume; rather a bad habit that you need to get rid of immediately. Our brains aren’t wired to focus on more than one thing at a time; forcing it only hampers your cognitive processing. It affects efficiency and the quality of your work.
Block your time for 60 to 90 minutes every day and dedicate it to accomplish one task. If you have decided to do research for your dissertation, spend the entire time only on research. Stop yourself every time you are tempted to try something else. Reward yourself at the end of every blocked time.
But even with the best of efforts, you may find yourself unable to concentrate. If today is one of those days, call us to ask – can you take my online class for me?