Having trouble focusing!

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Hey all! I'm in my 3rd sem. of an ADN program and we have a ton of reading to do. My problem is when I read the textbook I can only read for like 15 min before I'm looking for something else to do! And it's not just with reading, other assignments too. What's a good way for me to keep focused and reading longer? Any advice?

Thanks!

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I know how you feel. I am constantly distracted during studying. Where do you study at? Maybe if you go somewhere you'll be in a study mode. I find that if I'm studying at home I start playing on the computer (case in point :chuckle ) but if I go to Starbucks or somewhere I can get more studying done. If you don't have that option then how about setting goals. Say to yourself I have to read this chapter then I can get a soda, or do the laundry, or whatever. Then read it, do your other thing, then go back to reading. Or set a time, 'I have to read for an hour', then do something else, then go back to reading. I find setting chapter requirements helps me, like 'I have to read three chapters before I can go online'. Another help, if you have to study at home, is to find a quiet place w/o a lot of distractions, but definitely not in your bed ('cause then you'll have problems sleeping). I also like to have my house clean before I study because if it's a mess I start thinking about all the housework I have to do and I'm not able to focus on studying. If possible, set aside certain times of the day you study, turn the phone off, TV off, get away from the computer and study. If you make an effort to study everyday, then a lot of times it doesn't get overwhelming (another reason I start looking for other things to do is the amount of reading overwhelms me).

Hope this helps, now I need to get back to my studying :roll

Keli

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Specializes in ICU.

Perhaps if you were highlighting or underlining or taking notes then this would keep you occupied instead of just plain reading?

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Taking breaks. Read to a certain point in the book, then stop. Read for 15-30 minutes, take a break.

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm in the same boat! As a matter of fact, I was reading a while ago and took a "break" but never ended my break LoL

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I know how you feel. I often find myself in similar situations. Here's a couple of strategies that I've found.

If I've got something to do that I can't stay locked onto for very long, I'll multitask. Read a little then answer related questions in the study guide. Read a bit more and stop to make some notes/notecards. If there isn't enough stuff in one subject, I'll grab some task from another class. If you have to do it all anyway, then why not break stuff up into bits that are easier to digest?

One final way, which can be a tad risky, is to put some level of pressure on myself. Sometimes deadlines can have a way of keeping me on task.

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Specializes in Med/Surg..
I'm in the same boat! As a matter of fact, I was reading a while ago and took a "break" but never ended my break LoL

LOl momof3 - I have that problem all the time. I'll just take a 5 minute break and it turns into a few hours. One of our Instructors had great advice - study/read for no more than an hour at a time (because you'll start to lose focus) - go do something - laundry, dishes, run around the block (whatever) - clear your head then hit the books again for another hour - and so on.

Not sure about the rest of you, but the way our schedule is - our last lecture on a subject always falls on a Thursday and we are tested on the material the following Monday. With class, clinicals, precepting, all that paperwork, jobs, (LIFE), most of us end up doing our major studying/cramming for a test the weekend before. It's not a great way to prepare for a test, but with so much going on, there really isn't anymore time to do it. I've tried to put in some study time on nights after Clinicals - but after 9 hours on the floor and aching feet, a long commute home, doing the required paperwork, taking care of a family - I'm lucky if I read a few pages before I slump into a coma - then get up at 4:30 the next morning to do it all again. It's a crazy schedule - I just keep reminding myself that there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

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Specializes in NICU.
I just keep reminding myself that there is a light at the end of this tunnel.
Yes! This is what is keeping me going :mad:
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I have to be in a different setting other than here at home. Cause if I am here, there's a million other things staring me in the face that need my attention...RIGHT NOW!!!!

I vote for going to the library or another quiet study place....

Good Luck!

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