Concentration

Concentration means directing one's attention on whatever one intends. We all have a natural ability to concentrate. Have you noticed how difficult it is to get young children's attention when they are playing? Do you remember the time when you were completely engrossed in an interesting novel, a super film, an exciting match or an exhilarating piece of music? You were concentrating then. At this very moment you are reading these words, you are concentrating. It helps to know what it is like to concentrate, so that you can get back to that state of being.

Activity: Think back to a time when you concentrated on something. It does not matter what you were doing; it could be you were working or having fun. What was the situation? What were you doing? How do you know you were concentrating? What did it feel like to concentrate? How was your body? What went on in your mind? Factors that may cause Poor Concentration Lack of concentration is one of the frequent complaints among students.

Distraction is a major cause of poor concentration. There are two types of distractions: external and internal.

External Distractions External distractions are related to the physical environment of your study area. Once you have identified these distractions, it is often easy to deal with them. Some of the common external distractions are: Noise; conversations Inappropriate furniture; inadequate lighting Interruption from other people; telephone Television Work: paid or unpaid; housework The Internet; email .

Internal Distractions Internal distractions are related to you: your body, your thoughts and your emotions. Some of them can be easily dealt with once they are identified. Others can be managed with practice and/or with a little help. Some of the common internal distractions are: Hunger; tiredness; illness Lack of motivation; boredom; lack of interest Personal worries; stress; anxiety.