Have you ever felt that you can´t concentrate? If so, you´re not alone. Students often complain about not being able to concentrate. Many aren´t able to begin their work or they feel that they aren´t working as efficiently as they would like to. No one can concentrate 100% of the time, but you can easily minimise distractions around you.

Once you´ve eliminated external distractions (such as noise), you can then start to work on the more difficult ones. By examining where you work, how you take care of yourself and what motivates you to work, you´ll find that you can increase your concentration and thereby improve your output. Keep in mind that all of this is very personal and individual. You´ll need to find out what works best for you.

Where You Work
Ask yourself where you do most of your work. Then ask yourself if this is the most efficient place for you to work. Seriously examining where you study and what changes you could make to the physical environment will go a long way to improving your concentration.

As you evaluate your place of study, ask yourself these questions:

Does it have adequate lighting?
  A light bulb in your face can cause eyestrain.

Does it have adequate ventilation?
  Lack of circulating air can make you sleepy.

Does it offer space and comfort?
  In order to work efficiently you need a clear desk for writing and a comfortable chair for reading.

Is it too warm or too cool?
  Both extremes of temperature can make you sleepy.

Are there too many line-of-sight distractions?
  Some students get distracted if there are photographs or a TV in their view.

Does it feel like you are in a sterile prison and being punished?
  As silly as it may sound, some students work more efficiently with their doors open.

Are there too many noise distractions?
  Some students need to have complete silence in order to concentrate, while others need some music. Just make sure that you´re not listening to music where you have the urge to sing along.

Are you too easy to locate and easily distracted by your friends?
  Short of hiding, you´ll have to be firm with your friends and tell them "I can´t right now. I´m trying to study."

Your Health
Your ability to concentrate largely depends on how well you take care of yourself. Getting adequate sleep, decent nutrition, and exercise all make a difference. It is very important to establish a regular routine of eating, sleeping, and exercise. Students who incorporate all three into their lives generally show higher marks.

What Motivates You To Study
In order not to feel like you are being punished severely and being made to study, it is important to bring interest to the material and a sense of purpose to the task. Let´s face it, if you don´t believe the material is relevant to you, it´ll bore you. You may find yourself in a situation where you may need to create relevance. Try to relate the material to what interests you or discuss it with your peers. Always make sure that before you sit down, you have a clearly defined purpose and task.

REMEMBER: Everyone works best with positive reinforcements, so make sure you reward yourself for your accomplishments.