7 Tips for Staying Focused in Class ...

1. Clear Your Desk

Out of sight, out of mind plays a huge role in how well you will focus on a given lesson. Staying focused in class is made much more difficult by distractions around you. If your phone, a book, or homework for other subjects is on your desk while your teacher is lecturing, they may rob some of your attention. During each class, keep your desk free of any unnecessary distractions at all times.

2. Sit Away from Your Friends

I know, I know, this is just that cruel and unusual tactic teachers use to punish students with friends in their class. But it’s important to acknowledge that there is a reason so many teachers have seating charts, specifically designed to “make you miserable”... they work! If your teacher doesn’t have a seating chart, and you know the friend you sit next to is a Chatty Cathy, sit far away from her. You’ll have a much easier time focusing in class when you do this.

3. Take Notes

Some people are lucky enough to have that laser-focus where they can simply look at the power point and absorb everything the teacher says. But very few people are gifted in that particular way. In order to maintain focus in class, jot down notes as your teacher talks. This requires active listening skills, and gives you no option of zoning out.

4. Get Involved

Additionally, getting involved in class discussions can help you stay interested and attentive in class. Don’t mind being dubbed a know-it-all or Curious George type just because you raise your hand so often. All that matters is that getting involved in class will help your personal learning process and growth as a student.

5. Get a Good Night's Sleep

Really, the process of staying focused in class begins the night before when you decide how much you’re going to sleep. I know that as teenagers, we often like to stay up into the wee hours of the night... but morning always comes! So try going to bed at a reasonable hour, and aim for at least 8 or 9 hours of sleep a night (teenagers need more sleep than adults). That way you won’t be falling asleep when you’re trying to focus on Chemistry!

6. Eat Breakfast

Another small change you can make at home before you even think about school is breakfast. You may skip breakfast for a number of reasons; you don’t have time, you don’t feel like cooking, or you’re trying to lose weight. But breakfast is totally worth waking up ten minutes earlier, and certainly worth the extra calories! A hearty, healthy breakfast will keep you full and focused until lunchtime, and provide you with the essential energy and nutrients you need to start your day off right!

7. Figure out Your Motivation

I can’t name a time I’ve ever focused all of my energy on something I wasn’t motivated to do. How could I? You need to figure out your motivation if you want to focus and perform well in school. So do some self-reflection and figure out why you want to pay attention in school so badly!

Focus is critical to doing well in any and every school subject. It isn’t easy to teach yourself, so it’s best to absorb what you can in class so that you can ace every test that comes your way! In order to do that though, you need to stay focused every single day! Which one of these tips will help you accomplish that?