Any tips for concentrating on homework?

I find two things usually help me: working in a clean environment (organized, clean desk) and also playing classical music (like Glenn Gould).

I have two tips: 1) it is always easier to start than do the homework – we try to avoid the thing but when we’re doing the thing, our brain gets into it and it’s all good….2) don’t take breaks every 15 minutes…take breaks every hour and a half.

I was in the same boat you are. There really isn’t any simple solution. Kind of like dieting and food control. You can take some helpful steps but there isn’t a magic bullet.

Pick the right time of the day. If you’re burned out at the end of the day, then study in the morning.

They other thing is, it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get an A. (My philosophy was just pass; A “B” or an “A” was inefficient – I could have been goofing off more on Fluther for example.)

I don’t normally study with music, but if you have to/want to, listen to something that is mellow, instrumental (lyrics can be distracting) and unfamiliar. I always keep a glass of water on my desk whenever I study. I don’t go online unless it’s essential (e.g. going to a database for an article, powerpoints are online). Try studying outside your house, like a library.

Control your time with a timer. Set it for ten minutes. See if you can stick to task for that amount of time. If you’re still working when the beeper goes off, add 5 minutes. When you find out how long you can keep on task, set the timer for that amount of time. Then give yourself a five minute break; and start again. I found music distracting because I have ADD. In college, I went to a quiet carrel at the library because I was distracted by talking.

Remove distractions. I actually use a program to block distracting sites. On occasions, I have gone to a colleagues office to work because I know there are too many distractions in my normal workspace. Go to the library. Turn off your phone. Turn off the TV.

Tell yourself that you will work on homework for 20 minutes, and then take a break. Then after you succeed with that period, set up another period with a clock limit and a reward at the end of it. Keep doing that until your homework is done.

I usually have some kind of snack next to me, something that doesn’t get my hands dirty, maybe like M&Ms or popcorn au naturale or blueberries or something. That way, I don’t really get hungry.
I sometimes turn off the wireless on my computer, or disconnect the router, so that I can’t surf the internet.
It also helps to not think about how much there is to do, but just say “I’m going to type up one sentence”. And then do another sentence. And then another, and bam!, you’ve got yourself a paragraph. And then, repeat, several more times.

I removed my answer because I misread the question!

Go to a quiet place where you won’t be distracted. Make sure there is no TV in the background to distract you. Stay away from websites like Fluther. Eating food while you’re working isn’t a bad idea. It might even help you have more energy. Eating healthy snacks and drinking something like orange juice might help you keep your spirits up.

What works for me is the Pomodoro Technique. Essentially, it involves concentrating for a specific duration of time, then taking a break for a certain duration. Personally, I concentrate for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four successful repetitions of that cycle, I take a 15-minute break. Before I know it, the work is done! I don’t expect you to keep track of time yourself—there are plenty of tools such as browser extensions that are available online to track time for you and alert you whenever it’s time to focus or take a break. Better, you can adjust the length of your sessions to suit your preference.