Focus is key to essay writing success, but it ebbs and flows and sometimes, you might feel yourself gradually losing concentration. If you develop techniques to keep your focus high, your essay will maintain consistency.
It’s not possible to remain continually focused for hours on end, so taking breaks is important too – even if it’s just a minute or two mid-exam to defocus your eyes, have a sip of water and look around.
Here are some tips for staying focused:
- Eat well: Studies repeatedly discover that healthy eating boosts concentration and focus. When you’re studying or writing, consume a good diet packed with vitamins and minerals.
- Drink water: Water is proven to fuel the brain and boost concentration. In fact, having a few gulps of water can turbocharge your concentration for an hour! Drink regularly and stay hydrated.
- Take breaks: If you work solidly for too long, you might eventually find your concentration dropping markedly. Combat this by taking structured breaks.
- Stop and think: You might find yourself slipping into ‘autopilot’ where you’re writing but are going off-topic, or are losing structure. Remind yourself of how to structure your essay.
The last point is important – always remind yourself of correct essay structure. If you stay structured, focus will come naturally. Keep checking back on your title to remind yourself of what you need to do.
