how can we get concentration onsomething?
85199
For one thing, focus on what you want to achieve or what you are supposed to be doing at the moment. Eliminate all distractions.  Concentration is a discipline of the mind so it does take practice especially since we have so many distractions these days.  Try meditation to improve your concentration.
512177
Srabonti, the whole aim of meditation is,\n1. to calm your mind, and\n2. to focus the mind on one thing. It will certainly help to build concentration but to quantify it and say as to how much is needed is not possible.  But you will notice that your concentration is improving day by day.\n\nIf you sit down and close your eyes you will notice that your mind is jumping from one thought to another. Even though you want to concentrate on your breath you will find other thoughts also coming in between.\n\nIn learning to meditate you must first learn to calm your mind. You do this by following every thought that comes into you mind. You must be like a Manager of a Hotel who stands at the entrance and observes the customers coming in. Without getting attached to the thoughts try to observe them. You will find that a thought comes in and that it goes nowhere and another thought follows it - try following that too - with same results. This way you will find that your thoughts gradually subside. Do not try to force out your thoughts.\n\nOf course do not expect results in one or two days. Practise it for at least 40 minutes every day for at least 2 months you find that you have 'killed' your train of thoughts. I have practised for 1 1/2 years and still vagrant thoughts come in.\n\nThereafter start concentrating on your breath. Notice the breath coming in and going out. You should not concentrate only on the tip of your nose. Notice the breath coming in and thereafter your lungs getting filled and then gradually exhaling the breath.\n\nYou should be able to get some guidance from the following sites,\n\n1. http://www.dhamma.org/vipassan.htm\n2. http://www.meditationexpert.com/  and click on the free articles on yoga meditation - it includes articles on all types of meditations including christian and muslim meditation.
1056807
To my mind, your attention span is directly connected to how much you are interested in what you are doing. If you are bored, or not interested, attention falters, and concentration goes out the window, you fall asleep and your attention span isn't even in the running! Seriously, when I began studying here at the house about all the great things computers can do, I found I was able to remember all kinds of stuff I could never remember when I was fixing VCRs and stuff. So, if you want to definitely increase your attention span, almost overnight, find and completely tune into something which absolutely holds your attention. Something you love to learn about, and go for it with everything you have in you. You will soon find you can know and remember stuff that will just astound you! Sent with all hopes for your success from - G. in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A.
609785
Hmmm... it almost seems as if you're asking two separate questions.\n\n1) How can you improve your concentration?\n2) How can you remember the information you just learned/studied?\n\nTo improve your concentration, you first have to assess whether you study better with noise or without it.\nIf you study better with noise, maybe you could put on some music (probably instrumental so that you don't lose concentration when you start belting out the lyrics when your favorite song comes on), OR you can try studying in a public place like a coffee house or a bookstore.  Studying with noise may be beneficial because you must absolutely force yourself to hone in on your work and studies.  In other instances, it can be distracting, especially if you're popular and everyone in the store stops by to talk to you.\nHowever, if you study better without noise, then find a quiet place, like a library (but I bet you already knew that).\n\nAlso, if you have a cell phone, turn it off.  Learning your stuff does take some sacrifice.  But hey, you can reward yourself later by calling a friend (or your girlfriend, if you have one) or by playing video games.  Whatever helps you relax.  And you'll feel better afterwards knowing that you DESERVE that break because you've studied/worked so hard.\n\nAnother trick you can do is use a timer.  If you feel that you have an attention span of 50 minutes, then set that timer for 50 minutes, and work for 50 minutes straight without ANY distractions (phone, getting up to get a drink, bathroom, going to work out, etc.).  If you feel like you can go on for longer or want to gradually make it longer, then set it for 70 minutes next time... then 90 minutes next time, and so on.  Just make sure that you take a break.  Your brain can only hold so much at one time before it explodes.\n\nFor the second question, let me ask you this: do you study better in groups or by yourself?\nIf you study better in groups, make sure that you study on your own BEFORE you join a study group, just so that you can get the most out of your group meeting.  That way you'll have specific questions ready to ask your classmates.\nIf you study better by yourself, then try devising mnemonics (tricks to help your memory).  Instead of explaining it here, you can check out this link: http://www.mindtools.com/memory.html.\n\nHope that helped in some way.  and good luck.
465322
i have the same problem. what i've found to help is to listen to music. i have also found that doing it out side while playing with a pet or while talking to a friend help a lot because then you actually are concentrating but on two things. it should make it easier. or you could tryplaying a sport befor you do your homework.
599352
Carrying a "focus" could help you as well. By this, I mean an object of some personal significance that when your mind begins swirling and jumping about, you can hold it and think about that one thing.\n\nI used this for when I was emergency-sitting my friend's littlest sister (he had to go pick up the other sister from work and he wasn't yet allowed to have more than one passenger in the car.) I grabbed one of her stuffed animals and told her to hold it and say his name five times slowly and carefully whenever she started feeling "funny."\n\nJust a suggestion.
744040
Practice, practice, practice.  Do exercises involving this activity. For example, memorizing Bible verses, encyclopedia, newspaper articles, etc.  Also, stay off drugs, alcohol and eat healthy.  You would be surprised at how much food choices affect the brain.  Sugar-make it history. Exercise the brain as much as you can. Read everything, when you're in a boring meeting or class, try to memorize what people are wearing and check to see how close you were. Now, as you age, this will get harder each year, trust me. So, if you're young, get to it!
605782
Try to set goals first then try to motivate yourself by thinking of the result of achieving this goal. Once you get motivated... you would be able to concentrate very easily. About the changes happening around .. well you have to ignore them... have to understand that you cannot let this things interfere between you and your goal. \n\nAlso finding people who want to achieve same goal.. and working for it collectively also helps to improve on concentration.
472353
I always found if I put myself in a small room with no other distractions, I could concentrate better.\n\nWrite things down, it helps you remember.\n\nMake up little hints to help you remember lists of facts...for example "my very efficient mother just served us nine pizzas" is a good way to remember the 9 planets.  So you could make up your own little sentence if you had to memorize the supreme court judges or the 5 senses, or whatever.
782725
The reason u cant concentrate is you dont like what u r reading. Ask  yourself what r things u like to read- films, comics, sports  or etc. U will be amazed to find there are so many subjects/topics u love to read. The same u who hate studying. We don't like to  study  because we are rather forced to read to pass the exam,  score marks. The compulsion makes us repulsive towards studying. So u must come out first from this repulsion by suggesting to yourself the benefit of learning. A projection of your career ahead if your results are good can help u to love studying. There are many ways to improve\nconcentration and memory. But try this, keep a magazine or whatever else  you like to read handy during studying, whenever u fel bored in studying read that mag for  a while then again start reading the  school book.  Never sudy/write or do math  plugging your ear to music your mind needs single object to concentrate.
644980
depends when you ned to concentrate. in the exam itself or in the study leading up to it?  in the exams take a bottle of water and a packet of smarties (chocolates) and get into a routine...take a sip of water, eat a smartie and answer a question.  and if ur having trouble concentrating while studying turn off the computer. they're the worst things along with TV's to make u not concentrate.  sit down at a desk with only a lamp and the stuff you want to study and a drink of water, and make sure there's nothing remotely interesting to look at in the room. nothing. make sure ur warm but not too warm and you have everything you ned to keep going for a while, and sit down and do it. stop procrastinating!
217297
My best trick when I was in college was to study one thing for 15 minutes at a time, take a 2 minute break and then start a new subject, cycling though everything till I was done.. that way my attention span didn't wear out in time for me to not grasp what I was studying and the small breaks helped get me refreshed for the next subject.\nGood luck!
944739
concentration is better
567683
Concentrating and Reading\n\nIt is often difficult to concentrate during your studies. Here are some techniques that many students have found helpful. \nAsking Yourself Questions \nGetting the Most from Your Reading \nRead the Ideas \nAsking Yourself Questions\nThe key to maintaining focus is to stop periodically and ask yourself questions, such as \nHow does this relate to what I already know? \nIf this is true, what else follows? \nWhat else could these facts mean? \nWhat assumptions are being made? \nWhat's the evidence for this? \nCan I think of a good example of this? \nWhat are the unique points of this? \nGetting the Most from Your Reading\nCheck off (with a light pencil mark) each paragraph that you completely understand. If you start to get lost in the reading, you will know exactly where: just after the last check! \nIf a section is too difficult for you, try reading in a whisper. Hearing what we read is like reading it a second time. \nSimilarly, it is good to stop regularly and summarize out loud what you have just read. \nTry to link new information with the information you already know. Ask yourself, ``How do I already know this?'' You can also ask yourself questions such as the focus questions above. Active linking creates powerful memories. \nTake a few seconds to visualize what you have just read. \nDon't forget to jot down key words and concepts. If you read, `rite, and recite (``3R''), you've got a better chance of retaining crucial information. \nAfter taking a short break from studying, and before you start up again, take a few minutes to review the information you have just learned. This will give you a sense of progress and motivate you to continue on. \nRead the Ideas\nWhen you are reading \nStop at the end of each \nParagraph \nPage \nMain Section \nClose your book \nRecall the ideas from memory \nRecite the ideas out loud in your own words \n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\naugustine@columbia.edu\nLast update: February 4, 1996
57757
One traditional way is to sit very still with no movement other than your breath.  Then concentrate your mind only upon your breathing.  If thoughts creep in, just return to focus upon your breath.  In time, your mind will become still.
49610
Read everything. Not just things in which you're interested. Spend just as much time listening as you do talking. And make it a point to learn something new on a regular basis. \nAlso, keep an open mind to new ideas and thoughts. A closed mind learns nothing.
447903
Try taking Vitamin B-1.  It will help you to concentrate.  About 100mg a day should do it.