With exams clenching around, students find it difficult to focus on studies. Mind gets continually distracted with so many thoughts that they are unable to focus. Pressure from peers, parents, school and relatives make the situation worse. To get rid of all such problems here are some few tips that you can use daily atleast for 10 minutes to improve your concentration and focus more on studies.

Focus and concentration can be increased at any time. It just needs the training and your willingness. Our mind does not like discipline. It starts troubling you once you try to train or discipline it. It will initially resist all your efforts of training it. It loves freedom more than anything else. It will not let you master it. The mind will make you forget the concentration exercises, tempt you postpone it or make you feel lazy. It will play many tricks to keep you occupy with some other things.

The choice is yours – whether to master the mind or to be mastered by it

Many people think that they are the mind and believe that controlling the mind means not giving them the freedom. They believe that controlling the mind is not a natural process and it is process of control or domination. These are not true. Mastering the mind comes as a natural process. Mind is just a tool or an instrument that has enormous power and value. It has to be trained or taught to obey you.

Below are given simple concentration exercises. By practicing these exercises one can train the mind to focus on things that they want to do. Following these simple exercises will make your mind your slave and not your master.

You are the master of your mind.

Exercises that can increase your concentration

Before starting the practice, make sure you practice one at a time. Do not proceed to the next before mastering the previous one. There is no set time table for practicing these exercises. Mastering the exercises fully may take days, weeks or even months. Put your whole attention in what you do. Do not over do anything. Take time to master each exercise fully.

If you find it difficult with more distractions stop your exercises and start from the beginning again. Everyone meets difficulties along the way. With your willingness one can overcome the difficulties and distractions.

Before starting the exercises, make sure you find a comfortable place to sit – either on ground or on chair. The spine should be erect in alignment with the neck. Mentally relax your body right from toes to head. Relax if there is any stiffness in any parts of your body. This is the first step.

Exercise 1

  • Take a book and at random choose a page. Start counting the letters in any paragraph. Initially start counting with fingers over the letters. Choose any one paragraph. When you master counting the letters, start counting the words.
  • Practice to count without pointing the fingers over the page
  • After a few times practice with two paragraphs

Exercise 2

  • After mastering the first exercise start practicing the second one.
  • Close your eyes gently in the same relaxed sitting posture. 
  • Behind the closed eyes start counting backwards from 100 to 1. Make sure you give enough pauses between each number.

Exercise 3

  • Choose any word or just a sound and repeat it in mind silently for five minutes. 
  • When your mind can concentrate more easily repeat for 10 minutes of uninterrupted concentration.

Exercise 4

  • Take a paper and draw a square, circle or triangle of your choice and colour it. 
  • Keep the drawing in front of you and just focus on the drawing on all sides without any thoughts attached to it. 
  • Just watch your drawing. Keep your attention only on the drawing. Make sure you don’t strain your eyes.

Exercise 5

  • Once you master exercise 4, visualize your drawing with closed eyes. 
  • If you forget the figure after some time, open your eyes and have a look at the figure and then repeat the exercise again.

Exercise 6

  • If you have mastered all the above, try and focus on your breathe without any thoughts atleast for five minutes.

Consistent practice is the secret of success. The more time you devote the faster you progress. Start with five minutes. Once your ability increases then the time can be increased. Do not be in a hasty to do the exercises. Once you start seeing the results, you will start loving the exercises and concentrate more effortlessly.

After mastering the exercises, you will find your mind to be more relaxed and calm. People, situations and events once triggered you will not disturb you anymore. You will experience happiness and contentment. Self-confidence will improve. You will be able to cope more easily and efficiently with the outside world.