Focusing can be hard. We live in a world with unlimited distractions that seem to wiggle their way into every study session. These 3 studying hacks will help tap into your focus without medication, even if you have ADHD.

3 Studying Essentials to Hack Your Focus and Get Your Work Done

Not all study sessions are created equal, but with the right tools, you can set every study session up for success. I have multiple learning disabilities, and school always required a lot of time and work if I wanted to do well. Learning how I was best able to retain information was the turning point for the success I had in school, and utilizing the tools that proved helpful sustained my progress. My studying essentials are the resulting torch of a long road of trial and error that I get to hand over to you.

I’ve never been the student who could get all of my schoolwork done in the comfort of my room or home. Some of my most productive study spots in college were full of other students, so having tools that limited those distractions was necessary. Against all odds, I graduated from college with honors, and in this post, I’m sharing with you 3 tools, or studying hacks, that helped me get there. On their own, they may seem ordinary but don’t underestimate the power they harness when operating in the trifecta.

Prefix

Turn off your phone and put it away. Take an outdoors break every hour or so when your brain hits a rut. Study alone at least 90% of the time. Close all distraction tabs, set up your parking lot, and have your computer on Do Not Disturb.

Tip #1 Hat

Wearing a baseball hat when doing laptop work directly blocks off the visual distractions above the eyes. With ADHD, eyes are prone to wonder when a task is particularly understimulating or difficult, so taking that option away almost works as a mimic of a neurotypically-operated brain. Having nothing to look at above my laptop allows my eyes stay glued to my work, and I conserve the effort otherwise wasted by going back and forth from my train of thought and put it back into the flow of my work which in turn expedites my productivity.

Tip #2 Blue Light Glasses

These increase the longevity of my eyeballs. Our eyes can tire easily if constantly exposed to screens and brightness, and if you’re operating on deficient sleep, which is another problem in itself, your eyes are very likely to strain prematurely during a study session. Blue light glasses alleviate some of that stress. I’m in the sweet spot if my eyes can focus for as long as my brain can. Putting on my glasses also gets me in a focus mode by associating the habit of wearing my glasses with the activity of studying.

Tip #3 Over-the-Ear Headphones

Headphones, rather than earbuds, block out noise while adding a level of phantom seclusion. Sometimes, I’ll have my headphones on with just the noise cancellation on and no music playing. By no means do you need to spend money on fancy headphones; very basic over-the-ear headphones work just as well as expensive ones for the goal this tool strives to reach. I’ve had my headphones since my freshman year of college, and studying with them almost every day over the years has created a trigger in my brain to enter a focused mindset just by putting them on. Furthermore, pairing headphones with classical music, lo-fi, or any nonlyrical music expedites me into a productive wave. Find what flow works for you, acknowledge it, and employ it.

This trifecta of studying essentials simulates a tunnel-vision workspace no matter where you are. In addition to these three, I like to have what I think of as “preparations”: my straw water bottle, medications, a snack, coffee, and chargers. However, the trifecta is my proven productivity booster, and since it is so accessible, I cannot recommend it enough.

I hope you try out the trifecta to get the most out of your future studying! Follow along on the Instagram for updates on more studying content.

Drop your top study session essential in the comments!