"Understanding" with Aisha

Productivity part 3

Welcome to the final instalment of the Productivity series. In today's article, we will be exploring 'Distractions'' and their relationship with 'Productivity' in the classroom. If you didn't catch the previous part, you can read it here

DISTRACTIONS

With the increasingly declining level of attention spans across the public, it is important we eliminate distractions. Distractions levels vary and can be anything from friends, devices, environment, study space etc. In fact, three of the BSc students that I got their opinions on this topic stated that their phones are their biggest enemies when trying to make the most of their time as they often drown in the ocean of social media. According to King’s college London also, it is stated that 49% of the public stated their attention spans have become shorter than it used to be. Distractions can be:

• Digital distractions: You can agree with me when I say that this is a major problem a lot of students face knowingly or unknowingly including myself. These include smartphones, social media, online entertainment like live streaming, etc. It often feels like a trap followed by later realisation.

• Environmental distractions: This is a type of distraction that is easily combatable as it only includes noise, interruptions or cluttered study space. As an individual seeking to make the most of his or her time, decluttering or switching location can be of help in this situation.

• Internal distractions: Daydreaming, stress and anxiety, hunger or fatigue, overcommitting, to name a few, fit under this category. These let the mind wander away from the tasks at hand, making it difficult to concentrate and snatch a lot of time.

STRATEGIES TO REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

There is not a one size fits all when it comes to proffering strategies to help combat these situations as they mostly differ from one individual to another. However, some students’ opinion might help. Here are some of the opinions of students on how they reduce distractions.

• Digital detox: Controlling or restricting the amount of notifications that you have in a day is tantamount to saving yourself time and distractions from all those beeping sounds (which can sometime be annoying). According to the students who have quite similar opinions about severing distractions, one the first thing they do is to mute their devices or better still, switch it off or put out of reach. I am also of the opinion that out of reach is out of mind, which implies that it is a good idea to put your device in probably a different room.

• Create a conducive environment: According to my discussion with some students, apart from an aesthetically pleasing study room, a dirty room causes great distraction. The way they combat this is to start their activities in a neat room. To reduce noise distractions, a BSc student of computer science stated that she loves to listen to white noises on a headphone. This probably helps stimulate her attention and blocks out her outer noises. Personally, I love to study in libraries. It is not only quiet, I also feel motivated seeing a different people studying just like me. Find your own preference.

• Manage internal distractions: It helps to know yourself first. Are you the one that cannot do without munching or having something ongoing in your mouth? Then, you should probably satisfy your cravings. Are you feeling overcommitted? Then prioritize tasks or use sticky notes. Like I said, individuals differ. Identify yourself and see how it turns around. It is also important to take breaks regularly, practice mindfulness and stay physically comfortable.

Conclusion

Although implementing these tips may seem challenging, it is essential to remember that enhancing productivity is a gradual process. It's advisable to approach it step by step. By making small, incremental changes and consistently working towards your goals, you can steadily build habits that lead to improved productivity over time. Patience and persistence are key, and even small efforts can accumulate to make a significant difference.

That's all for this week! Look out for our last entry in the productivity series next week! If you have a story you would like to share or you're interested in joining the Media Hub, you can find out more here