How to Focus While Studying?

Posted on January 11, 2015 · Posted in Blog, General, How to Study, Personal

dexter ukm

Seeking knowledge is highly praised in Islam as you know, and studying followed by exams is the normal way to increase in knowledge in school education, and to move to higher levels of knowledge and certification.

Distractions in today’s world are many, and you mentioned a couple of them in your question, but moderation and good time management are the right answers in order to keep the right balance, and to be able to focus in your studies and exams.

First choose the early parts of the day to study.  Accustom yourself to sleep early and well.  If you are not an early sleeper change your routine; it only takes few days for your body to adjust.

Have a good breakfast full with protein such as eggs and milk, since this gives you energy and stimulates your brain.  However, do not overeat, especially not at dinner time and do not snack while studying; dedicate a snack time during your breaks.

Do not drink any stimulants at night such as coffee or tea or do any stimulating activity; rather drink herbal tea for relaxation or drink milk since this will help you sleep better.  Dedicate a short period of time to do some sort of exercise during your daily breaks.

Take hourly breaks but not more than ten minutes every hour.  After your lunch break try to take half hour to one hour naps to regain your energy.  Do not oversleep during your naps; you will not be able to sleep well at night.

Set a goal on how much you will accomplish each day; make this a reachable and not an overwhelming goal and stay away from distractions by any means; I know it is not easy but for example dedicate no more than fifteen minutes a day to check your emails.  Time yourself and try not to go over the time limit and choose the later part of the day when you have already exhausted your energy.  So never check your emails early in the day, rather dedicate that time for studying.

If you find yourself not able to concentrate on a certain subject put it aside and study a different subject then go back to it after a short break.

As for TV, sit in a place where you cannot hear it and it will be much better if it is completely turned off.  If this is not an option then request that it is turned down.  You need to absolutely stay away from TV.  If the TV is in your room, put it somewhere else where it is not easily accessible.  TV is the worst time waster since your time flies extremely fast as you are flipping channels.

Dedicate only one day a week for entertainment, no more than one hour for TV and after a break another hour for computer.  Otherwise those should be no more than an hour for both TV and computer during study days.  Try reducing that time if you are behind on your studies.

Also perform your five daily prayers on time.  When you start studying always start with Auzu Billahi Mina Shaytani Rajim, Bismillahi Rahman Arrahim (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the outcast; in the name of Allah the Most Merciful, the Beneficent) and when you stop for a break say Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah).

About du’a (Supplication) say something from your heart in your own language to the effect that Allah may help you in your studies and increase your concentration.  Also read the du’as recommended by our prophet (peace be upon him) for the morning and the evening, after fajr prayer and after asr prayer; this usually does not take more than ten minutes.  Check the following web site for the du’a.

Now there is no specific du’a concerning studying that we find in the tradition of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).  However, the following are recommendeddu’as by contemporary scholars:

Du’a before studying:

Allahumma infa’nii bimaa ‘allamtanii wa’allimnii maa yanfa’uunii. Allahumma inii as’aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifzal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ijal leesanee ‘aiman bi dhikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na’mal wakeel.”

“Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availed and protector and best of aid.”

Du’a after studying:

Allahumma inni astawdeeoka ma qara’tu wama hafaz-tu. Farudduhu ‘allaya inda hajati elayhi. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’-u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na’mal wakeel

“Oh Allah! I entrust you with what I have read and I have studied. Oh Allah! Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, you are my availed and protector and the best of aid.”

Du’a while studying something difficult:

Allahumma la sahla illama ja-‘altahu sahla anta taj ‘alu al hazana eza ma shi’ta sahal.”

“Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what you have made easy. If you wish, you can make the difficult easy.”

Du’a for concentration:

Salla-l-laahu alaa Muhammad wa aal-e Muhammad. Allahumma inni as’aluka yaa mudhakkira-l khayr wa faa’ilahu wa-l-aamira bihi dhakir-ni maa ansaani-hi-shaitan.”

“Blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad and his progeny. O Allah, I ask you, the one who mentions goodness and actualizes it and commands it, remind me of that whichshaitan makes me forget.”

Remember that the key to acquiring knowledge is to obey Allah Almighty.  Whenshaitan makes us forget His remembrance we lose that privilege.

-onislam.netNatural memory enhancer