1. Wanting to learn. Observe students in any class you take. You’ll see some who are really paying attention and others whose attention seems to be  drifting from one thing to another. The decision to learn is one you will have to make for yourself. No one can learn for you. Your mind is always active and ready to receive new ideas. Wanting to help your mind grow is a good stimulus for concentration.

2. Becoming interested. The more you know about any subject, the more interested you become. You may not care about snakes, but if you really learned a lot about their habits and their problems, you might become fascinated. Become an independent learner. Don’t rely on the instructor to provide you with all the information; don’t expect the instructor to “entertain” you.

3. Being organized. (1).  Make a weekly study schedule that you can usually follow. Be flexible if change is needed, but also be purposeful.  Having a regular time for studying makes it easier to begin. (2) Know exactly what your assignments are and get the materials you need. Keep a detailed record of your assignments: the date, what the assignment is, the pages of relevant material in the text, and the notes in your notebook that are relevant. (3) Start studying the minute you sit down at your desk. Make a habit of getting started. (4) Vary studying with the type of studying required. If you spend an hour reading, switch to studying a subject that requires writing or memorizing.

4. Competing with yourself  Don’t worry about all the work you have, just concentrate on what you are doing right now. Set a time when you think you should finish your English or your math, then see if you can beat the clock. 
Timing yourself prevents you from daydreaming and poking along. You’ll concentrate better when you’re competing against the clock—even if you lose.

5. Being a question mark. Asking questions is a sign of intelligence. Listen carefully in class, but if you don’t understand an assignment, be sure to ask the teacher for further explanation. You can’t remember if you don’t understand.  In doing homework, if you know what to do and how to do it, you’ll have less difficulty really “digging in.”

6. Being realistic. Expect to have some distractions. Unbroken concentration for long periods of time is not a common experience. When your thoughts wander, quickly refocus on your work. This simple reaction saves time and emotional energy. In the face of distractions, your growing power of concentration will give you a sense of achievement.