Stop Strangling the Mouse!

By Isabella S.

We get it. You’ve been staring at a screen for over an hour, and you’re slowly becoming a zombie.  Your eyes are beginning to glaze over, your mind slowly dozing into a hypnotic state, and your hand is cramping to the point of immobility.  You submit the assignment only to return to absolute confusion the following day.  We’ve been there. 

WAKE UP! Chances are that you are struggling to absorb the information because you are using subliminal thought rather than thinking. It’s as though the basketball players are dribbling and passing while the coach burns holes into the court with his eyes. You need to get your head in the game! Here’s how to fix it:

1.     Breathe.

Sit up straight and inhale deeply. With your hands in your lap, relax your shoulders and focus on the movement of your chest as you slow down and readjust. This will help you reset and come back to the material with a clear mind.

2.     Blink.

As you sense your mind drifting and you start to lose focus, blink three times. Look at the last sentence you read/wrote and see if it makes any sense. If you are reading, reread the paragraph. If you are writing, cut the last sentence out and paste it at the bottom of the page. Then, read the sentences before and continue writing as if the sentence that you pasted at the bottom of the page never existed. Don’t worry! You can always come back to the original later because you pasted it at the bottom of your page. If this step puts into a mad frenzy of writing but you get stopped at a roadblock due to confusion over the “right word,” leave it blank. Take advantage of positive energy and creative streaks, and then come back to edit with a clear mind.

3.     Break.

You may be clicking or scrolling without thinking. This problem occurs more often in virtual classrooms due to the lack of verbal communication between teachers and students. Without noise, your studies can become monotonous. Stand up, eat a snack, and play a short song (in earbuds if you're in a lab). If you are able to, try some physical activity during your break in order to increase your brain’s functioning. Map out what you can remember in a bubble map or brain dump. This will allow you to see exactly what your mind was absorbing while you worked.  After your break, reread or re-watch the last subject material you covered and continue on with a fresh start. You may discover through mapping out your knowledge that you need to completely start reading, writing, or watching over again.

Time your breaks appropriately. Finish the last math problem you were on or find a stopping point that will make sense when you restart. This can be tricky and comes with experience. If you are watching a video, it is helpful to at least pause approximately every four minutes. However, you may need to vary this timing if the four-minute time period ends in the middle of a category or speech. Each student is different, so you may need to take breaks more or less often than your classmates.

Note: All of these suggestions come from personal experience and conversations I have had with fellow students. Please remember that every student is different and results will vary.