Forget Willpower: These 6 Tips Make It Easier to Stay ‘Locked In’ for Studying

By Roger Gelman, MPY Youth Advisory Board Member

As we kick off a new school year, I find myself thinking about the same challenge I face every time a big exam, project, or tournament is coming up: staying focused. Like most teenagers, I have a phone that can instantly pull my attention away from what I’m supposed to be doing. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat down to review notes, checked a single Snapchat notification or text message, and then looked up 20 minutes later wondering where the time went.

Over the past few years, balancing challenging school classes, extracurricular activities, and sports has forced me to become more intentional about how I study. I’ve learned that staying focused isn’t about having incredible willpower. It’s about setting up an environment and routine that makes it easier to concentrate and harder to get distracted.

Here are a few strategies I’ve tried and honed over the years that have helped me stay “locked in” during busy exam weeks.

1. Make your phone inconvenient

One of the biggest mistakes students make is keeping their phone right next to them while studying. Even if you aren’t actively using it, seeing notifications or knowing it’s within reach creates temptation.

Instead, put your phone in another room or on a different floor of your house. The goal is to add friction. If checking your phone requires getting up and walking somewhere, you’re much less likely to do it impulsively.

2. Study in short sprints

Trying to focus for three straight hours usually doesn’t work. Your brain needs breaks.

I prefer studying in focused blocks of 25–45 minutes followed by a short 5–10-minute break. During the work block, your only job is the task in front of you. During the break, stretch, grab water, or walk around, but avoid opening social media if possible. (Granted, it’s not always possible.) But be careful, because a five-minute scroll can easily turn into a 30-minute distraction.

3. Give yourself a clear goal

“Study chemistry” is too vague. Before each session, it’s better to define exactly what you want to accomplish. For example:

Complete 20 review questions
Memorize a chapter’s vocabulary
Create flashcards for a unit
Review two practice essays

Specific goals make it easier to stay engaged because you always know what you’re working toward.

4. Remember that motivation alone is overrated

Many students wait until they “feel motivated” to begin studying. The truth is that motivation often comes after you start, not before.

Some of my most productive study sessions began when I didn’t feel like working at all. Once I sat down and completed the first few problems, momentum took over. Don’t wait for perfect motivation: focus on taking the first step.

5. Replace mindless scrolling with small rewards

Your brain naturally wants rewards after hard work. Instead of constantly checking your phone while you study, create rewards that don’t completely derail your focus. After finishing a study block, you might:

Listen to a favorite song
Take a short walk or do a quick strength workout
Grab a snack
Text or message with a friend for a few minutes

Having something to look forward to makes it easier to stay disciplined during the work period.

Got tips of your own? Please share them with friends and those in your circle who might be struggling to focus now and then. We can all use more inspiration and ideas to add to our study toolkits. You can also check out MPY’s media habits toolkit for ideas on how to keep your screen time healthy, balanced, and purposeful.

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