Mondays with Neil<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
\nThe GRE is a loooong test. Sure, it\u2019s broken up into 20 and 30 minute chunks, but you\u2019re going to be sitting in front of that computer for more than\u00a04 hours. Honestly, that\u2019s too much time for any of us to focus effectively.<\/p>\n
When was the last time you focused on one thing for 4 hours? I mean, besides Netflix or your Xbox? Has your ability to pay attention gotten better or worse lately?\u00a0If email is a part of your life, if you have Facebook or Twitter, if you watch cable news (if you\u2019re a human being who lives in the modern world) then chances are, your ability to concentrate on one task is nowhere near what it could be. Recent studies show that our attention span has dwindled to about 8 seconds before our minds start to wander.<\/p>\n
At its best, a lack of focus can be annoying, such as when friends constantly check their phones during face-to-face conversations. At its worst, a short attention span can be fatal\u2014say, if you text while driving. For the GRE, if you can’t focus on your homework you won\u2019t learn the skills you’ll need for the test, and if you can\u2019t focus on test day you’ll be all over the place, thinking about everything other than the question in front of you.<\/p>\n
Good news: You can do something about it.\u00a0Right now, you might be able to stand 5 minutes of GRE work before feeling compelled to check your phone or run to the fridge, but you can extend that time with practice.<\/p>\n
Your ability to focus is best described as a muscle you can exercise. Like strength and physical endurance, you <\/span>can<\/span><\/i> build it up over time. How? Turn off your phone. Close all the other windows on your desktop, and read on:<\/span><\/p>\nLearn and practice mindfulness.<\/b><\/h4>\n
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