Youth Counselling

I’m always tempted to use my phone

I am a JEE aspirant. I try my best to study and also understand the concepts in my syllabus easily. But the problem is that I can’t get time to study and also plenty of work is given. I spend 2-3 hours watching the phone and wasting my time which is stopping my studies and other good habits like reading, too. It’s affecting my performance as I am always tempted to use my phone and end up wasting my time. How can I focus more?
Anjali / Kolhapur

Dear Anjali,

Looks like the large amount of work given may be overwhelming you a bit and as an escape you are turning towards your phone.

Here are a few tips:

1. Focus on what is important: If your career/JEE is important, then prioritize your studies. Know the impact if you don’t — it will surely make everything urgent and last minute, which will stress you further, and pull you away from your goal.

2. Begin the day with exercise: It will get your brain working.

3. Study in 25-minute slots. Study for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break, back for another 25 minutes and then a 10-minute break. Repeat 25-5-25, then take a longer 30-minute break. In the 25-minute period, commit to focusing and quality learning. No distractions. Do two, maximum three of these 25-5-25-10-25-5-25 cycles in the day (i.e. 4-6 hours of quality learning).

4. Study in high-energy periods; take a break in your low energy periods.

5. In the 5-minute break, avoid the phone and instead do some physical/manual/creative activity to give your brain rest, e.g., singing, art, dance, exercise, housework, etc.

6. Manage the mobile: Allot a separate time — maximum 30 minutes — for using your mobile without any guilt. While studying either give your phone to your mom or make it a friend — set a timer on it.

Prioritize your goals and your dreams and you will succeed. Remember, you have the same number of hours in a day as other successful people. Like them, use your time well!

Nasreen Hashambhoy is a Counsellor, Life Coach and a Facilitator of training programmes for schools and corporates. Through a combination of coaching, counselling and facilitation techniques based on cognitive science and positive psychology, she helps clients achieve their true potential. She is the author of the series Values In Action published by Better Yourself Books.

Nasreen Hashambhoy

Nasreen Hashambhoy is a Counsellor, Life Coach and a Facilitator of training programmes for schools and corporates. Through a combination of coaching, counselling and facilitation techniques based on cognitive science and positive psychology, she helps clients achieve their true potential. She is the author of the series Values In Action published by Better Yourself Books.