5 real tips to stay focused at Uni - That actually work

How to focus at university when your brain feels like a browser with 47 tabs open

You know you should be studying. You want to get things done. Let’s be honest: staying focused at university can feel impossible sometimes.

You sit down to revise, and suddenly... you're deep-diving into conspiracy videos or reorganising your sock drawer.

Your brain keeps yelling: “Let’s just check TikTok one more time.”

We get it. Focus is hard. Concentration is harder. And discipline? That feels like a myth.

But here’s the good news: you're not broken — you're just living in 2025.

If your attention span is hanging on by a thread, here are five genuinely useful study tips to help you get it back.

1. Accept that you’re not a robot

You’re not meant to be switched on 24/7. So stop beating yourself up when you zone out or procrastinate. It happens.

The trick isn’t to never get distracted — it’s to notice when you are and gently pull yourself back.

Start by asking:

• What’s the one thing I need to do right now?

Not ten things. Not the entire semester. Just one.

You can’t out-discipline burnout. But you can start small and start again.

2. Make your phone your enemy (just for an hour)

Let’s be honest: your phone doesn’t want you to focus. It wants you to scroll, click, tap, and buy another tote bag you don’t need.

So when it’s time to study, put your phone:

• In a drawer
• In another room
• In a sock, in the freezer (if it comes to that)

Need help? Try focus apps like Forest, Freedom, or Focus Keeper to block distractions. You can’t revise if your thumb keeps unlocking Instagram on autopilot.

3. Forget motivation — build a routine instead

Motivation is great… until it's raining, you're tired, or your flatmate is making garlic bread and watching Netflix.

Instead of waiting to feel ready, rely on routine.

• Set a specific time each day for studying — same time, same place.

Eventually, your brain goes, “Oh, it’s focus o’clock,” and shows up (almost) automatically.

You’re not lazy. You just need fewer decisions and more rhythm.

4. Break your work into embarrassingly small chunks

Writing an essay? Don’t think “1,500 words.” Think: “Open the doc. Write the title. Type one sentence.”

Studying for an exam? Don’t plan to read 10 chapters. Just read for 10 minutes.

When things feel overwhelming, shrink the task until it feels doable.

Tiny steps build momentum. Big goals look impressive — but small wins get results.

5. Create a space where your brain can breathe

Where you study matters just as much as how you study. Your environment can help or hinder your focus.

Here’s how to create a better study space:

• Clear your desk (yes, even the snack wrappers)
• Use a chair that supports you
• Keep your essentials — notes, pens, water — within reach
• Choose background music, white noise, or silence depending on what helps you focus

Bonus tip: don’t study in bed. Your brain associates it with sleep or doom-scrolling, not productivity.

Why it’s getting harder to focus — and what you can do

With deadlines looming, notifications buzzing, and the world in constant motion, focusing has become a superpower.

But you can train your brain. You can improve.

Not by being perfect — but by showing up again. And again. And again.

So next time your brain feels like it’s juggling fire, remember:

• Breathe.
• Do the next small thing.
• Keep going.

Because in the end, the most disciplined student isn’t the one with colour-coded notes and a 5 am alarm.

It’s the one who keeps showing up — even when it’s hard.

You’ve got this.

Need more tips for surviving uni life?

Check out the Hallbookers blog — your go-to spot for student accommodation advice, study hacks, and practical ways to make university life a little easier.