How to Break Up With Your Phone While Studying
By Amanda Sinofsky
November 2, 2023
Image Credit: Photo by Rahul Chakraborty on Unsplash
We all do it. Looking through TikTok, Instagram, and even the internet when we should be looking through our notes for upcoming exams. What could be a productive study session can easily turn into hours of sitting in the same spot making no progress, simply because of endless scrolling.
It is so easy to get wrapped up in our cell phones rather than focusing on our schoolwork and other responsibilities.
This procrastination can be a problem for many students, and everyone deals with it differently. A few students at the University of Maryland (UMD) share how they prevent themselves from looking at their phones while doing homework.
Freshman communication major Skyler Klein keeps herself focused by removing her phone from her reach, preventing any mindless web surfing.
“I hide my phone and put it somewhere where I can’t see it so I’m not tempted to look at it,” Klein said. “I could definitely limit the amount of screen time I can use per day on social media,” she said.
Klein is one of many students who need to put their phones out of reach and out of sight to refrain from using them. Samantha Cohen, a freshman journalism major, shares a similar point of view.
“I put my phone on do not disturb and sometimes I put it out of sight when I study,” said Cohen. “I think I could be better about not feeling the need to check it as much.”
Do not disturb is a helpful feature to prevent constant phone checking. It mutes all notifications, making it easier to focus and not get distracted.
It also allows you to choose if you want any specific people or apps to give notifications regardless of being on do not disturb or not, which can be helpful if you want to focus but have something specific you want to be notified of no matter what.
In order to set up an anti-procrastination environment, UMD’s Counseling Center recommends keeping all distractors out of sight, according to their “Beat Procrastination” pamphlet.
For many, a cell phone is the biggest distractor there is, and eliminating access to it altogether is one of the most effective ways to mitigate this issue.
As college students, remaining focused on work is essential to success and the process of education. By implementing strategies such as putting phones on do not disturb or even out of sight entirely, it is easier to continue to stop procrastinating and put homework first.
It is so easy to get wrapped up in our cell phones rather than focusing on our schoolwork and other responsibilities.
This procrastination can be a problem for many students, and everyone deals with it differently. A few students at the University of Maryland (UMD) share how they prevent themselves from looking at their phones while doing homework.
Freshman communication major Skyler Klein keeps herself focused by removing her phone from her reach, preventing any mindless web surfing.
“I hide my phone and put it somewhere where I can’t see it so I’m not tempted to look at it,” Klein said. “I could definitely limit the amount of screen time I can use per day on social media,” she said.
Klein is one of many students who need to put their phones out of reach and out of sight to refrain from using them. Samantha Cohen, a freshman journalism major, shares a similar point of view.
“I put my phone on do not disturb and sometimes I put it out of sight when I study,” said Cohen. “I think I could be better about not feeling the need to check it as much.”
Do not disturb is a helpful feature to prevent constant phone checking. It mutes all notifications, making it easier to focus and not get distracted.
It also allows you to choose if you want any specific people or apps to give notifications regardless of being on do not disturb or not, which can be helpful if you want to focus but have something specific you want to be notified of no matter what.
In order to set up an anti-procrastination environment, UMD’s Counseling Center recommends keeping all distractors out of sight, according to their “Beat Procrastination” pamphlet.
For many, a cell phone is the biggest distractor there is, and eliminating access to it altogether is one of the most effective ways to mitigate this issue.
As college students, remaining focused on work is essential to success and the process of education. By implementing strategies such as putting phones on do not disturb or even out of sight entirely, it is easier to continue to stop procrastinating and put homework first.