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Unlock Concentration: How to Focus on the SAT

There are MANY reasons you might have a difficult time focusing while studying or when you are taking an exam Perhaps you have been diagnosed with a condition such as ADD or ADHD or maybe you study for LONG periods without breaksNo matter why you have difficulty focusing one thing that can help everyone is being more mindful What does it mean to be mindful It means to be fully present noticing what is going on in our space and our bodies and to be content not overwhelmed with our observations The more you are in the present moment the easier it is to be focused on what is in front of you So what does focus look like PREPARING for the SATBrain BreaksWhen you focus for too long what you are studying is not going to stick It might sound counterintuitive but to help with focus you need to give your brain a break about every 30 minutes I personally recommend working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5 minute break The hard part is making sure the break is ONLY 5 minutes before you get back to studyingBelow are some ideas for brain breaks Try some out write them down and use themUnlock Concentration How to Focus on the SATimghttpsedisonlmsfss3useast2amazonawscomtenant_dsate7388373de6646439a9592d01885ce38_1714086166954_brainbreakspngThe best way to study for the SAT is to start with a practice test Upon completing the practice test you need to look at which questions you are getting wrong so that you can learn what to do the next time you see similiar questionsClick this link to get access to the FREE SAT practice test httpsbitlyDigitalSATPracticeTesthttpsbitlyDigitalSATPracticeTestAfter you finish you can set up a 15minute Zoom call with an expert tutor from My2tor to discuss the results and recommendations for preparing for the actual SAT So what does focus look like DURINGthe SATDuring the exam there are a lot of things that are out of your control the temperature of the room the person sitting next to you sniffiling and on and on There are two things that you can ALWAYS controlUntitled Draftimghttpsedisonlmsfss3useast2amazonawscomtenant_dsat8b16aa75333f4cca8360b5ab7b97525a_1714005226854_FOCUS1pngThinking positively actually increases your brains capacity to process information And when you are stressed your bodys natural reaction is to start to breathe shallow causing your cognitive abilities to go slack and making it difficult to stay alert Taking a deep breath is the fastest way to get your focus backNow that said when you are taking a test that lasts a couple of hours there are things that you can do every couple of problems to give you some minibreaks and help with your focus Minibreaks can help get that focus back Take 3 deep breaths Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 3 and then exhale slowly through your mouth like you are blowing through a straw for a count of 5 Wiggle your toes helps to reconnect to your senses and gets you out of your head Squeeze your fists Make a tight fist and hold it for 3 seconds Release and take a deep breath Shrug your shoulders Try to though your ears to your shoulders and hold it for 3 seconds Release and take a deep breath What are other ideas you can come up with for minibreaks where you get to take a few seconds to yourself and not bother anyone around you who continues testing Sit up straight and put your feet flat on the floorNow there is one more thing that can make a difference for focus POSTUREIf you are slouching you are actually reducing your lung capacity and sending a message to your brain that you feel unsafe which in turn can make it more difficult to focus and concentrate So sitting up straight may actually help your brain function better as well as help you think more clearly because you feel calmer and more confident Mindfulness helps during the test tooAnd going back to the mindfulness that we discussed at the beginning of this article the more you interact with the test the easier it will be to stay in the present moment So cross answers off use the annotation tool and use your note sheet How to focus on the SATI hope this article gave you a couple of ideas ways you can help yourself focus Dont forgetThe best way to study for the SAT is to start with a practice test Upon completing the practice test you need to look at which questions you are getting wrong so that you can learn what to do the next time you see similiar questionsClick this link to get access to the FREE SAT practice test httpsbitlyDigitalSATPracticeTesthttpsbitlyDigitalSATPracticeTestAfter you finish you can set up a 15minute Zoom call with an expert tutor from My2tor to discuss the results and recommendations for preparing for the actual SAT____________________________________________________________________________________About TinaTina is the CEO and Lead Tutor at My2tor a company that provides holistic standardized test preparation for adults and kids nationwide and abroad Her passion is to help students of all ages become more confident to increase their test scores and open the doors to their future goals She uses her experience as an industrial engineer math teacher and 16 years as a professional tutor to develop her unique approach to helping test takers developing a confident mindset teaching strategies and reviewing content This approach humanizes test taking decreases anxiety and results in higher test scores