Heading back to school soon and constantly finding that you can’t concentrate on one thing for more than 5 minutes? According to scientists, smartphones have left us with an attention span shorter than that of a goldfish. Not great when you’re trying to study, right? Well, fear not - here are some handy tips and tricks to help you out!

1. Fuel your mind

Eating and drinking the right stuff before studying is essential, your mind needs some lovin’! Not sure on exactly what? Check out this Brain Power Smoothie, made with blueberry and avocado, and not to mention this Chocolate Avocado Pudding - who said brain food couldn’t be tasty?

2. Take a break

It’s a common misconception that taking a break from studying will actually ruin concentration, but that’s completely false. Having 5-10 minutes to yourself every now and again will give you that re-charge you so desperately need. Avoid checking social media though, and instead take a little walk or make yourself a drink!

3. One at a time

Multi-tasking can be so stressful, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed with workload and deadlines. Concentration is all about focussing your attention on one thing, so trying to do your maths homework and research for your geography project at the same time is a big no-no. To stop this, steer clear of having lots of sheets around you and keep the number of tabs open on your laptop to a minimum.

4. Listen to music

Now, when I say listen to music, I don’t mean heavy metal or chart-toppers, I’m talking about calming study playlists to relax you and maximise concentration. Or, if you’re not into music, you can try out some noise or distraction blocking tracks. ‌‌

5. Zzz!

And finally, sleep! There is a direct link between the amount of sleep you have and your academic performance, so making sure you get a good nights kip is essential. Rather than being grouchy and feeling rather heavy-headed, you’ll be much more alert and ready to face the day! *Terms apply and can be seen on the perk.