景一

你在读书或听课时，是否有注意力无法长时间集中的问题？有时，一些小诀窍可以增加你的注意力持续的时间，它们还可能帮你改善学习习惯。

Make a List

What does making a list have to do with concentrating？ Easy.

We often have trouble paying attention to one thing because our brain wants to drift off to think about something else. When youre supposed to be writing your history homework， for example， your brain may want to start to think about playing a game or worrying about a math test thats coming up.

You should get into the habit of making a daily task list， writing down all of the things you need to do （think about） in a particular day. Then prioritize1 your list， in the order that you prefer to tackle2 these tasks.

By writing down all the things you need to do （or think about）， you gain a sense of control of your day. You dont worry about whatever else you should be doing when you should be focusing on one particular task.

As simple as this exercise may sound， it is actually very effective in helping you to concentrate on one thing at a time.

列个清单

列清单和集中注意力有什么关系呢？这个简单。

我们常常很难专注于某一件事，因为我们的大脑想走神去想别的事情。例如，当你要写历史作业的时候，你的大脑可能会开始想玩游戏的事情或者担心即将到来的数学考试。

你应该养成每天做一份任务清单的习惯，把你在某一天需要做（想）的所有事情都写下来。然后，按照你喜欢处理这些任务的顺序，对您的清单进行优先级排序。

通过写下你需要做（或思考）的所有事情，你获得了对一天的控制感。当你应该专注于一个特定的任务时，你不必担心你还应该做别的什么。

尽管这个听起来很简单，但实际上可以帮助你每次集中精力做一件事。

Sleep More

It seems logical that a lack of sleep affects our performance， but there is science that tells us exactly what it is that happens to our brains when we deprive3 ourselves of sleep.

Studies show that people who sleep fewer than eight hours a night for a prolonged4 period of time have slower response systems and more difficulty recalling information. In fact， even minor restrictions in your sleep patterns can affect your academic performance in a bad way.

That is bad news for teens， who like to stay up late to study the night before a test. There is sound science to indicate that you may be doing more harm than good by cramming5 the night before an exam.

And， if youre a teen when it comes to sleep， science also suggests that you should make it a habit to sleep longer hours than you normally do.

多睡一會儿

缺乏睡眠看起来会影响我们的表现，这是合乎逻辑的，但是科学会确切地告诉我们，当我们剥夺了自己的睡眠时，大脑会发生什么。

研究表明，长期每晚睡眠不足8小时的人反应系统较慢，回忆信息的难度也更大。事实上，即使是睡眠模式中的微小限制也会对你的学习成绩产生不良影响。

这对喜欢在考试前一晚熬夜学习的青少年来说是个坏消息。有可靠的科学（研究）表明，考试前一天晚上死记硬背可能弊大于利。

而且，当谈到睡眠时，如果你是一名青少年，科学也建议你应该养成睡得比平时更长的习惯。

Reduce Screen Time

This may be the most unpopular suggestion of all time among young people， but the science is clear. Screen time—or time spent looking at cell phones， televisions， computer screens， and game consoles6， has a clear impact on the attention span.

Scientists are just beginning to study the relationship between attention spans and screen times， but one thing is certain： Many researchers and education specialists advise parents to limit screen time while they gain a fuller understanding of the effects of bright lights and electronic screens.

縮短屏幕时间

这可能是一直在年轻人中最不受欢迎的建议，但在科学上是明确的。屏幕时间——或者说花在看手机、电视、电脑屏幕和游戏机上的时间，对注意力的持续时间有着明显的影响。

科学家们刚开始研究注意力的持续时间和屏幕时间之间的关系，但有一件事是肯定的：许多研究人员和教育专家建议家长限制屏幕时间，同时他们对强光和电子屏幕的影响有了更全面的了解。

Just Be Active

There are also studies showing that any amount of physical activity can improve concentration. Participating in a sport trains your brain to concentrate on specific tasks， and shut out thoughts that interfere with your performance.

Simply walking for twenty minutes before reading a book may boost your ability to pay attention longer. This may be a result of relaxing your brain in preparation for the task at hand.

运动起来

也有研究表明，任何运动量的体育活动都可以提高注意力。参加运动能训练大脑专注于特定的任务，并排除干扰你表现的想法。

只需在看书前步行20分钟，就能提高你的注意力。这可能是你放松了大脑为手头的任务做准备的结果。

Notes

1. prioritize  vt. 给……排出优先级;优先处理或考虑

2. tackle  vt. 处理

3. deprive   vt. 使丧失，剥夺

4. prolonged   adj. 延长的;拖延的;持续很久的

5. cram  v. 填满;死记硬背;猛吃

6. console  n. 控制台;操纵台