Hi Cali. Make distractions expensive and focus easy. Before you start, set your phone to Do Not Disturb and put it in another room or a closed drawer. If you use an iPhone, go to Settings > Focus > add a Study focus, allow only Clock and Calculator, and set a schedule for your study block. On Windows 11, open the Clock app and start a Focus session for 25 minutes, which also mutes notifications. Clear your desk to only the book, one pen, and a pad of paper so the next action is obvious.
During the session, use a capture sheet: every stray thought gets written down with a quick keyword, then straight back to the page. Work in short sprints of 25 minutes on and 5 off, and during the 5 use your snack reward or a quick stretch. Study actively so your brain has less room to wander, for example read one page then cover it and write two key points or answer a self-made question. If starting feels hard, tell yourself two minutes only and begin reading the first paragraph or one problem. momentum usually carries you. If a distraction wins, do a hard reset by standing up, taking one slow breath, and restarting the timer rather than negotiating with it.
One more thought - Solid plan. Two quick adds: start with a 2‑minute brain dump to clear the noise then use that page as your capture sheet, and set a concrete target for each sprint (finish problems 1–10) with a visible timer so there’s a clear finish line but then keep breaks low‑stimulation - stand and stretch, water, snack - but skip feeds; earplugs or steady brown noise can also blunt ambient distractions and make it easier to restart.
