Of course, the age-old problems of procrastination and distraction plague nearly everyone at one time or another, whether their noses are pressed to a textbook or a computer at work or a dust cloth at home. Improving isn't easy, but success can help put order into busy lives and stop a cycle of frustration. Too many people view good organizational and concentration skills as an innate ability that some people have and others don't. There's some truth to that. It's easier for some people to sit quietly and do their work. But concentration and memory can be improved. External Distractions: People who have trouble memorizing often have a host of distractions they need to deal with first. External distractions are the easiest to eliminate by turning down the radio, turning off the TV, moving to a secluded library corner instead of the center of the coffee shop. Don't try to do too much at once. Narrow your focus and take a good look at your energy and resources versus your workload. We tend not to concentrate very well if we try to do 17 things at once. Avoidance: Sometimes we set ourselves up to fail -- we just overtax ourselves. Don't get trapped in the "clean-house syndrome" when you have the compulsion to have a spotless home (or completing some other task) at the expense of more difficult homework or office work. Goal Setting: Decide two or three goals, prioritize them and begin work immediately, rather than waiting for something “wonderful” to happen before starting. DO NOT compare yourself or your progress to others'. You'll either become conceited or complacent because you compare favorably, or you’ll become depressed and anxious because you don't. Besides, setting your own goals and reaching them yourself is healthier and more productive in the long run. Tackle Small Pieces: Playwrights make things more convenient for performers by splitting the script into acts and scenes. Take advantage of this by splitting up your memorizing work into manageable pieces. Word Relations: Pick out the most important words in a sentence and find the relationship between those words. Are there rhyming words? Does the same letter repeat at the beginning of words? What links one important word to the next important word or one sentence to the next sentence? Lights Out Techinque: Sit back, close your eyes, take a deep breath and let your mind run over all of your thoughts and internal roadblocks for a few moments. Then clear the mind, relax, open your eyes and buckle down. Everyone learns in their own way, so do what works for you. | 
