With so many distractions available nowadays, such as smartphones and notifications, it is harder than ever for students to focus on their study sessions. Learning apps can be a great help, but certain types of apps might be detrimental to students’ studies and reduce their focus. Here are the eight types of apps that students should consider avoiding while studying.
1. Social Media Apps
Social media platforms can be huge distractions, as you get constant notifications and feel the need to check for updates. Social media apps are designed to induce a scrolling loop that greatly reduces study time; it’s the itch you just have to scratch. They’re designed to be addictive and are thus a distraction from activities that require sustained attention.
Avoid these apps while studying:
- Snapchat
- TikTok
- Tumblr
2. Instant Messaging Apps
Messaging apps make communication almost instantaneous, and while this is great for maintaining contact, it can be catastrophic for focus. The barrage of notifications and the lure of responding at once can derail your study groove and pull you out of the weeds, making it harder to get back to where you were.
Here’s a list of popular instant messaging apps you should stay clear of while learning:
- Telegram
- Facebook Messenger
- Signal
- Viber
- Line
- Discord
- Slack
- Skype
3. Entertainment Streaming Apps
Streaming services are a real source of distraction for students. With an easy-to-use interface and a vast number of movies and series, it is hard to resist the urge to watch “just one more episode” instead of studying. All these services are designed to keep you sitting in front of the screen for as long as possible, which is not quite what a student needs for studying.
Here’s a list of popular entertainment streaming apps that will definitely distract you from studying:
- Netflix
- YouTube
- Hulu
- Amazon Prime Video
- Disney+
- HBO Max
- Apple TV+
- Peacock
- Twitch
- Paramount+
4. Online Shopping Apps
Shopping apps allow us to buy almost anything we want in our free time without leaving home. However, for a student who is trying to study, these can be a major source of distraction. The temptation to look for a good deal and the chance to take a break from studying to look at something new can lead to procrastination on academic assignments. Unless, of course, you are purchasing the best custom essays from TopEssayWriting. If so, keep up the good work!
Here’s a list of popular online shopping apps that can destroy your study session:
- Amazon
- eBay
- Walmart
- Target
- AliExpress
- Etsy
- Wish
- Shopify
- Zalando
- ASOS
5. Video Game Apps
Mobile game apps not only involve players but also engage their senses to create a fantasy world they can easily get lost in. This can cause students to lose track of time, often leading to playing “just one more level,” which extends the amount of time spent on games indefinitely.
Here’s a list of popular video game apps you should not install if you want to stay focused on your schoolwork:
- Candy Crush Saga
- Fortnite
- PUBG Mobile
- Clash of Clans
- Among Us
- Minecraft
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Pokémon GO
- Roblox
- Subway Surfers
6. News Apps
Keeping up to date with the news is essential, but constantly checking news apps can be a form of distraction. New breaking news and updates of current stories continually demand a student’s attention, and it’s easy to fall into that temptation.
Here’s a list of popular news apps you should avoid scrolling through while learning:
- BBC News
- CNN News
- Fox News
- The New York Times
- The Guardian
- Reuters
- Al Jazeera English
- NPR News
- Bloomberg
- The Washington Post
7. Fitness and Health Apps
Apps that send reminders to drink water, stand, or do mini workouts can be very healthy. However, they are also more likely than other phone notifications to interrupt a study session. Left to run unchecked, such reminders can shatter a flow state, particularly if they ping for activities that take longer than a few minutes.
Here’s a list of popular fitness and health apps you may only use when practising sports and not as a way to distract yourself from learning:
- MyFitnessPal
- Fitbit
- Nike Training Club
- Strava
- Headspace
- Calm
- Noom
- Daily Yoga
- Peloton
- MapMyRun
8. Email Apps
For university students, checking emails becomes as distracting as social media. Sure, you need to be abreast of your academic affairs, but when you are constantly checking your emails for new messages, it can distract you from your studies.
Here’s a list of popular email apps that won’t help you stay focused on your studies:
- Gmail
- Microsoft Outlook
- Apple Mail
- Yahoo Mail
- ProtonMail
- BlueMail
- Newton Mail
- Spark
- Aqua Mail
- Tutanota
Mastering the Art of Focus
Understanding your digital habits in the context of studying as a student means you need to make deliberate choices about which apps to use in conjunction with your study sessions. The strong pull of instant gratification from social media, games, or streaming services can be overpowering at times, but the ability to resist these impulses is important to develop the discipline you need to focus on for long periods of time. By understanding your digital interactions and how to manage them, you can maximize your ability to focus on your studies, which will increase the quality of your study sessions and make you a more productive student.
