Whenever you feel your attention begin to wander, stop and tell yourself to "be here now." You may have to do this several times, but you will be gently reminding yourself that you want to focus on the task at hand. If you do this consistently, you should find that you gradually spend less and less time being distracted. Say you're trying to study in the library and you keep getting distracted by someone texting. Take note of this specific distraction then tell yourself you are going to overcome it. The next time you see it happen, will yourself not to look. Keep doing this every time the distraction comes up, and eventually you will no longer notice it. Life can get really busy, so it's no surprise if you find yourself distracted from studying by thoughts about everything else. Rather than acting like all of those other needs don't exist, give yourself an outlet. Spend 5 minutes thinking about everything that's on your plate, but then tell yourself it's time to focus on the main task for now: studying. When you've got an exam coming up, it's easy to think you need to study everything. Breaking things down and establishing just one primary goal makes things more manageable and you will be less prone to becoming distracted. For example, if you have a biology exam coming up that covers three chapters, you don't have to cram everything into one study session. Try focusing first on the parts that give you trouble, like that subsection on the Krebs cycle. Also try making notes and flashcards as it helps. Texting, social media, calls, and other distractions that come from our electronic devices are some of the biggest barriers to staying focused when studying. Luckily, the fix is easy and totally within your control. Unplug yourself! Turn off notifications on your devices. Better still, turn them off completely. Don't take calls or texts. Turn off your phone if you are able, or at least keep it on silent and away. If you can't stop this distraction, look into apps or browser plugins that can block social media, certain websites, or any other specific outlets that pull you away from studying. It's natural to want to procrastinate and put off the most difficult or unpleasant tasks. Your energy level at the start of a study session will be higher, however, so it's actually best to begin with the harder things. Put off the easier tasks instead. This will keep your focus sharp when you need it most. It might seem counterintuitive, but stepping away from your studies now and then can actually be more beneficial than trying to plow through everything without stopping. About once an hour, get up and take a short break of about 5 minutes. This helps refresh you so that you can stay focused when you come back to studying. Moving around a bit, such as by taking a brief walk, will be most beneficial. Some people imagine that knocking out several things at once means you can work faster. Attempting to multitask, such as doing your homework while watching TV or shopping online, will cause you to lose your focus. Instead concentrate on one task at a time.

Summary:
Keep yourself on track with the "be here now" technique. Tune out specific distractions as you notice them. Give yourself a worry break. Prioritize your studying by setting a main goal. Go off the grid. Work with your energy levels. Take a brief study break now and then. Don't attempt to multitask.