Eight out of ten students say that they get distracted quickly when studying – often after just a few minutes. What is surprising is that it is not TikTok or WhatsApp, but often their own workplace that is the biggest disruptive factor. A chaotic environment clouds concentration. The desk, actually a place of clarity, becomes a stage for mental distraction. Why is that the case? And what does a set-up look like that not only looks ‘nice’ but also really makes you productive?

Concentration is no coincidence

A wobbly chair, a painful back. The screen is reflecting light. The lamp is flickering. Small things, big impact. Those who work seriously need a set-up that works – not frustrates. In business, this is called ergonomics, in studies it is more likely to be called ‘improvisation’. But when it comes to memorisation, it becomes clear how unsuitable your own desk is for the task. Learning requires calm, clarity and structure. What you get instead is visual noise, constant stimuli and a space that is more distracting than supportive.

The brain needs repetition to memorise – but also context. However, this context is lost among the tangled cables, notification sounds and chaotic piles of notes. The result: content is absorbed but does not stick. Psychologists speak of ‘visual noise’ – a constant background noise in the field of vision that undermines concentration. Every pen lying all over the place, every open tab window is a distraction. This may sound trivial, but it has a measurable effect: attention disintegrates. The short-term memory is overloaded before the material can even reach the long-term memory.

What’s more, many learning spaces may be functional, but they are completely soulless. White walls, harsh lighting, nothing that connects on an emotional level. And yet that is precisely where memory lives – in meaning, in images, in emotional anchors. Design is more than just optics here: it can facilitate learning. Personality beats perfection. Some rely on plants, others on memories. One example: framed prints – individually selected framed photos or illustrations can emotionally anchor a room. Whether it’s a favourite place, a portrait or a sentence with meaning – what hangs around stays around.   

Movement helps you think

Learning is not a purely cognitive process. Sitting still for hours on end trains stagnation – not understanding. Neurobiologists have long emphasised that movement not only promotes blood circulation, but above all strengthens cognitive connections. Vocabulary repeated while walking is absorbed more deeply. Complex relationships thought through while climbing stairs remain more tangible. Movement activates the motor system, which is closely interwoven with the memory network in the brain. So it’s not just about ‘staying fresh’, but also about physically anchoring material.

Learning needs rhythm and change

The classic desk offers little space for this. It encourages rigid posture, a monotonous environment and little sensory input. Those who regularly combine breaks with movement – whether it’s stretching, a short walk or simply standing up – give the brain the opportunity to sort information. This is because processing often doesn’t happen during the effort, but in the in-between. Especially when learning by heart, a short walk down the hall can be more effective than half an hour of repetitive repetition while sitting.   

Podcasts are booming – and the brain is listening

Learning today sounds different than it did just a few years ago. Podcasts have long since ceased to be just a companion programme for commuters or background noise while cooking. They have become a tool – also in studies. More and more students are relying on knowledge in their ears: complex topics presented in a way that explains rather than recites, with voices that explain. According to a BBC survey, over 60% of 18- to 25-year-olds regularly listen to podcasts – and a growing proportion actively use them for learning. Language creates closeness. And closeness creates understanding.

A glance at the UK shows that podcasts are no longer a niche but a mass phenomenon: according to a survey by The Guardian in September 2023, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ is now the most popular podcast in the UK – ahead of domestic formats. The content of the format may be controversial, but its success shows that people are looking for voices they can listen to for hours. Educational content has long since found its way into people’s heads through the same channel – no longer just through books or lecture notes, but through sound, repetition and familiarity.

Your own voice as a learning amplifier

Hardly anything feels as strange as your own voice on tape. And yet it is precisely in this that an underrated tool lies. Speaking content yourself – instead of just reading it – activates the brain on several levels. Language forces structure. If you explain something, you must understand it. The trick: when speaking, not only semantic but also motor and auditory areas are addressed. A simple list of vocabulary becomes an auditory loop. A complicated theory is transformed into a comprehensible narrative.

Anchor knowledge in your own voice

Listening to yourself study is particularly effective – whether you’re on the go, cooking, or falling asleep. Studies show that self-produced learning content is retained significantly better than external audio. Why? Because it has already been processed twice during creation – and when you listen to it, a recognition effect can set in that almost feels like an internal dialogue.

Some students record their summaries, others record entire mind maps as an audio tour through the topic. The technology is not as important as the perspective: speaking yourself gives you control.