Avoiding distractions during JEE preparation

Thankfully I was done with my JEE preparation when the smartphone wave hit big. Here are a few points in this regard:

• In standard 11th, I carried a simple LG GW300 phone without internet connection.

• In standard 12th, I realized that a smartphone will greatly help me in searching for various online resources for JEE preparation, especially while travelling from my home to coaching. This included books, study material, and JEE blogs. As a result, my parents got me a Samsung Galaxy S2. It turned out to be a fantastic purchase and I used it a lot and benefitted from it.

It is up to you how you use the resources given to you. If you are smart, you will surely use it for constructive purposes.

As of today, if I was a JEE aspirant, here is what I would do:

• Uninstall Facebook. Facebook is the biggest waste of time. Even today, I do not have Facebook App installed on my mobile. Whenever I need to use it, I run it from the browser simply because it is slow on the browser and so, I dislike using it.
• Use WhatsApp minimally. I am not a part of any family group on WhatsApp. My parents and sisters know when to message me and when not to message me. I am very strict about this. I block anyone who bugs me on WhatsApp - be it my sisters or friends.
• Mute Facebook Messenger. Only 3 - 4 people (parents, etc) are unmuted. Otherwise, I always keep chat off on Facebook/Messenger.
• Restrict time spent on Quora. Don’t spend more than 30 - 40 minutes a day on Quora. Be very selective about who you follow and what content comes in your newsfeed. “What does Donald Trump think of IITians?” and “How to get over my breakup?” isn’t something that’s going to help you in getting a good rank in JEE. Unfollow/mute such content on your feed. Follow only those topics which you can benefit from.

Overall, try to minimize the ways to interact with people. You will get plenty of time to do so once you are in college. Now is the time to stay by yourself and focus on building a great career ahead.

Understand that the biggest asset you have is your time.