I'm a single mother, so I have to study late at night after my daughter goes to sleep...usually from 9:00 - 11:00 pm. After a long day it's so hard for me to 1) stay awake, and 2) stay focused. They are two separate issues. Sometimes I'm awake, but don't feel like my brain is focused and open to learning/memorizing/understanding. I'm in a quiet, comfortable environment so it's not like I'm being distracted by outside forces. And I try not to drink coffee because I want to be able to go right to sleep when I'm done. I put in a lot of quantity, but it's not necessarily quality study time. I'm taking FAR for the second time and trying to figure out my problem. The first time, I didn't take notes while watching video lectures. I'm taking detailed notes this time and that's helping a little bit. But when I'm faced with a MCQ or SIM I don't understand, I just mentally drift off and my brain doesn't want to try to figure it out.
Also, I tried waking up early to study before work, but again found myself unable to stay awake. I suppose caffeine would help with that. I eat a good diet and get excercise when I can. I sleep great, and it's usually 7 hours a night.
Does anyone have any good tips for staying awake and staying focused?