u/Feeling-Pop3427

For me, it’s definitely my phone, so I had to set some strict rules around it. I usually keep it in another room or at least out of reach while studying. I follow a simple routine where I study for about 50 minutes and then take a 10-minute break to check my phone without feeling guilty. Turning off notifications and using focus mode has helped a lot too.

One more thing that surprisingly worked is keeping a small notebook next to me. Whenever I feel the urge to pick up my phone, I just write it down and get back to studying. It sounds basic, but it really helps break the habit. After a while, I noticed the urge itself starts fading if I just push through those first few minutes.

Is anyone else dealing with the same thing?

I’ve noticed that I can solve questions when they follow a familiar pattern, but the moment something slightly different comes up, I get stuck. It feels like I’m just memorizing steps instead of actually understanding how to think through a problem.

I want to get better at breaking down new or unfamiliar questions logically, not just applying formulas I’ve seen before. For those who improved their problem-solving skills over time, what actually helped? Was it doing more questions, focusing on concepts, analyzing mistakes, or something else? How do you train your mind to approach completely new problems with confidence instead of panic?