Problem: Article: The most basic thing you can do to help you concentrate in class is to get away from the distractions that are keeping you from focusing. There are lots of things that might be taking your attention away from the lesson. Try to be more aware of what you’re doing when you stop paying attention. Once you know what it is, you can find a way to get rid of it.  Distractions include items like a computer, a phone, and small items that you can play with. Distractions also include things that are around you, like a friend, an annoying classmate, or a window. Physical removal is the best way to deal with a distraction. So, for example, if you know a classmate is distracting you. Try sitting somewhere else. Your teacher will understand and will probably be more than happy to help you move seats. You have to try to keep your brain from wandering out of the classroom. No daydreaming! Keep your mind here, in the present and save thoughts about other stuff for later. This is hard to do but if you can make the change, it will really help you a lot.  Things you might catch yourself thinking about include: games, what you’re doing after school, your boyfriend or girlfriend (or lack thereof!), your friends, your family...even fantasy stuff like books you'd like to read or places you wish you could go. You’ll have to learn to manually refocus your attention. Catch yourself and then make yourself think about the lesson again. Eventually it becomes a habit and you learn to daydream less. This means that even if you’re thinking about another aspect of the class, like the test you have coming up, you’ll want to stop and refocus on what’s happening right now. It’s important to do things like think about tests but if your mind is wandering then you’re not absorbing the information that you need to learn at the moment. Pay attention to what your mind is doing. If you catch yourself thinking about anything other than what’s currently happening in the lesson then you’re going to have to manually refocus your attention. Try saying back everything that your teachers says in your own head and really emphasizing the important bits. One thing you might want to practice is building your ability to focus. Test yourself by trying to do a challenging task while listening to loud, distracting music. Focus is a skill which needs to be exercised and developed, just like any other. Everyone learns in different ways. The way your teacher teaches may not be the best way for you or there may be ways to make class even better for you. Set aside some time to talk to your teacher about ways they think might help you get more out of your class.  Try making customized lessons or assignments that are more interesting for you to learn. You can also ask your teacher for extra credit or side projects which help you learn the same lessons but in a way that works better for you. If you're serious about learning and you're willing to put in hard work, your teacher will probably be willing to help you come up with something. When you're more motivated, you'll find you have an easier time staying focused. Of course, if your teacher and your class can't or won't make you more motivated, you'll have to work to create that motivation for yourself. This can be frustrating but it'll be worth it: you'll get the benefits of education, whether people want to help you along or not. There are lots of ways to make yourself motivated and interested in learning and what you do will depend on who you are. You can try finding some aspect of the subject that is interesting to you. This can make the rest of the class more interesting because you'll feel more like you're building a base for the stuff that you want to learn. For example, maybe you don't really like your history class but you do like medieval knights. You can try to imagine how all of the history that you are learning ties back to medieval knights, and you'll find that that makes it easier to focus on what you're learning.
Summary: Remove your distractions. Focus on the present. Refocus your attention as necessary. Talk to your teacher about classes. Create your own motivation.

Problem: Article: By getting to the point and clearly identifying your purpose, you present a professional image that will be taken seriously by the reader. This also increases the likelihood your email will be read and responded to promptly, as people put off dealing with overly wordy responses.  After identifying yourself and  your company, your next sentence should explain the email's purpose. It's best to state your case within two sentences.  Be positive. Even if you're writing to address a complaint or concern, be courteous and respectful throughout the email. Do not bad mouth bosses, other companies, or employees as this reflects poorly on you. While in cover letters, it's standard to include some basic background information about yourself if you're emailing on behalf of a company leave that information out. Simply state your name and your position in the company before moving on to the email's purpose. A business email should be as easy to read as possible. This means using clear language that is easy to understand.  Choose the active voice over the passive voice. For example, do not say, "A memo was sent to you by my boss, James Peterson." Instead say, "My boss, James Peterson, sent you a memo."  Avoid jargon and technical terms, even if such terms are used heavily in your company. Opt for simple English and common phrases.  Use short sentences. Eliminate conjunctions when possible and break up long sentences.  For example, "We did not hear back from you in regards to the memo and wanted to follow up to make sure you understood the information." This would be better stated as, "We did not hear back from you in regards to the memo. We wanted to follow to make sure you understood the information."  Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Spell check and proofread all emails before hitting the send button. There are certain rules of etiquette in regards to what should be transmitted via email. Understand what to avoid sending before contacting someone.  Attachments are okay if you're emailing regarding information that was specifically requested, but do not send attachments to strangers without prompting.  Avoid overly large attachments and files. In the event sending such information is necessary, send an email beforehand giving the recipient a head's up.  Do not use an overly long signature. Ideally, your signature should only include your name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. If you want, it's also appropriate to include your job title.  Do not include graphics or backgrounds. They tend to clog up email memory and come off as unprofessional in a business setting.
Summary:
Keep it short and to the point. Use simple, direct prose. Know what to avoid sending.