Six Ways To Improve Your Focus and Concentration
The average human attention span has been shrinking significantly over the last few years, primarily due to our consumption of digital content. The brain always seeks information, so it constantly wants to find out what’s new.
In an endless sea of online information, we can easily find what we’re looking for and quickly move on to the next topic we’re interested in. However, this will cause your focus and concentration to suffer. If you find it difficult to focus during work or in school, then you should try out these six ways to improve your concentration.
Avoid Electronic Devices For The First And Last Hour Of Each Day
Most people grab their smartphones or turn on their computers as soon as they open their eyes in the morning. It doesn’t matter if you do this to read the latest news, check your e-mail, or log in to your favorite social media websites. Whatever you use them for, electronic devices will hurt your concentration.
No one is suggesting that you stop being on social media or delete your personal e-mail account altogether, especially if you enjoy spending your free time online. Instead, you should avoid using electronic devices for the first and last hour of each day.
Spending the first hour of the day without your smartphone or computer will help you start the day with a sense of control and accomplishment, while the last hour will give you a chance to relax and properly prepare for sleep.
Create A Distraction To-Do List
According to the Huffington Post, it takes about 25 minutes to return to your original task after being distracted. This is why you should always carry a notepad to write down all your distracting thoughts.
When you’re working on a specific task, certain distracting thoughts like wondering what the weather is going to be like tomorrow or what good movies you could watch tonight will constantly pop up in your head. Whenever this type of thought pops up in your head, write it down and promise yourself that you’ll look it up once you finish your current task.
Start Meditating
Not only will meditation help you learn how to live in the present and be more relaxed, but it will also improve your focus and concentration. Meditation will help you become clear-headed, thus allowing you to focus on your current task immediately. Know that meditating won’t take up too much time in your day. Just 10 to 20 minutes a day is more than enough to become more productive.
Maintain A Healthy Work-Life Balance
If you sacrifice your personal life for your job, chances are that you’ll be a less effective worker. Not leading a healthy personal life will lead to inefficiency, poor decision-making, increased errors, and an inability to generate new ideas.
Engaging in activities you enjoy will not only improve your satisfaction but also your job performance.
Engage In Physical Activity
Exercising regularly not only improves your physical health but also helps keep your brain fit.
Working out regularly will help you ignore distractions. Even though this is a fact, researchers still have no idea why exercise impacts the brain in this particular way.
It’s also worth mentioning that physical activity will teach you discipline and strengthen your willpower. This is very important for proper focus.
Journaling
It has been shown to help people with writing down key points as they read their books. By doing this you can reflect back onto your past adventures that highlighted your imagination.