There is no magic formula that works for everyone when it comes to trying to focus a wandering mind. However, there are tips and techniques you can try to see what works for you.
Being able to focus and concentrate on getting things done is critical to our survival. You need to master this to finish schoolwork and graduate. Then it becomes pivotal for accomplishing tasks on time at work.
Here are some of tips you could follow to get you started.
Play Music in the Background
This falls under the heading of adding a deliberate distraction to help keep random distractions from popping up. Some people need a quiet environment to get any work done. However, you may find that playing some background music can boost your mood and help motivate you to get some work done. You should definitely opt for music without lyrics since they can be quite distracting. Some people swear by listening to classical music while trying to focus on studying for that exam, writing that article, or finishing off other tasks before the deadline.
Source: ShutterstockYou should search YouTube for “music to help focus and concentration.” You’ll find many playlists you can try to see if they help you get and stay focused on the matter at hand. When it comes to writing, I find that playing upbeat music can get me started. Then smoother background music allows me to stay focused.
Drink Coffee
This drink is typically the go-to drink of many of us for obvious reasons. Beyond giving you mental energy to help you focus, research shows it also comes with some health benefits. It contains essential nutrients such as B vitamins, manganese, and potassium. Furthermore, it could lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.
The caffeine in coffee can improve your mood and boost your energy, making it the perfect drink if you want to increase your productivity. A cup or two a day could help keep you focused if you’re off your game because you’re feeling tired. If coffee is not your thing, dark chocolate and tea have a decent amount of caffeine in them as well.
Exercise
One reason it can be hard to focus is that you are feeling stressed out. If you’ve been sedentary for a while, you can also start feeling stiff or sore. A good workout can help with both of these problems. Try a cardio exercise that gets your heart pumping and blood flowing. This will release endorphins into your body that will improve your mood. Stretching as part of your workout will also improve your flexibility and make it easier to sit in a chair to do the work you need to do.
Make Sure to Eat Right
No one feels energetic or able to get much of anything accomplished when feeling sluggish from a heavy or unhealthy meal. As important as it is for our overall health to eliminate bad foods from our diet, it’s also helpful at improving our ability to concentrate.
Source: ShutterstockThere’s an interesting article on Harvard Health Publishing’s website about Nutritional Psychiatry. It mainly delves into the relationship between the foods we eat and how they affect our mood. For instance, those who follow a Mediterranean diet or a Japanese diet have a 25 to 35 percent lower chance of depression than those who follow a typical American diet.
Try Nootropics
Apart from proper diet, there are specific nutrients that boost energy, mood, focus, and concentration. Nootropics is the term for nonprescription substances that improve brain performance. Some examples are caffeine, L-theanine, Bacopa Monnieri, Rhodiola Rosea, piracetam and modafinil.
There are also nootropic supplements on the market that seek to achieve a synergistic effect by combining several natural brain-boosting ingredients into a single formulation. You can also buy them separately and combine them into what are known as “nootropic stacks.” Caffeine and L-theanine are two that are frequently paired together to achieve a greater brain-boosting effect than either can deliver alone. Not everyone will experience the same effects from such substances, so you may want to try a few to see what they do for you.
Take Steps to Prevent External Distractions
The internal battle going on in your head to achieve focus to concentrate on your work at hand is hard enough. You don’t need external distractions adding layers of complexity to the problem. Find a quiet space to do your job. If you are working from home, as is increasingly common these days, set your working hours.
Are you easily distracted with noise around you? Think about getting some noise-canceling headphones and play background music or nature sounds just loudly enough to block off the offensive noise. Additionally, keep your workspace clean and free of clutter, so that doesn’t become yet another distraction.
The ability to focus on whatever task you are working on is essential for getting ahead in life. It’s particularly critical when trying to learn anything. The above tips should help you in your quest to hunker down and concentrate on what you’re doing at the moment. One last tip, remember that we all need some downtime in our lives. All work and no play makes for a miserable existence. Make sure to get plenty of “me time” regularly. Doing so could help refresh and energize you. Additionally, it will help you prepare and be ready to get back to work.
