The Art of Focus
Six techniques for improved concentration and attention
Did you know that your brain is actually a very powerful computer hard drive? It’s true! Your brain can store upwards of a million gigabytes of memory, and all of it is immediately at your grasp if you just know how to access it.
The problem is that your brain is also easily distracted. Oh, look, a squirrel! Is that a helicopter? That Rolls Royce is Sweet! It’s more than capable of derailing your train of thought. So how do you get the brain train back on the tracks? Here are 6 highly effective tips.
Stop multitasking!
You know you’ve done it; just admit it. On a resume, you’ve touted the fact that you’re highly skilled at multi-tasking. The thing is, when you switch back and forth from task to task, you’re not giving 100% to anything you’re doing. That leads to mistakes and bad outcomes with everything you’re doing.
Meditate.
If you feel that your brain is getting too cluttered up to focus, try meditating. The goal is to focus on just one image, one thought, or one sound, and to do it for a period of several minutes. It “flushes out” all the clutter and leaves your brain free and open to concentrate effectively.
Get some sleep.
There’s probably not one person who hasn’t had trouble sleeping at one time or another. One sleepless night isn’t going to turn your brain to mush, but if it happens over and over, you’ll find it harder to focus. So do these things:
Keep your bedroom quiet and dark.
Turn off your devices.
Have your evening meal several hours before going to bed.
Go to bed at the same time each night.
Turn your alarm clock toward the wall. When you’re constantly thinking “I can only get so much more sleep,” you’re just going to lie awake and obsess about the sleep you’re not getting!
Pull back and re-group!
Take regular breaks throughout the day. This goes beyond the standard 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the afternoon, and half an hour to an hour for lunch that most employers offer.
This will be easy if you work from home, but even if you don’t, you can “sneak” little breaks into your workday.
Stand up and stretch for a few minutes.
Spend a few minutes in the bathroom, even if you don’t need to “go” – wash your hands, re-fill your water bottle. You get the idea!
Watch a short video online.
Have a snack.
Take that conference call while taking a walk outdoors.
It doesn’t sound like much, but these mini breaks can work wonders when it comes to re-setting your brain and improving your cognitive function.
Use mnemonics.
Mnemonics are just little ways of bringing information to the forefront of your brain. One example of a mnemonic is using a visual image to remember a name – if you can’t remember that your co-worker’s name is Shelly, for instance, you might picture her wearing a giant seashell necklace.
Another way to use mnemonics is to use the initial letters of a word to create a sentence. I have a Canadian friend who could never remember his postal code, E0A 3E0, until he thought of it as “Enter only at 3 exits only.”
Did it make sense? No. Did he remember his postal code? Yes!
Create a pleasing workspace.
If you work from home, this is easy. If you don’t, you might have to talk with your “higher-ups” to find out what is okay.
Can you have a pretty plant on your desk?
Can you listen to music while you work?
Can you display family photos?
These are all things that will help you to feel calm and satisfied at work. And it will improve your brain function.
Conclusion
Our brains are meant to function powerfully and efficiently. To do that, they can’t be cluttered. These simple, common sense suggestions can help you to improve your concentration and attention.
References
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/tips-to-improve-concentration
https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/mental-health/how-to-improve-concentration
How to Improve Your Concentration and Memory | Psychology Today
Life hacks: 5 ways to improve concentration (medicalnewstoday.com)
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If you like this content, check out my article about memory myths at: https://www.theunreliablemind.com/blog/myths-about-memory
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