12 Simple Ways to Increase Your Focus

How to increase your focus?

You’re late to work (again), behind on a project, or can’t remember the action points from the last meeting? You can get distracted by external stimuli like noise or internal stimuli like daydreaming; these different distractions require different coping strategies.

In this fast paced world where everything is done at break-neck speed and people are running around like headless chickens trying to multi-task, you will often find that there are numerous things competing for your attention; your mind keeps wandering off the task at hand.

Here’s how to pinpoint your weaknesses and 12 strategies for getting the job done.

Write it down:

If you want to raise an important point in a conference call, but don’t want to butt in, you may not absorb what the others are saying while you wait to bring it up.

Better to jot down a keyword to remind yourself what you want to say, "Now you’re ready to fully attend." It’s recommended to keep a "random-thought pad" on hand, whether you are at your computer or folding laundry. Enter important reminders and any brilliant ideas that pop into your head so that you are less distracted by them as you work on the present task.

Map it out:

In a day chock-full of appointments, odds are good you’ll forget to pick up the dry cleaning on the way home.

Human brain can handle two complicated tasks simultaneously. Add a third, though, and the brain can’t keep up. People lose track of one of the original tasks and begin making errors.

No need to keep it all in your head. In the morning, map out your day, including errands, and refer to your “road map” throughout the day. It helps to visualize your plan like athletes do before a big game.

Environment:

Make your environment work for you.

Ensure that when you are working on any task which requires your full attention and concentration that you are in a clean, uncluttered and well ventilated room. This is paramount for your mind to focus properly as your surroundings greatly affect your brain's capacity to concentrate. It is also a good idea to use calming color schemes in the room which you use when working, take a look in a library or classroom, they are always painted in muted tones as garish or bold colors can distract you when trying to study or concentrate.

If noisy colleagues are rattling your concentration, request a quieter work space. If you focus better when listening to music or with ambient noise in the background, then try to make it happen.

Prioritize tasks:

Get organized and get your priorities in order, you are more alert in the morning so it makes sense to get the big things done first! If you have an essay to write or an important work-related task to complete, get to work at it in the morning as this is your most productive time, when your concentration is at its best. Leave the trivial stuff until the evening when your concentration is at its lowest level.

Paying the bills: Could there be a more mind-numbing task? You procrastinate and the late fees pile up. The trick is to make it a priority.

Schedule time for plowing through the thicket of envelopes, and don’t do anything else until the job gets done. Elicit your spouse’s or partner’s help. Have him or her bring you coffee and cookies—anything to ease the monotony.

Take a quick break:

If boredom is ruining your productivity, take short breaks. Just getting up to walk around, have a yoga stretch, or take a quick sip from the water fountain may be all you need.

If you find you cannot concentrate no matter what environment you are in, it may be useful to try mind-clearing exercises like meditation or breathing exercises. Meditation can be as simple as going to a quiet place and just sitting and relaxing for 15 minutes each day before you begin your daily tasks. Learning how to breathe properly is also a very worthwhile exercise. Studies have shown that most people take short shallow breaths instead of taking the time to fill their lungs with air and breathe out slowly. Doing these two things alone can greatly improve your concentration.

When you’ve completed a task, give yourself time to regroup.

Be careful, though, not to move into delay mode and let a quick break morph into an hour-long Facebook chat with friends.

Set a timer:

If your on-time arrival is suffering, it may be because you’re squeezing in last-minute tasks before heading out the door or failing to set a realistic departure time.

Figure out how much time it really takes to get where you’re going and let technology work for you.

Program your phone to alert you when it’s time to get going. Or, when you go to sleep the night before, set a timer that’s more than arm’s distance from you so that you’ll be forced to get up.

Plan some joy:

It’s OK to reward yourself for sticking with a task until it’s completed. "Make sure you plan into your day something that’s enjoyable, something you look forward to doing,”.

Have coffee with a friend, watch something great, or just take a walk at a local park. Not only it is an incentive to finish the job, but it will also help you recognize "that it’s not all drudgery."

Delegate:

A job well done doesn’t mean doing everything yourself.

"Know when to delegate; know what you do well and what you don’t,”. Focus on your strengths and ask for help when you need it.

"Chunk" it:

If you have trouble estimating time or shifting gears from one activity to another, approach tasks for limited periods of time. For example, give yourself two 15-minute periods to work on something with a break in between.

Psychologists call it "chunking," or breaking work into manageable pieces.

If you’re in the middle of a larger task, stop at a specific time and assess the situation. It may be time to switch gears and move on to something else.

Record it:

Some people find gadgets work better than paper and pen for keeping lists and reminders.

“Do what works for you,” "Electronic organizers can be wonderful."

Smartphones are a great option, as are digital sound recorders. Input your to-do list, appointments, and upcoming events.

Feed Your Mind:

Eat a balanced and varied diet and drink lots of water during the day, this will keep your mind active and alert and in turn allows you to concentrate more. Dehydration saps your energy and your concentration dips, did you know that if you are feeling thirsty you are already dehydrated? Keeping a glass of water beside you during the day and aiming to drink between 6-8 glasses a day will help. Eat little and often instead of eating 3 meals a day, this will keep your blood sugar levels moderated throughout the day which will also improve your concentration.

Be patient:

Before I write an article, I often sit at my desk for fifteen or twenty minutes before I put finger on the keyboard. During this time I feel a strong urge to leave or do something else. But I know that if I am patient, I’ll stumble upon an idea to write about and enter a state of flow. Without a little patience, you can’t take advantage of flow when it rushed through you.

If you need strong concentration I recommend periods of 90-120 minutes. Any less than that and you will waste too much time getting started before the flow can continue. More than this is possible to sustain focus, but you will probably benefit from a quick break.