10 Tips for better concentration

Concentration problems can occur for a number of reasons. For most of us they tend to be periodic occurrences that pass without due comment. Your concentration and memory are affected by many factors such as age, stress levels, genetics and even your diet. On occasion however problems may occur along with other symptoms such as sleep disturbance, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

Whilst concentration problems can be the result of physical and psychological conditions, most people suffer lapses in concentration thanks to over-tiredness, emotional stress or hormonal changes resulting from puberty, pregnancy or the menopause. If there is ever a sudden worsening of your concentration problems, you should seek medical advice.

There are a number of ways you can help to improve any problems with concentration you may be having. Here are our top 10 tips.

Address the stress

Stress depletes your brain chemicals faster than you can replenish what your brain needs. If you are feeling stressed, try and cut some of it out of your life. Take some time to consider what exactly is bothering you and then seek to make improvements. You don’t have to try and change your whole life around, but even making a few small positive changes can help your stress levels, which in turn will improve your concentration.

Commit

Good concentration depends entirely on your commitment to the task in hand. With this in mind, you may well need to find ways to make your task more interesting or relevant to what you’re doing. Or don’t do it at all. The choice is yours.

Stop

It sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re trying to concentrate on something and it just isn’t happening, stop doing it. Let your mind wander. Then bring it back to what you should be doing. If it wonders again just stop. Keep refocusing, but do acknowledge where your thoughts go, it may be your sub conscious is trying to tell you something.

Worry time

Working hand in hand with the tip above is allowing worry time. Allocate a specific period of time – ideally for at least 5 or 10 minutes, where you can just sit down and worry. In your worry slot you should then engage with what is troubling you. You can write things down in a worry journal, or draw or doodle. Use any technique to get the worry out of your head and onto a page. This may help you to feel more rational or address the issues that are bothering you. Once your worry time is up, book your next worry slot and then vow not to worry about anything before then. This should help you to refocus and concentrate.

Consider the environment

Your environment, that is! Are your concentration problems down to where you’re working? Is your inability to concentrate due to noise for example? If you are constantly being distracted from what you need to be doing, is there any way of improving the environment so that matters do improve. Can you switch off phones, radios or the TV? Can you ask colleagues to speak more quietly? Can you have the heating turned up or down or could you have an individual heater or fan? A more conducive environment can certainly improve your concentration.

Take a break

If you can’t change your environment, then take a complete break from it. Every now and again, get outside and have a walk around in the open air. If you can connect with a park or some greenery somewhere, so much the better. Research has shown that spending time in a natural environment relieves a cluttered mind. Remember, exercise also increases brain power and will reduce your anxiety.

Avoid temporary stimulants

You may find that caffeine or nicotine improve your faculties, but you already know that such effects are temporary. Avoid these quick fixes if you possibly can, and switch instead to snacks such as dried fruit and nuts that are slower burning and therefore give you energy for longer. Also, never skip breakfast, instead combine carbs with protein to stabilise your blood sugar and make sure you drink plenty of water during the day.

Are you overwhelmed?

Do your concentration problems occur when you feel overwhelmed? If you are trying to tackle something that is too big for you, try breaking up the task into smaller bite-size chunks. Tackle the chunks one at a time. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. If you don’t understand something, seek clarification.

Work when you’re fresh

Have you heard of circadian rhythms? This is how your body uses time and it tells us when our brains are at their best. With most of us we are at peak alertness at 10 in the morning and we sleep deeply at 2 am. According to research our coordination is best at 2pm, reaction times are fastest at 3pm and our muscle strength climaxes at 5pm (just as most people hit the gym). If you know your body’s rhythms, you can attune yourself to do tasks when you’re most capable of giving your best performance.

Get organised

The single biggest help to your concentration problems will be to organise yourself. Set aside a few minutes each morning to create a to do list and keep it with you. Write some post-its and stick them where you will see them so that you know what you should be achieving. Prioritise your tasks, and save anything that’s easy for when you know your concentration is at its worst.

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