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The world around us can often be so distracting that we may find that we lose focus. When we aren’t focused it can often make jobs impossible to finish. Whether you’re a business owner or not, it can be frustrating if you find your to-do list growing rather than shrinking.
Below is a list of tips to immediately improve your focus and ultimately your productivity. If you’re looking for quick results then keep reading.
1. Breathe
Being conscious of your breath can immediately improve your focus. Focus on your breathing and begin to do this exercise;
Make sure you are sitting for this. Ideally you want to be sat with your back supported so a chair or a couch. Press your shoulders to the back of your chair and breathe in. Count to 5 seconds while you breathe in. Hold your breath and posture for 5 seconds. On the exhale also count to 5 but allow your shoulders to completely drop and relax. Do this a couple more times until you feel completely relaxed.
Breathwork is the number 1 on this list because it is easy to achieve and it also quietens the mind. It is used in therapy, mindfulness and meditation for good reason. It reminds us that we are in control and also pulls our attention away from any racing thoughts back into our bodies.
So breathe.
2. Diet
Yes this list is for instant results and no we’re not suggesting that you need to lose weight or become a health fanatic but if you find yourself in the midst of an anxiety fueled bout of unfocused thinking, ask yourself if you’ve eaten. It could well be the case that your body may actually need food and drink.
Avoid anything sugary for that quick fix and instead opt for some fruit and water for immediate results. Long term results of course come about from being conscious of the types of food and drink we put into our bodies. Eating and drinking right will improve focus because your brain needs certain minerals and chemicals in order to function properly and these are often found in certain food types.
Caffeine in the morning can improve your focus but it is also important that you eat nutritious foods and meals along with this. Also no caffeine after 3pm as it takes 6 hours for the effects to wear off and 10 - 12 hours for caffeine to leave your system.
3. Music
There are a number of studies on how music really improves focus and also what types of music improve focus. When we listen to music, subconsciously we are activating a part of our brains which will release small levels of dopamine. The happy chemical.
When dopamine is released in our brain it can reduce stress and acts as a reward system. When we are in a more ‘feel good’ state, it is a lot easier to get motivated and maintain focus on certain tasks.
Instrumental music and oftentimes classical music can improve focus greatly. The reason instrumental music works better than say songs with lyrics is that lyrics ping the logical part of our brains or the critical thinking side of our brain and that is what we’re trying to direct on the task at hand. Listening to instrumental music means that we are still getting that dopamine fix without getting completely distracted by the song.
So make an instrumental playlist when you need to focus on work or a task …
4. Reward System
If you find it hard to focus on a task, figure out some kind of a reward system for yourself. You may have heard the term ‘carrot on a string’ and basically it is that thing of rewarding yourself after you’ve completed a task.
Knowing that you’ve got something to look forward to if you complete a task can often be all of the motivation needed to actually focus on that task. Let’s not forget, the reason why we often find ourselves unfocused or unmotivated is because there are either elements of fear i.e. feelings of failure linked to that particular task or the task itself just isn’t enjoyable.
When we have a reward system in place it sort of overrides those apprehensions and actually tricks our brains into associating whatever it is we’ve found challenging into something that will have an enjoyable effect or better yet something rewarding for ourselves.
5. Exercise
Again, no we’re not secretly saying there is anything wrong with your physique and we definitely don’t have any gym or personal trainer affiliate partners we’re trying to sell you …
Exercise simply means moving your body. If your work means you spend a lot of time at a desk or in an office it can actually affect our focus. Our bodies don’t actually like being stuck in one position for too long so if you find your concentration levels are dropping or you just can’t bring your mind onto the task at hand, you may need to exercise.
Get up from the desk, do some stretches, go for a walk even better if you can do something that engages all of your body such as cycling, swimming or running but if you haven’t got the time to do that make sure you are taking regular breaks to move your body.
Did these tips help improve your focus? Leave us a comment with your feedback.
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