Enhancing Your Concentration Abilities: Practical Tips and Strategies
Introduction
In today's world, being able to concentrate
is like a superpower. You rarely see someone who can focus on a single task for
hours. And individuals who can concentrate, not surprisingly, achieve so much
more than others. There are many areas where you could benefit from improved
concentration. Whether it's for school, studying, work, or a hobby. If you can
concentrate, you can achieve results faster. Today, I will explain what is
holding you back from focusing and what you can do to improve it. And I know
you're procrastinating right now by watching this video. But I will make it
worth your while. So grab a pen and a piece of paper. Remember to jot down key
points about everything you learn in this video. That way, you'll get the
maximum value from your procrastination session. And buckle up because it's
going to be a long ride. Let's dive in.
1.Types
of Focus
We have two types of focus. Scattered focus
and directed focus. Scattered focus is widely distributed attention. This is
your typical multitasking, trying to do many things at once and cleaning the
house while talking on the phone while cooking dinner. Or someone is trying to
focus on one thing but keeps thinking about something else simultaneously. And
that's what most people do. They divide their attention among many things. The
problem with this focus type is that your brain needs to be more relaxed at switching
between multiple things simultaneously. When you switch from one task to
another, it's not an instant switch. Instead, your brain has to
"load" the context of everything you're doing into your working
memory. When you constantly shift your attention from one thing to another, you
force your brain to load and reload the context repeatedly. You waste a ton of
mental energy by switching from one thing to another, leaving you drained
without accomplishing much. Now, on the other hand, we have directed attention.
You achieve this by leading your attention to a single action while ignoring
everything else. It would help if you aimed for this, and it's how
high-performing individuals direct their focus. They focus on one thing at a
time, like a laser beam. And they do that thing to the best of their ability
while ignoring all other stimuli. So, what can you do to avoid scattered focus?
It's simple. It would help if you aimed to eliminate all distractions and avoid
any stimuli that could potentially harm your concentration.
2.Avoiding
Distractions
Let's look at it this way. Let's say you have
five units of focus at any given time. That means you can use those five units
however you want. For example, you can use all of them to study, thus achieving
focused concentration. Let's say your mom walks into your room while you're
learning and tells you that dinner will be ready in 45 minutes. Even if you
were super focused, and even if that interaction lasted only 10 seconds, your
attention is now divided. Dinner will now be on your mind, and your concentration
won't be as good as before. One of the attention units has been used for that
dinner, taking it away from your study session. It will take some time to
regain your concentration fully, and you will waste your mental energy.
The funny thing is, you're
most likely to carry a distracting mom with you all the time. Your phone. This
little device is the most giant anti-focus machine there is. It rings and
vibrates; every time a new notification comes in, it makes a sound. That beep
is all it takes to pull your mind away from what you should focus on. But even
if your phone is on silent mode, you're very likely to sneak a quick look at it
when you're bored. Thus dividing your attention. Of course, this doesn't mean
you have to throw away your phone or anything like that. Instead, I suggest
that whenever you want to focus on something, you put it somewhere where you
know it won't distract you and won't be able to look at it. That being said,
cell phones are not the only things that divide your attention. Anything can do
that, but your phone is the most significant contributor. It's about being
aware of possible distractions and avoiding them.
3.Take
Care of Your Body
Another thing that could affect your ability
to concentrate is your physiology. This is something that is often overlooked.
But if you want your mind to function optimally, you must care for your body.
If you get less than 7 hours of sleep daily, your concentration will suffer. On
the contrary, it has been shown that 7-9 hours of sleep leads to better
concentration ability throughout the day. Exercise is also something that
should be done daily. Your ability to concentrate on challenging tasks improves
by releasing dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters.
By exercise, I don't mean go out and run a marathon, but a short walk around the
block is already enough. Bonus points if it's a walk in nature. Hydration is
also vital. You may have noticed that you can't really think right away when
you wake up in the morning. One of the reasons is that you haven't had anything
to drink for over 8 hours, so you're slightly dehydrated. Your diet plays
another vital role in your performance. If you indulge and stuff your body with
unhealthy foods or drink soda, you're doing your brain a disservice. Sugary
foods lead to brain fog and an inability to concentrate. Consider some
healthier alternatives. So, if you're going to focus more efficiently, make
sure to take care of your body.
4.Building
Your Concentration
Now, let's talk about how to build your
concentration. It's worth noting that concentration is a skill. You can train
yourself to concentrate like you would qualify for a sport. The more you do it,
the better you get. When you start, you can only focus for 10 minutes. But as
you do it daily, your concentration will strengthen, and you'll be able to do
it for more extended periods. So, it's okay if you can't concentrate for hours
right now. You can train your concentration over time. The best way to practice
your concentration is to have a specific time to focus intensely on a single
task. Essentially, you want to make concentration a regular habit. Many of us
wait for the perfect moment when everything is perfect, when we feel motivated,
and when all the stars align before going and trying to concentrate. But that's
the wrong approach. Instead, it's better to have a time of day where you sit
down and focus on one thing for as long as possible. You want to protect that
time block, then. The best time to focus is in the morning, about 1 hour after
waking up. Usually, that's when you're fully awake, and your mind isn't yet
occupied by other things that require your attention. Plus, at that time, you
usually have no distractions and have all your focus units ready to be
distributed. Many historical artists, writers, and philosophers have used this
hour. But what about the afternoon? Well, if you've had a busy day, your
attention has already been scattered in many different directions. And your
brain is highly stimulated. That's why it's so much easier to focus in the
morning. Your brain has been resting for 8 hours, after all. So, if you decide
in the middle of a distracting afternoon to direct your attention to a
cognitively demanding task, like studying, you'll need help to direct your
attention. Other things will already occupy your mind. Such attempts will thus
frequently fail. But it's possible to concentrate in the late afternoon. You
need to decompress your brain. And you do that by taking a proper break. You see,
focusing on something more extended is easier if you become mentally fatigued.
And it doesn't matter if it's scattered or directed focus. Both are exhausting.
That's why you need to take a break and give your mind some rest after a
specific time. However, this is where most people need to improve. Taking a
break doesn't mean pulling out your phone and scrolling through Instagram,
YouTube, or whatever. You're still stimulating your brain and still mentally
engaged, thus draining your mental energy instead of recharging it. What you
should do instead is go for a walk, meditate, or take a nap. These activities
allow you to unplug and restore your mental energy because they're not as
stimulating. It may sound boring, but you should let yourself be bored to give
your brain some breathing room. Of course, taking a mental break is not only
when you want to switch from scattered focus to directed focus. It's also
beneficial when you want to extend your ability to continue focusing intensely.
Another way to look at it is to imagine that you've been running for an hour
straight without stopping.
Then, you have a 15-minute break before
running for another hour. You can choose to: A.) Sit down, relax, and do
nothing for 15 minutes. Or B.) Jump rope and do burpees for 15 minutes. You
choose option A because you don't want to exert even more effort. You want to
have enough energy to run another hour, after all. In this case, running is an
analogy for concentration. When you've been focusing for 1 hour, you don't want
to add more stimulation to the mix. You'll mentally tire yourself if you watch
TV or browse the internet. So find an activity that suits you, is not mentally
stimulating, and helps you disconnect. My favourite thing to do is go for a
short walk. It helps me mentally recharge every time.
5.The
Pomodoro Technique
The perfect technique that tightly combines
intense focus and mental breaks is the Pomodoro technique. I've already made a
video about this method, but I'll briefly review it again. It goes like this:
you choose a task you want to focus on. Then, you set a timer for 25 minutes
and do nothing but focus on that task. When the timer goes off, you take a
5-minute break and restart the timer. After completing four 25-minute sessions,
you take a more extended break, usually 30 minutes. Of course, there's no need to
be so rigid. Twenty-five minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest are just
recommendations. You can do it as long as you want, depending on the complexity
of the task. For example, when creating my videos, I usually set the timer for
45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break. So, you should experiment and find
the combination that suits you best if you've made it this far in the video;
great job. Your concentration is already better than most people's. Because
this was a long video, I'll quickly summarize everything I discussed.
·
We have two types of focus:
scattered and directed. Aim for directed focus while staying away from
scattered focus.
·
The best way to avoid scattered
focus is to eliminate distractions. Whenever something interrupts you, it takes
away from your focus units. And your brain has to reload the context
repeatedly, leaving you mentally drained.
·
Take care of your body. If you
want your mind to function correctly, you must take care of your physical
health. This means getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, staying
hydrated, and watching what you put into your mouth.
·
Concentration is a skill. If you
can't concentrate right now, it's okay. You can train your concentration just
like you would qualify for a sport; over time, you'll get better at it.
·
Make concentration a daily habit.
Don't just wait for motivation; set a time in your day when you will intensely
focus. Mornings are the most optimal because there are usually no distractions,
and multiple things don't yet occupy your brain.
·
Give your brain stimulation.
Meditate, go for a walk, or take a nap. Let your brain be bored, and don't do
anything mentally stimulating, like browsing the internet. This is especially
important if you want to focus later in the day.
·
Take regular breaks. Focusing
quickly becomes exhausting. So rest your mind, and you'll be able to
concentrate intensely for longer. And make sure you sleep properly and not just
weakly stimulate your mind.
·
Use the Pomodoro technique. It's
the perfect method that combines intense focus and regular breaks. If nothing
else, make this technique your daily habit.
That's it for this video. Thank you so much
for watching to the end. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, give it a
thumbs up and subscribe if you haven't already. I hope you can concentrate
better than yesterday.
Conclusion
In today's fast-paced world, concentrating effectively is a valuable skill. The article suggests focusing on directed attention rather than scattered multitasking, emphasizing the need to eliminate distractions, especially from smartphones. Taking care of your body through adequate sleep, regular exercise, hydration, and a balanced diet is highlighted for optimal concentration. The article sees concentration as a trainable skill, urging daily practice, especially during distraction-free mornings. It introduces the importance of stimulating the brain appropriately and taking breaks to avoid mental fatigue. With its structured work and break intervals, the Pomodoro technique is recommended as a practical strategy for building concentration. The article provides a straightforward guide to enhancing concentration through focused attention, distraction avoidance, physical well-being, skill development, daily habits, fatigue management, and the Pomodoro technique, encouraging consistent application for improved results in various aspects of life.