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If you find it a struggle to stay focused and focus seems like an unfamiliar word to you, you’re not alone. Try these tips that may help combat it
There are studies that claim that if our mind wanders and we get lost in our thoughts, then we are giving ourselves a great gift. Such scientific findings, however, would probably have no luck as a counter-argument to the employer who reprimanded us because we had been removed during the business meeting, or to the friends who accuse us of once again talking airborne.
The inability to concentrate is the hallmark of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But before we attribute the difficulty to a neurodevelopmental disorder that eluded us and was never diagnosed, perhaps we should consider the rhythms of everyday life and our mental load. «Difficulty concentrating and paying attention, although they are at the core of ADHD, are also common in many mental disorders such as severe anxiety, depression and a history of traumatic experiencesexplains neuropsychologist Rosemarie Manfredi.
According to the American Psychological Association then, our ability to stay focused for a certain period of time tends to shrink as a result of the intense pace of life, the speeds that we are used to social media and the new technologies that manage to constantly distract us.
The “enemies” of the concentration
It is not a “privilege” of a few but a phenomenon that affects many people. In times of intense stress, explains the expert, our work may be left behind due to the inability to concentrate, or we may even abandon it. The stress is the biggest culprit for our poor concentration, which is thus affected by a combination of external stimuli and internal thoughts, explains Dr. Manfredi.
Other aggravating factors are insufficient sleep -which you can improve through these eight tips– and sedentary life instead physical exercise which is central to good attention. “Regular exercise can help our bodies self-regulate, allowing us to pay attention when needed.Dr. Manfredi explains the short- and long-term benefits of exercise for the brain, from better mood to improved memory, learning and selective attention.
4 tips for better attention
Attention is one of the most sensitive functions of the brain but also suitable for interventions that can strengthen it, such as the following suggested by Dr. Manfredi:
1. Better sleep. One of the first key interventions that should basically aim for a stable sleep and wake-up routine.
2. Stress management. At work or at home, there are ways to reduce stress, such as these 6 unexpected methods that relieve and calm
3. More breaks. Regular breaks allow you to focus on one thing for a longer period of time. “We focus more on things we find interesting or enjoyable and less when we find them boring, boring, uninteresting or trivial” explains the specialist and recommends that we give it 80% of maximum concentration duration to something and then take a break so that “the brain can regroup and reactivate to continue working».
4. Fewer distractions. It will take a conscious effort to limit distractions which may include:
- the help of a timer which will ring at regular intervals to see if we managed to stay focused on a task,
- the use of headphones when the noisy environment does not allow us to maintain our attention
- the use of extensions and applications on the internet that prevent redirection to various pages as well as appropriate social media settings to disable notifications.