Tweet

Photo: davidz / Flickr

If you are unable to focus, you’ll find that you often have to fight off brain fatigue, besides getting lost halfway through a task. The good news is that training your brain to concentrate is completely possible. And once you are able to focus on the matter at hand, without allowing your mind to wander, you’ll start to fly through whatever you’re doing. Here are some concentration tips, but keep it in mind that it always helps to start with a healthy lifestyle.

Time limits

You can waste a lot of time if you lose your focus while working. To avoid this, schedule short breaks for yourself. You may decide to run around the block every hour or read your book. By making a conscious decision about when to begin and end these mini-breaks, you can keep your brain focused while re-energising.

If you can’t take breaks because you’re in a long meeting or a lecture, practice re-focusing on the subject at hand every time your mind drifts away.

Short breaks

Before you begin a new task, decide how long you’re going to give yourself to complete it. By setting a time limit, you programme your brain to focus more effectively. It may help to set another appointment at the end of your allotted time.

Meditation

Mediation is a great tool for practising concentration as it strengthens the ability to re-focus every time concentration is lost. By learning to meditate, you’ll find that your general powers of concentration will improve in your everyday life.

Interest and motivation

If you find something interesting, you’re more likely to want to do it. Boredom will set in if you’re not moved by what you’re doing. Try getting creative to find ways to improve your interest levels.

On that note, check your motivation levels as you’re more likely to focus as long as you need to if there’s a good reason for doing so. If the task isn’t at all inspiring, think of how it might affect a treasured goal in the long term.

If this still doesn’t help, look at your lifestyle choices. Are they affecting your ability to concentrate?

Tags: lifestyle, meditation