Easily distracted? Learn how to focus with these science-backed ways!
Let’s be candid for a moment; it is way harder now to focus than it was back even a decade ago!
With how fast technology has advanced and how we have all striven to get on with the times, we can easily be distracted by the likes of phones, laptops, and smartwatches, just to name a few. And these are just some of the tech distractions around us!
Add the normal things that usually distract us, like music, chatty people, pets, and other people in the household, and you have a recipe for disaster when it comes to trying to focus. If you innately have an issue with focusing, then you can say goodbye to it somehow.
It is normal that we find it hard to focus, especially when we factor in all the thoughts and random worries that come front and center in our brains. It seems like some tasks are gargantuan due to not being able to focus, yet they are fairly easy to do in the grand scheme of things.
Focusing is essential, and we all need to be on our toes. Despite this, more and more people find it harder to focus, and there are few known cures for it!
This is why we have looked for advice from board-certified psychologists and psychiatrists to bring you the best advice on how you can focus easier and improve your concentration!
Keep on reading to find out the researched-backed ways to keep your focus and concentrate easier, even when the world and your brain are against you!
Do you have a hard time concentrating? Let us know your tips and tricks for focusing in the comments below!
1. Do not be afraid to take breaks!
Yes, we are aware that it sounds counterintuitive when you are doing your best to concentrate, but it is actually the key to being able to focus better.
Getting in a few breaks here and there is beneficial, as you get to step away from what you are doing and working on, and the little break can help remind your mind how to focus.
If you are trying to focus too much on the same goal or task for too long, your mind can end up wondering or looking for something else to focus on; thus, it is very easy for your concentration to be skewed if you try to work on something for too long.
These small breaks do not have to be extra long; even a couple of minutes away from the task you are tackling is going to deactivate your concentration. Then, when you go back to the task, you will find your focus coming back to you much easier.
A good rule of thumb is that when you find your concentration wavering, take a couple of minutes to rest.
2. Minimize distractions!
The not-so-secret secret to being able to focus is to get rid of any major outside distractions.
It is something that is being said and recommended everywhere, but here’s the catch: it actually works! If you stop to think about which are the biggest distractions around you, you will be able to identify all the major things you need to tackle so you can focus better.
For example, if you are always checking your phone once it chimes, try to turn on the “do not disturb” setting, making sure to enable phone calls in case there are any emergencies. You can also silence notifications from social media apps, news alerts, emails, and other things.
If it is not enough, why not put your phone away? It is harder to do than say, but slowly you will find that keeping it away will stop the mindless motion to pick it up and scroll, so you can focus easier on what you need to get done.
3. Give the Pomodoro Technique a chance!
We talked about breaks, but for a lot of us, it can be hard to recognize that we need one. How do you know when to take one and for how long? This is where the Pomodoro Technique comes in.
The concept is easy to implement: you choose your task, goal, or thing you have to focus on and then divide your working time into 25-minute chunks. After the 25 minutes pass, you get a five-minute break, and then you do it all again.
After four Pomodoros, which is the equivalent of two hours of work time, you can take a long break of 15 to 30 minutes.
This time management technique was created by Francesco Cirillo (hence the name), and it is based on the idea that since you have an allocated time frame for work, it is easier to concentrate and focus solely on it. The idea that you will get to take a break also helps you not get as distracted while you work.
Not to mention, if you break a bigger job into chunks, it is easier to tackle, and it may help you stop putting it off.
4. Do not try to multitask!
Yes, you read that right. Multitasking has become a coveted skill, and there are a lot of jobs that require it, not to mention people who brag about being able to do it.
Here’s the catch, though: it may be detrimental to your performance, and it can end up hurting your ability to focus!
Research done on people who are heavy multitaskers and those who have singular focus has shown that people who multitask all the time are more likely to be distracted by noise!
Thus, they have been easier to distract, and on a task-switching ability test, they scored worse than those who did single-focus tasking.
It may be appealing to kill two birds with one stone, but depending on the task, you may finish two jobs with less-than-average results faster. It is not the case for all types of tasks, but keep it in mind next time when you are disturbed.
Concentrating on one thing at a time may be the best way to regain focus.
5. Do not neglect sleep!
Indeed, sleep is yet again mentioned. It is common knowledge by now that sleep is crucial when it comes to maintaining normal and healthy bodily functions, and this includes cognitive functions, which include attention and concentration!
Sleep deprivation is going to impair your focus, alertness, attention, and overall concentration, no matter what you are trying to do. Research done on sleep deprivation has shown that even one night of no sleep can significantly impair your cognitive abilities and attention.
So if you have been finding it hard to concentrate lately, make sure you are getting enough sleep. Sleep experts recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of quality sleep a night to be able to live to their full concentration ability.
As a side note, if you happen to not have gotten enough sleep and you find your focus slipping, try to get in a nap. Giving in to fatigue and sleeping will improve your concentration when you wake up.
6. Did anyone say coffee?
We cannot end this list without mentioning coffee. If you can drink caffeine and enjoy it, know that that extra cup of Joe is advised when you have trouble focusing!
Articles pushed on the matter have discovered that caffeine in low doses plays a role in improving memory performance and reaction time while also lowering anxiety. This, however, is only true if you do not overdo it and if you do not go over the recommended caffeine levels.
If you get too much caffeine in you, you may feel more aware, but it will actually have the opposite effect in terms of focus; you will be way more anxious and nervous, as well as experience jitters.
So do not overdo it!
If you know you are on the neurodivergent spectrum and this is why you find it hard to concentrate, we have just the book for you. Divergent Mind is a perfect book with tips and tricks for learning how to operate in a world that is not designed for how your mind works.
Not being able to focus is how your mind subtly sabotages you. Yet, there are ways in which you are actively doing that, which is hurting yourself, your self-esteem, and even your livelihood! Make sure you know how to sabotage yourself, so you can stop it before it becomes detrimental!
