Improving Focus
2 December 2013
Read by 1844 persons
Concentration is essential for reading, working, or even driving. It allows easier memorization while avoiding excessive energy loss.
Some people worry about their inability to concentrate. For some, it's a recurring state; for others, it's a temporary problem linked to intense fatigue.
Improving focus is also a way to be more zen overall and to gain good self-control.
What is concentration?
Concentration and attention go hand in hand.
Concentration is synonymous with attention. Listening, observing, and mentally recording are the main ingredients of concentration.
Conversely, when one is easily distracted—by one's external environment or by intrusive thoughts—one lacks concentration.
We can therefore say that being concentrated is being 100% focused on what one is doing. Becoming one with the task being performed.
Why do we sometimes lack concentration?
Besides the distraction mentioned above, lack of concentration can be temporary, linked to poor physiological state. Certain disorders can lead to a lack of concentration:
lack of sleep;
an unbalanced diet;
a sedentary lifestyle and lack of oxygen;
a disruptive environment: too much noise, interruptions...
How to improve concentration?
There are a few basic rules that can help improve concentration:
Posted on December 2, 2013.
Some people worry about their inability to concentrate. For some, it's a recurring state; for others, it's a temporary problem linked to intense fatigue.
Improving focus is also a way to be more zen overall and to gain good self-control.
What is concentration?
Concentration and attention go hand in hand.
Concentration is synonymous with attention. Listening, observing, and mentally recording are the main ingredients of concentration.
Conversely, when one is easily distracted—by one's external environment or by intrusive thoughts—one lacks concentration.
We can therefore say that being concentrated is being 100% focused on what one is doing. Becoming one with the task being performed.
Why do we sometimes lack concentration?
Besides the distraction mentioned above, lack of concentration can be temporary, linked to poor physiological state. Certain disorders can lead to a lack of concentration:
lack of sleep;
an unbalanced diet;
a sedentary lifestyle and lack of oxygen;
a disruptive environment: too much noise, interruptions...
How to improve concentration?
There are a few basic rules that can help improve concentration:
- Adopt a better lifestyle by engaging in regular physical activity and getting enough sleep.
- Help yourself with a varied and balanced diet containing enough foods known to be good for the circulatory system (garlic and onion) and for the proper functioning of our nervous system (cereals, green vegetables, legumes, dairy products... which all contain B vitamins).
- Add one or two food supplements if needed: for example, ginkgo biloba is good for microcirculation.
- Tidy up your workspace. The more your gaze can be captivated and distracted by other objects, the more it will be distracted from the task at hand. Clear the space and keep only the object of your concentration in front of you.
- Avoid time-wasters: these time-eaters can interrupt us at any time and easily distract us. For example, an idle colleague who wants to talk. Clearly state your expectations and your need to isolate yourself for such urgent work.
- Learn meditation and zen. Indeed, these Eastern philosophies teach us not only to clear our minds and eliminate disturbing thoughts but also to live in the moment, with all our senses alert. Living in the present moment and being 100% aware of what we are doing now is also an effective exercise to improve concentration.
- Concentrate anywhere. If you manage to practice the first 6 rules, you should quickly achieve this last one. When one knows how to concentrate, it becomes possible to read on a crowded subway and remain focused on our reading. In fact, we manage to isolate ourselves in a kind of bubble that allows us very good concentration.
Posted on December 2, 2013.
