What all you need to do for a better mental focus

What all you need to do for a better mental focus

Updated on August 27, 2022 16:40 PM by Anthony Christian

Being on the same task for long durations is difficult; it becomes a lot more challenging when there are plenty of distractions around you. In the world of technology, these distractions have increased manifold, and most of them are just a click away.

Even in your quietest moments, these distractions are literally at your fingertips as you continuously check the latest news updates or Instagram notifications.

Concentrating on what you are doing and directing your mental efforts towards it are critical factors when you want to learn something new, achieve your goals, and perform appropriately in different situations. 

Whether competing in a marathon or working on a report, your mental focus can make all the difference.

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Fortunately, improving your mental focus is possible but it isn't always easy and quick. If this were so simple, everybody on this planet would have a razor-sharp concentration.

It would help if you made real efforts and modifications to your everyday habits. Here are some tricks and tips from psychology that helps you develop laser-like mental concentration and focus.

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Examine your mental focus

Before you start to work on increasing your mental focus, it is advisable to know how strong your mental focus is at the moment. 

You have a good focus…

Staying alert is an easy task for you

You break your goals into small parts

You get back to work after short breaks

You need to work on your focus if…

Daydreaming is a part of your daily life

You are unable to leave your distractions

You always lose track of how much you have progressed

If you feel the first set of statements were written keeping you in mind, then we have good news for you, you already have good concentration skills. But, as we all know, there is always a scope for improvement, so with little practice, even you can see positive changes in yourself.

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If you feel the second set of statements are more your type, you most likely need to work on your mental focus. No doubt it will take some time, but practicing some good habits and being aware of your distractibility will surely help.

Lower your distractions

Although it sounds obvious, people usually underestimate the power of distractions. These distractions don't allow you to do the work at hand. These intrusions have various forms ranging from a radio in your background to an abhorrent colleague who stops at your desk every now and then.

Lowering the sources of distractions is not as easy and simple as it may sound. While switching off a TV, radio, or mobile phone is easy but dealing with a talkative colleague, child, spouse, or roommate is challenging.

One way is to set aside a particular time and location and request others to leave you alone for that much time. Another way is to look for a peaceful location where you know nobody will disturb you. A library, a coffee shop, or a private room in your house are some of the good options to try. 

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This may surprise you, but all distractions aren't from external sources. Worry, exhaustion, poor motivation, anxiety, and other disturbances are much more challenging.

Some ways to deal with these disturbances are to ensure you take proper rest before you start working on any task and use positive imagery and thoughts to keep anxiety and worry away from you. If you feel your mind is, again and again, going back to the distracting thoughts, consciously bring them back to what you are doing.

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Limit your mental focus

Though most people feel multitasking is a great way to do more in less time, people are actually bad at it. Dealing with many tasks at a time can significantly decrease productivity, and working on truly important details becomes much harder.

The attentional resources are finite, so make the best use of these resources.

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You can imagine your attention as a spotlight. You see things more clearly when you shine it on a specific area. If you try to spread that much light in a large dark room, you may only get a glimpse of shadowy outlines. 

Part of increasing mental focus is the optimum use of the available resources. Say goodbye to multitasking and give whatever attentional resources you have to a single work at a time.

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Be present

Staying mentally focused is quite challenging if you always ruminate about the past, anxious about your future, or away from the present moment for any reason. 

We all are aware of the importance of being present. It is all about keeping distractions away from you, whether they are in a physical form like a mobile phone or psychological, like your anxieties, and being fully involved in the present moment.

This concept of being present is critical for bringing back your mental focus. Staying engaged in the current moment keeps your attention razor-sharp, and your concentration focused on the details which are really important at a particular point in time.

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It can take some time, but you should truly learn to live in the present moment. Nobody can go back and change the past, but what you do matters today. It will help you avoid the mistakes you made in the past and create a way for a better future.

Follow mindfulness

Mindfulness is one of the hot topics currently, and all for good reasons. Spite of people has followed different types of mindfulness meditation for the past thousand years. People have recently understood its health benefits. 

In a study, researchers invited human resource professionals to get involved in complex multitasking daily at work. 

The tasks were to be done in 20 minutes. The tasks were to answer phone calls, write memos, and schedule meetings while sources of information came from all directions, such as phone calls, text messages, and emails.

Some of the participants were given mindfulness meditation training for eight weeks. The study showed that only those given training improved their focus and concentration.

The meditation group participants stayed on the tasks longer, shifted between the tasks less often, and did all the work more effectively than the nontraining participants.

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Practicing mindfulness can include learning, but it can be as simple as trying an easy and quick deep breathing exercise.

Quick tip to recapture your focus: Begin by taking some deep breaths and focus on every breath. If your mind starts to wander here and there, uncritically and gently, bring back your focus on your deep breathing.

 While it may look like a simple and easy task, you'll realize it is a lot more difficult than you think. However, the good part is that you can do this breathing exercise anywhere, anytime, and you don't need any equipment. With time, you'll find it becomes easier to keep distracting thoughts at bay, and your mind starts to wander less.

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Small breaks

Have you ever focused on something for longer durations? After some time, y our focus begins to break down, and devoting our mental resources to the task at hand becomes more and more challenging. Not only this, it is your performance that suffers in the end. 

According to traditional psychological explanations, all these happen because of the depletion of attentional resources. But, some researchers believe that all this has more to do with the tendency of the brain to ignore the sources of continuous stimulation.

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Researchers have concluded that even taking small breaks by giving your attention elsewhere can significantly improve your mental focus.

Thus, the next time you work on a lengthy task, like studying for your exam or preparing your taxes, make sure you give yourself some occasional breaks.

Take your attention away from whatever you are doing, even if it is just for a few moments. These brief moments of respite may mean that you will be able to retain your mental focus razor-sharp and have high performance when you really need it the most.

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Better sleep

Disruptive sleep can lead to low concentration, needless attention, and memory. 

Sleep deprivation may not result in so many problems. But, sleep deprivation regularly has the potential to affect your mood as well as your performance.

Being too exhausted even slows down your reflexes and impacts your driving skills and your ability to do other routine tasks.

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A demanding schedule, health concerns, and any other factors at times do not let you get enough sleep. But, no matter what, try to get as much sleep as you need to.

Tips to have quality sleep:

Turn off your TV and any other sort of screen at least an hour before you go to bed.

Make sure your room is at a comfortable, cool temperature.

Read a book, take a warm shower or listen to soft music before bed.

Try to sleep and wake up at the same time daily, including on weekends and holidays.

Exercise regularly, but try not to do heavy workouts immediately before bed.

Nature

A natural way to boost your concentration is to spend some time outdoors, even if it is for a short duration. Sitting in your backyard or garden is also helpful for just a walk in your nearby park. All natural environments are beneficial.

Psychologists suggest spending time with nature can positively impact your physical and mental health. 

There are some studies conducted which concluded that keeping plants in your office area helps improve your concentration and also productivity.

Also Read: 14 Tips to Improve Your Concentration

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Music

Listening to music when you study or work may help improve concentration, but this is specific.

Even if you don't like music when they work, you can still try white noise or natural sounds to cover background noises. It also helps improve your concentration and other cognitive functions as well. 

However, not everybody accepts that listening to music is a good idea while studying, especially when you are studying a difficult topic.

Below are some tips if you choose to listen to the music:

Go for instrumental music instead of songs with lyrics.

Make sure the music plays at the background noise level.

Otherwise, playing music can prove to be more of a distraction than a benefit.

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Practice

You can not build your mental focus overnight. Even professional athletes need much time and practice to improve their concentration skills.

One of the first steps you must take is to know how distractions impact your life. If you struggle to achieve your goals and spend too much time on trivial tasks, then you should start giving higher value to your time.

By building your concentration, you will realize that you can achieve more and focus on the things which bring you joy, satisfaction, and success. 

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Not everything works for everyone. So, some of the above-given tips may work for you, and some may not. Experiment with different combinations to see what suits you the best.  

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