13 useful tips to improve your ability to focus
The latest researches tell us that there are several ways in which we can increase our ability to focus. And since different people need different methods to work with, in this article you will find various techniques that can help.
If you’ve ever struggled with a difficult task at work, studied for an important exam, or spent time on an exciting project, and if you wished you could focus better at that point, this article is for you.
Focus refers to the mental effort you direct towards whatever you are working on or learning at a given time. It is sometimes confused with attention span, but attention span refers to the amount of time you can focus on an activity.
Factors influencing the ability to concentrate
Both attention and focus can vary for many reasons. Some people have a harder time letting go of distractions. Age and lack of sleep can affect focus.
Most people forget things more easily as they get older, and poor concentration can also be accompanied by memory loss. Brain injuries, such as concussion, as well as certain mental health conditions can also impact concentration.
It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re trying to focus but just can’t. This can lead to stress and irritability, which can turn concentration into a goal that might seem out of reach.
If this sounds familiar, this article is for you and is meant to help improve your focus. We’ll also highlight some conditions that can affect concentration and the steps to take when trying to increase focus on your own just doesn’t seem to work.
1. Train your brain!!!
Certain types of games can help you focus more intensely. You can try:
✔️ sudoku
✔️ crossword puzzle
✔️ chess
✔️ puzzle
✔️ word searches
✔️ memory games
A 2015 study on 4,715 adults suggests that spending 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week, on brain-training activities can improve focus¹
Engaging brain games can also help you develop your working memory, as well as your processing and problem-solving skills.
Another research also found that cognitive training reduced the risk of road accidents in elderly drivers².
KIDS
Brain training can work for kids too. Invest in a puzzle book, complete a puzzle with them, or play a memory game. Even coloring can help improve concentration in children or adults. Older children may enjoy more detailed coloring pages like those found in adult coloring books.
ELDERY
The effects of brain training games may be especially important for older adults, as memory and concentration often tend to decline with age.
A 2014³ study that looked at 2,832 older adults followed up with the participants 10 years later. Older adults who completed 10 to 14 cognitive training sessions saw improvements in cognition, memory, and processing skills. After 10 years, most study participants reported that they could perform daily activities at least as well as they could at the start of the study, if not better.
2. Improve your sleep
Restless and/or insufficient sleep can easily disrupt concentration, not to mention other cognitive functions such as memory and attention. Occasional sleep deprivation may not cause too many problems, but regular failure to get restful sleep can affect your mood and work performance.
Fatigue can as much as slow your reflexes and affect your ability to drive or perform other daily tasks.
A demanding schedule, health problems, or other factors can sometimes make it difficult to get enough sleep. It’s important to try to get as close as possible to the recommended amount of sleep most nights.
Many experts recommend that adults aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
Here are some tips for improving the quality of your sleep:
✔️ Turn off the TV and leave the screens an hour before bed.
✔️ Keep your room at a comfortable but low temperature.
✔️ Relax before bed with slow music, a warm bath or a book.
✔️ Go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day, even on weekends.
✔️ Exercise regularly but try to avoid a hard workout right before bed.
3. Find time to exercise
Increased concentration is among the many benefits of regular exercise. Exercise is good for everyone.
A 2018 study that looked at 116 fifth graders found evidence suggesting that daily physical activity could help improve concentration and attention after just 4 weeks4.
Other research looking at older adults suggests that a year of moderate aerobic physical activity can help stop or even reverse the memory loss that occurs with age-related brain atrophy 5.
Do what you can!
Experts recommend aerobic exercise, but doing what you can is better than doing nothing. Depending on your personal fitness and weight goals, you may want to do more or less exercise.
Sometimes it’s not possible to complete a recommended exercise program, especially if you are dealing with physical or mental health problems. If it’s hard to find time to exercise or you don’t want to join a gym, try to think of fun ways to work throughout the day. If your heart rate goes up, you’re exercising!
Ask yourself:
💡 Can I drive my children to school?
💡 Can I get up 20 minutes earlier every morning for a quick run around the block or in the park near the house?
💡 Can I go shopping on foot or can I go to different places by bike?
If you can, try to exercise before you really need to focus or when you’re taking a mental break.
4. Spend time in nature
If you want to increase your concentration naturally, try to get outside in nature every day, even for a short time. It is beneficial to take a short walk through a park. Sitting in the garden or yard can also help. Any natural environment has benefits.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), spending time in nature can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health 6.
Recent research has found evidence to suggest that bringing plants in office spaces has helped increase focus and productivity, as well as job satisfaction and air quality. Try bringing a plant or two into your workspace or home for a host of positive effects.
Children can also benefit from natural environments. A research published in 2017 followed more than 1,000 children from birth to age 7. The study hoped to determine how lifelong exposure to trees and greenery at home or in the neighborhood might affect children’s attention. The study suggests that natural environments could benefit brain development and improve attention in children.
For children with ADHD, research 7 suggest that spending time in nature can:
✔️ stimulates their mood
✔️ helps them think more clearly
✔️ increases their social interactions
✔️ reduces ADHD symptoms
5. Try meditation
Meditation and mindfulness practices can provide multiple benefits. Improved concentration is just one of them.
A 2011 review of 23 studies found evidence to suggest that mindfulness training that emphasizes focusing attention could help increase attention and focus. The process of mindfulness can also improve memory and other cognitive skills.
Meditation is not just sitting quietly with your eyes closed. Yoga, deep breathing, and many other activities can help you meditate.
6. Take a break
How can taking a break from work or homework increase your focus? This idea may seem counterintuitive, but experts say it really works.
Consider this scenario: You’ve spent a few hours on the same project and suddenly your attention starts to wander. Even if it’s hard to keep your mind on task, you sit at your desk, forcing yourself to continue. But this struggle to focus only makes you feel stressed and worried that you won’t be able to complete the work on time.
You’ve probably been through this, too. The next time this happens, when you first feel your focus slipping, take a short break. Refresh yourself with a cold drink or nutritious snack, take a brisk walk or step outside in the sun. When you return to work, don’t be surprised if you feel more focused, motivated, or even more creative. Breaks can help stimulate these functions and more.
7. Listen to music
Using music in the background while working or studying can help increase concentration, but this depends on the individual person 9.
Even if you don’t like listening to music while you work, using nature sounds or white noise to mask background sounds could also help improve concentration and other brain functions, according to research 10.
Not everyone agrees that music is helpful, especially when studying a challenging subject.
If you choose to listen to music, here are some tips:
✔️ choose instrumental music and not songs with lyrics
✔️ keeps the music at the background noise level
✔️ choose neutral music and avoid music you love or hate
Otherwise, playing music can be even more distracting.
8. Diversify your diet
The foods you eat can affect cognitive functions such as concentration and memory. To increase concentration, avoid processed foods, too much sugar and very fatty foods.
Instead, try eating:
✔️ fatty fish (such as salmon or trout)
✔️ eggs (both egg white and yolk)
✔️ blueberries
✔️ spinach
Staying hydrated can also have a positive impact on concentration. Even mild dehydration can make it difficult to concentrate or remember information.
Breakfast can help you by increasing your concentration first thing in the morning. Eat a meal low in added sugars and high in protein and fiber. Oatmeal, plain yogurt with fruit, or whole grain toast with eggs are all good breakfast choices.
9. Caffeine
There’s no need to include caffeine in your diet if you prefer to avoid it, but researches suggest it can improve attention and focus.
If you feel your concentration starting to wane, you can have a cup of coffee or green tea. A serving of dark chocolate – 70% cocoa or higher – can have similar benefits when you want to avoid caffeine.
A 2017 study found evidence suggesting that phytochemicals naturally found in matcha, a type of green tea, not only improve cognitive function, but may help promote relaxation. So matcha may be a good option when coffee isn’t doing you any good 11.
10. Try supplements
Some dietary supplements can help promote concentration and improve brain function 12.
Useful supplements include:
✔️ Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi)
✔️ Hill
✔️ Omega-3
✔️ Creatine
✔️ Gingko biloba
✔️ Ginseng
✔️ Rhodiola rosea
✔️ Tyrosine
✔️ Valerian root
However, there is not enough research to confirm that these supplements are effective or safe for everyone. Also, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements. That means you can’t be sure of the exact ingredients or how the supplements will interact with other medications.
Always consult a doctor before trying any supplements, especially if you have any health conditions or allergies. A doctor can review the possible benefits and risks of supplements with you and recommend one that is best for your needs.
11. Do some focus training Focus training often helps children who have trouble concentrating.
Focus training often helps children who have trouble concentrating. This mental training involves giving your full attention to an activity for a certain period of time.
Try these activities:
✔️ Draw for 15 minutes.
✔️ Spend a few minutes playing with a balloon or small ball with another person.
✔️ Set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes. Try to blink as little as possible.
After completing one of the activities, ask your child to write a short summary or sketch of how they felt during the experience. Young children can simply use words to describe their feelings.
Talking about where they lost focus and how they were able to refocus can help them develop these skills to use in everyday tasks.
A concentration workout can benefit adults too, so don’t hesitate to give it a try.
12. Avoid multitasking
Multitasking has become part of everyday life. You might not even realize you’re doing it, but if you’re picking up the kids from school while you’re on the phone and trying to figure out when to schedule a meeting, that’s multitasking.
It seems like a good way to do many things, but scientists have questioned it. Studies have suggested that we’re not as good at multitasking as we like to think we are. First, the brain is not designed to handle two or more things at once. What we are actually doing is switching from one task to another. As a result, we aren’t fully focused on any one of these tasks.
13. Set a timer
Blocking off time for specific tasks can help you focus on one thing at a time and reduce the risk of distraction. Setting time limits can also help you channel your energy into the task at hand because you know that the time you can or must spend on that task is limited.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, many people switched to working from home.
For some, this has resulted in:
❗ additional stress
❗ distraction
❗ lower productivity
Researchers looking for ways to help people overcome these challenges have suggested the following tips 13:
🟣 Timeboxing
When you make your to-do list, reserve a place on your calendar for each thing and then stick to it. Ways timeboxing can help you:
✔️ make sure you complete the tasks
✔️ signal to others when a meeting time is convenient for you
✔️ separate work from home life, if this is a problem
🟣 Use a timer
The Marinara timer, for example, encourages a person to work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four 25-minute blocks, the person will take a 15-minute break. That way, you can fully focus on one task for the allotted time and do something else during the breaks.
🟣 Apps that help you manage your time efficiently
These allow you to set a goal to not use your phone. “Forest”, for example, grows a virtual tree within the set time, encouraging you not to use the device until the tree has grown. If you use the phone too soon, the tree will die. Other apps allow you to set goals for specific sites each day, such as news or social media.
Conditions affecting concentration
Focus problems can be related to things going on around you. Common causes include interruptions from coworkers, distractions from roommates or family members, or social media notifications.
But it’s also possible that difficulty concentrating is related to underlying mental or physical health conditions. Some of the common ones include:
ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
It can create learning and memory challenges for both children and adults. It is usually characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Treatment can help improve ADHD symptoms.
Cognitive dysfunctions
It can affect focus, memory and learning. These problems can include developmental delays or disabilities, brain injuries, or neurological conditions that cause problems with brain function.
Untreated mental health problems such as depression or anxiety
These primarily involve mood changes and other emotional symptoms. They can also make it difficult to concentrate or learn and remember new information. You may find it harder to focus at work or school when you’re stressed.
Concussions and other brain injuries
Can affect concentration and memory. This is usually temporary, but concentration difficulties may persist while a concussion heals.
Farsightedness and other vision problems
They can cause problems with attention and concentration. If you (or your child) find it more difficult than usual to concentrate and also if you have headaches, it might be useful to have a visit at the eye doctor.
Distractions such as social media, phone calls and a busy environment can affect concentration. If you want to focus, try turning off electronic devices and finding an orderly space with minimal noise and clutter.
Not getting enough sleep can make it difficult to concentrate. Good sleep hygiene is recommended because it can help increase concentration performance. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, when possible, and leave electronic devices out of the room.
Drinking alcohol can affect your ability to think. When you drink alcohol, the first place it travels is your brain, which can affect your ability to think, concentrate, make decisions, and manage your speech and behavior.
Some medicines can sometimes lead to concentration deficits, including some medicines to treat high blood pressure. Get a psychiatric evaluation for problems with concentration or memory, tell your doctor what other medications you are taking for other conditions to see if they can cause drowsiness or affect your brain in other ways.
Other treatment options
If these tips don’t help, consider getting professional help. Something more significant than the usual distractions could be affecting your ability to focus, even if you’re not aware of it. You can start by talking to a therapist, especially if you’re feeling stressed or have noticed mood swings. Sometimes it takes a trained professional to notice these symptoms.
Many adults living with untreated ADHD have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time.
Therapy, medications, and other treatment approaches can help improvement with your symptoms once you have a diagnosis. Some people use prescription or recreational drugs such as nootropics to improve their focus, but some of these can have severe side effects. Never use a drug unless prescribed by a doctor and always follow the instructions given by the doctor.
If some ways to improve focus may work well while others don’t seem to do much for you, consider trying a range of different approaches to see what works for you. Talking to a specialist is important. Maybe there’s an underlying reason, and it’s important to rule brain damage or other serious problems out of the equation.
Computerized cognitive stimulation, a tool used in our clinics, improves cognitive performance both in patients who have some known conditions that can affect cognitive functioning and in those who want an increase in cognitive performance.
Bibliography:
- Joseph L Hardy et all., Enhancing Cognitive Abilities with Comprehensive Training: A Large, Online, Randomized, Active-Controlled Trial, PLoS One, 2015 Sep 2;10(9):e0134467.
- Ball K, Edwards JD, Ross LA, McGwin G Jr. Cognitive training decreases motor vehicle collision involvement of older drivers. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2020;58(11):2107–13
- George W. Rebok, et all., Ten-Year Effects of the ACTIVE Cognitive Training Trial on Cognition and Everyday Functioning in Older Adults, J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014 Jan; 62(1): 16–24.
- Heidi Buchele Harris, et all., Impact of Coordinated-Bilateral Physical Activities on Attention and Concentration in School-Aged Children, Volume 2018 | Article ID 2539748 | https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2539748;
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/moderate-exercise-may-improve-memory-older-adults
- https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature
- Silvia Collado et all., Contact with Nature and Children’s Restorative Experiences: An Eye to the Future, Front. Psychol., Sec. Environmental Psychology, Volume 7 – 2016
- Alberto Chiesa et all., Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings, Clin Psychol Rev, 2011 Apr;31(3):449-64 (8).
- https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd-music
- Alana G. DeLoach, et all., Tuning the cognitive environment: Sound masking with “natural” sounds in open-plan offices, J Acoust Soc Am 137, 2291 (2015);
- Christina Dietz, et al., Effect of Green Tea Phytochemicals on Mood and Cognition, Curr Pharm Des., 2017;23(19):2876-2905;
- Cindy Crawford, et all., Dietary Supplement Ingredients for Optimizing Cognitive Performance Among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review, J Altern Complement Med 2021 Nov;27(11):940-958.
- Halley Sutton, et all., Stay focused and reduce stress while working from home, meeting virtually, Recruiting & Retaining Adult Learners. 2020 Oct; 23(1): 8 Published online 2020 Sep 21.
Autor: Dr. Irina Săcuiu – Medic primar psihiatru, Doctor în științe medicale
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