Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes9 Proven Ways That Will Improve Concentration And Focus

Getting Back Into The Flow

When you’re at the top of your game and productivity, you’ll experience flow, that laser-like concentrated state of mind.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the Hungarian psychologist who created this concept, defines flow as:

“A state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it”

When you are so deeply focused and totally absorbed in a task that nothing seems to be able to distract you – you are in a state of flow.

This is where you have built a momentum so effortlessly that your actions and state of mind are in harmony.

In moments like these, your work does not feel like work but instead, you are completely absorbed in the activity that it feels like pure enjoyment.

So, are you ready to improve concentration and focus on your life?

How To Improve Concentration And Focus

If you are ready, here are 9 fail safe ways to boost your ability to focus:

1. One Task At A Time

This means no multitasking, no matter how productive you feel while performing multiple activities at the same time.

Neuroscientists can testify that our brain doesn’t really thrive at doing tasks simultaneously. In fact, every time you switch tasks, your brain goes into a start-stop mode.

So, when you multitask, it costs more time, it is less efficient, and you tend to make more mistakes.

2. Get Enough Shut-Eye

Yea, this is a bit of a no-brainer. A good night’s sleep will ensure that you think clearly, remember more, and become more decisive.

Sleep deprivation can cause problems such as an inability to focus, forgetfulness, and decreased productivity.

Use glasses that block out blue light when you use electronic devices that emit blue light. Blue light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms.

3. The Magic Of Brain Breaks

A brain break, also known as a “microbreak,” can be any action that gives your brain a boost. It also a good way to improve concentration and focus.

A brain break might be as short as a few seconds or as long as several minutes. As long as it breaks up the monotony of a cognitively or physically demanding activity.

Going to the pantry to have a cup of coffee can be considered a brain break. So is walking to the window to admire the scene on the street for a minute or two.

4. Practice Mindfulness 

Two words:

Being present.

When you eat, rather than eating with your smartphone, television, or someone else, pay attention to your meal. Focus on its flavors and crunchiness. That is being present.

Mindfulness simply means focusing completely on what you are doing. It is being aware of where you are and observing all the sensations (physical and emotional) you’re experiencing in that moment.

Practicing mindfulness throughout the day will help you improve concentration and focus.

5. Stay Away From Digital Distractions

This is probably the toughest one. It takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to deep focus, and yet…

…there’s a huge temptation to unlock your phone, check your Twitter account, and look at photographs on Instagram.

There are no hard and fast rules for this. Turn off email notifications.

Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb” mode during the time you need to concentrate. You can also avoid going online for a few hours.

Whatever it is, you must determine what is most effective for you.

6. Bring Music Into Your Life

Music makes you feel upbeat, drowns out distracting noises and evokes positive emotions. When you’re listening to music, your brain releases dopamine, a chemical that relieves stress and makes you feel good.

Teresa Lesiuk, associate professor of music therapy at the University of Miami, observed that music can “mild, positive moods.”

In her research, the participants have positive experiences when listening to whatever kind of music they prefer “90% of the time.”

7. Tapping Into Your Ultradian Rhythms

The time management and productivity app, Rescue Time, has an interesting revelation.  According to the app creators, knowledge workers have just 2 hours and 48 minutes of productive time each day.

Hence, try not to power through from start to finish on an average workday. Instead, you might want to try aligning your most important work with your most productive time.

Find the time of day when your body is at its best. This is as simple as tapping into your ultradian rhythms.

Ultradian means “many times a day.” Rhythms refer to the up-and-do wave patterns these cycles follow. These rhythms are used to regulate all individuals’ energy production, output, and recovery cycles.

According to sleep expert Nathaniel Kleitman, our bodies go through a 90-to-120-minute cycle. In between this time cycle, you’ll be looping between an unproductive trough and a productive peak.

When you work within that 90-to-120-minute state of alertness, you’ll be 500% more productive. That is where you find your state of flow.

8. The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique instills a sense of urgency and helps create sustained concentration. If you are the type that works well under pressure, then this technique is for you.

This strategy is based on concentrated work sessions of 25 minutes with regular 5-minute breaks (referred to as pomodoros).

Using a timer, just focus on a single task for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break.

Then, tackle your next task for 25 minutes. After about four pomodoros, you take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.

9. Practice Relaxed Concentration

One proven way to improve concentration and focus is by using hypnosis. If you have a vision of pendulums swinging and spectators clucking like chickens, that is just a Hollywood image.

Hypnosis induces a “calm mind” condition in which your mind is trained to focus and concentrate solely on your objective. According to Stanford University research, hypnosis can help you concentrate on a particular task without being distracted by the environment. 

It uses your subconscious’s strengths to put you in a peaceful state of concentration. This allows you to concentrate more on achieving your goals.

Conclusion

The ability to focus and get things done within a stipulated time is crucial in today’s world. To boost your productivity and achieve your goals, work to improve your concentration and focus.

To conclude, I leave you with an awe-inspiring quote from the late Bruce Lee that will linger in your mind long after our conversation fades into memory:

“Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”