The ability to stay focused on a project is a quality anyone wants, in this article, we are going to highlight 12 Strategies for Focusing Better.
- High concentration is the key to maintaining productivity and ending procrastination once and for all.
- With so various options, it seems impossible not to get carried away for a minute.
- Several techniques proven by studies and research help train the brain to stay focused longer.
However, with increasingly busy and technology-dependent routines, there are countless distractions to which we are continually exposed. Social notifications, calls, messages, a warning about a new video that has been released on your favorite channel – all competing with the background noise of the TV.
With so many options, it seems impossible not to get carried away for a minute. The problem is that this minute almost always stretches and when you realize the day is ending without your activities being accomplished.
Fortunately, science can help in this case: several techniques proven by studies and research help train the brain to stay focused longer. Are you interested? Read on and learn the most effective concentration tips!
Strategies for Focusing
Below are the 12 Strategies for Focusing, read and digest!
1. Use metacognition
Metacognition is the knowledge and control of our own cognitive processes. Basically, we are able to “think about our thoughts,” evaluate them and find ways to control them.
Understanding aspects such as how your attention works, the distractions that most affect you, and when you start to get tired is critical to managing your mental resources and even defining the best time to study.
2. Take periodic breaks
A study at the University of Michigan in the United States found that natural environments such as parks and squares have high fatigue-reducing power. So when you feel tired and angry about the project you’re working on, take a walk.
You can also pause briefly to watch a video, chat with a friend, or just relax without doing anything – the important thing is not to try to push yourself too far. Short moments of rest are key to recharging your energies.
3. Train the brain
More and more research proves that it is possible to train our mental capacity. This is because training promotes changes in the connection of the brain’s frontoparietal network structures where attention processing takes place.
Logical reasoning exercises, crossword puzzles, and riddles are just a few examples of simple tools that can help you keep brain activity high.
4. Keep the environment organized
Eliminating distractions in the environment where you study will greatly help your concentration. Make sure you’re free from television, music, or even your family and friends talking. These things attract your attention, diverting your focus, and preventing you from devoting yourself to what you really need.
Another important factor is a comfort. Make sure you are not too cold or too hot, that your chair aids your posture, and that the amount of light is adequate.
5. Practice Meditation
An article in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) states that training meditation for 20 minutes daily for five days is sufficient to improve performance on attention tests. In addition, the practice also helps to reduce anxiety and fatigue.
6. Generate mental triggers
According to Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov, famous in psychology, some stimuli, when well trained, are capable of generating immediate reactions in us. If you find yourself easily distracted by random thoughts, try establishing a guideline that will get you back to what really matters. You can define your own method or choose more obvious phrases.
Options such as “focus,” “go back to school,” can help you get your thinking on the right track. You can also use music or alarms on your phone. Over time, these attitudes become habits, and the mere thought of the right word becomes a trigger to re-establish your focus.
7. Play video games
A study from the University of Rochester in the United States, published in the journal Nature, points out that the people who play action games improve their selective visual attention and are better able to respond quickly to stimuli. This can be a great option to distract yourself while boosting your cognition.
8. Change the routine
This will prevent you from feeling bored with the same tasks daily. Establish a schedule that alternates materials and tasks by the degree of difficulty or type of strategy established for the practice. Varying the way content is viewed will keep you motivated and avoid boredom.
Another point that can help a lot is to change the place of study. If you usually stay in your room, try a few different places from time to time: read a book in the square or park, do activities in the school or town library, or even change your study desk – the important thing It is creating new situations to keep the body alert.
9. Control Anxiety
It is common to have so many tasks that you have difficulty prioritizing. This situation brings negative thoughts, stress, and unnecessary worries that end up hindering your performance.
Use calendars and schedules to organize your activities and control anxiety. Make lists sorted in order of priority and set time for each task, so you avoid thinking about everything at the same time. Also, it feels great to be able to cross out a calendar appointment right after you do it.
10. Exercise
Studies published in the journal Experimental Educational Psychology show that exercise can greatly improve cognitive performance. According to research, brief aerobic exercise (up to 12 minutes), for example, improves selective attention span in children.
Take time out of your day to walk, jog, go to the gym, or do any sport that interests you. If you cannot exercise every day, try to fit the activities into your routine at least three times a week. Keeping your body healthy helps balance your mind, reduce stress, and control anxiety – and provides great nights sleep.
11. Make the subject more interesting
It is a fact that there will always be some subject that we have no desire to study, but we know it cannot be missed. When you’re not interested in the activity, maintaining concentration is virtually impossible – a fly in front of you will be much more attractive.
To solve this problem, try to make the subject more dynamic: watch movies, read fiction books that address the topic, look for a good documentary, ask for help from friends. Anything goes to make the theme more attractive.
12. Take care of health
The last Strategies for Focusing is our physical disposition, it also reflects (and much) our ability to concentrate. If you spend a good sleepless night, there is no coffee that can help you stay focused. Ideally, an adult is to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
Another important point is the food. You will need foods that provide energy but are not too heavy so as not to cause that feeling of discomfort and sleep. Eat healthy, eat every three hours, and drink lots of water!
Conclusion
By following these concentration tips, staying focused will surely be much easier. In addition to being more productive, you will be able to learn better and have much more satisfying results.
Do you love our article on Strategies for Focusing? Now, how about taking a break to share this text on your social networks?
Leave a Comment