7 Effective Techniques to Improve Your Focus

The world is filled with more distractions than ever, making it essential that we learn how to put our focus on work, driving, our family and anything else that requires a degree of concentration. If you’re someone who’s easily distracted, it’s in your best interest to learn how to boost your focus, which is sure to improve your standard of life as well as the outcome of everyday tasks and any long-term goals you might have for yourself and your life.

1. Meditation

You’ve likely heard of the many benefits of meditation, but have you ever tried meditating yourself? Studies have shown that meditation helps keep you calm and focused throughout your day, in addition to improving a variety of other mental functions. To ease your way into meditating, you can simply take out 10 to 20 minutes of your day sitting in stillness and focusing on your breathing.

2. Breathing Exercises

Another form of meditation is to complete breathing exercises, which have the added benefit of helping you relax while you improve your concentration. One breathing exercise is to inhale through the nose while counting to four and exhaling through the nose while counting to four. You can also put one hand on your chest and another on your stomach and inhale through your nose until you fill up your diaphragm. The goal is to take at least six breaths a minute and keep it up for 10 minutes.

3. Pay Attention to Your Diet

The foods you also have an impact on your overall level of concentration. Make sure you eat enough healthy calories throughout the day to make it easier for your brain to get the blood sugar it needs to maintain proper oxygen levels and keep you focused on the task at hand. Oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds are also well-regarded for having the omega-3 oils your body needs to improve your mental performance.

4. Take Nootropics

If you currently take supplements, you might already be familiar with one called nootropics. What this special supplement does is boost your brain functionality so you can remember things easier, protect your brain from harmful chemicals and be more productive throughout your day. For the best results, you’ll want to take well reviewed nootropics, ones that have been fully and well-reviewed by industry authorities. You should also read the ingredient list of any nootropics you decide to take and talk with your doctor to see if they’re a good idea for you to try.

5. Write Down Your Distractions

Just like your mind is bound to wander while you’re meditating, the same is true when you’re concentrating on an important task. Rather than dismiss distractions, especially since they’ll likely crop back up throughout the day, it’s better for you to instead write your distractions down and indulge in them later when you aren’t so busy. Just like you would make a to-do list of tasks that need to be done throughout the day, you can do the same with distractions that plague your mind throughout the day.

6. Practice Mindfulness

One thing to note here is that mindfulness and meditation aren’t the same. What’s unique about is that it allows you to tune into how you’re feeling both emotionally and physically at any time of day. Rather than stay in your head all the time, take out a few minutes to truly experience whatever it is you’re doing at a specific point in your day, whether it’s working, eating, walking, shaving or driving. You’re sure to be surprised at how well being present helps to boost your focus.

7. Read Long-Form Articles

Rather than read tweets of 140 characters or other short social media posts try reading more long-form articles. Realize the fact that long-form articles generally have more expanded and in-depth ideas that are allowed to be fleshed out in a way that’s often not possible with articles that are just a few paragraphs long. Not only is reading longer articles better for your concentration, doing so is also a great way to learn new ideas and gain new perspective on matters that interest you.

Both you and your mind will be better off with razor-sharp focus. Realize that you should start slow with the above suggestions and give yourself time to adjust. With unwavering focus, you’re sure to find it’s that much easier for you to achieve your goals.