If you are having a hard time concentrating, this guide will help you out. You may be dealing with a day where the workload is going to be heavy. So you want to concentrate and focus as much as possible.
However, it doesn’t seem to be going the way you hoped it would. You try to chip away at your to do list and then you end up doing something else that isn’t relevant to the task at hand. If you are looking for ways to concentrate and focus naturally, take a look at the following list below so you can try these out for yourself.
Consider using essential oils
There are plenty of essential oils for concentration on the market. Among some of the best options include peppermint, cedarwood, lavender, and lemongrass among others. You can add it to a diffuser and place it strategically in your work area.
When you smell the scent, you will feel calm, relaxed, and ready to take on the tasks at hand. You won’t feel like there’s a thousand and one things to worry about. Just relax, take control, and be able to knock out the priorities of the day.
Lessen the number of distractions
The less distractions are close to you, the better you will concentrate. There’s no other way to say it. So, how do you go about doing this?
For one, you’ll want to close the door to your office. Next, you’ll want to shut off the notifications on your phone (or shut it off completely). Also, if you are using a computer, shut off any apps that are non-essential.
Yes, it may be hard to open up the web browser app because you want to read something or watch that funny YouTube video. However, you’ll want to stay focused and that means having enough willpower to not open the non-essential apps that may distract you.
Also, it would be smart for you to let people know not to interrupt you when you plan on working on something important. This means they can’t email you or see anyone at their office until they are available once again.
Drink coffee, but lesser amounts
We get it. Drinking coffee can help us concentrate, right? Well, that’s in part true.
You’ll want to drink it in small doses. Moderation is the name of the game here. Because if you drink too much of it, you may end up developing nervousness and feel more anxious than ever.
When that happens, you won’t be able to concentrate. As much as you love coffee, cutting back on it can be a big help. It may be a challenge to get you to do it, but trust us when we say that it will work.
Use the Pomodoro technique to your advantage
To do this, you will need a timer. Set it to a certain length such as a half hour. When the timer goes off, stop what you’re doing and take a quick five minute break.
Then, you’ll want to repeat the process. Do this four times and then you can take a longer break of up to 30 minutes. Try this out and you’ll feel like you will concentrate on the task at hand.
You’re not timing yourself for speed. You’re just trying to see what you can get done in the allotted amount of time. When you are sort of racing against the clock, you become more productive.
Be sure to eat right
Let’s face it, your diet could be one of the reasons why your concentration sucks. So, you’ll want to make sure you are eating well. This includes having a diet with protein, carbs, and healthy fats.
These will keep you fueled for the long haul. If you need to, have a small snack handy. This can include nuts, veggies, fruit, or even seeds. However, if you are hungry and in a period between meals, drink water so your appetite is satisfied fast.
You can try foods such as salmon, green, leafy veggies like spinach, and even nuts like walnuts. Again, you want to keep the caffeine consumption to moderate levels (as we’ve mentioned earlier in the guide).
Final Thoughts
If you are having trouble concentrating, make sure that these five steps listed above are great ways to help. You could be doing something that could be destroying your ability to concentrate and not know it. But don’t stress, there are solutions like the ones above.
If you are planning a big work day tomorrow, you can plan ahead and find ways to reduce any distractions and increase your concentration levels. Also, make sure that you drink a little less caffeine than you usually do so you can be able to concentrate and not descend into being unproductive due to anxiety.