Do you often find it difficult to concentrate and want to actively do something about it? Then read this article. Here you will find out how you can improve your concentration.
- Why is it important to be able to concentrate?
- Why can't we concentrate so often?
- Increase concentration - Immediate measures
- Increase concentration - Long-term exercises
1. Why is it important to be able to concentrate?
Whether at school, university or at work. Everywhere we are asked to be able to concentrate. Some people seem to find this easier than others.
The most important message first: the ability to concentrate is not innate. Everyone can train and improve their ability to concentrate.
If you are able to concentrate for a longer period of time, you will be more productive in what you do. You will make fewer mistakes in your tasks and achieve better results overall.
Does it sound like concentration is only important for the working world? That's not true. Because it will also be easier for you to learn new things in your private life.
No matter whether you want to learn a new language, a musical instrument or a new sport. With good concentration skills, you can absorb and acquire new information better.
2. Why can't we concentrate so often?
If the ability to concentrate is so important, why do so many people find it so difficult? There are various reasons for this. On the one hand, it can be due to external circumstances.
On the other hand, it can also be due to your personal abilities and even your physical condition. Another reason can also be that what you are doing is over- or under-demanding.
The external circumstances
For many people, the smartphone is probably the biggest source of distraction. Is it within reach next to you? Is the sound or vibration alarm switched on? Then every little notification can break your concentration.
Your environment has a significant influence on your concentration. Do you learn or work in a messy environment? Is your desk full of 1000 things? Then distraction is not far away.
Loud flatmates, family, partners or children can also be a source of distraction. In the working world, open-plan offices in particular make concentrated work difficult.
Other disruptive factors can also be unpleasant light and background noise.
Physical factors
Physical factors, such as illness or suboptimal nutrition, can severely affect your ability to concentrate.
Thyroid problems, circulatory disorders, dementia and depression can lead to reduced concentration. They should always be treated under medical supervision.
However, blood sugar fluctuations and nutrient deficiencies can also be a trigger for poor concentration. Here, a balanced and wholesome diet can help.
Personal factors
Personal factors primarily concern your own ability to concentrate. Perhaps you think of yourself as having poor concentration.
But that doesn't have to stay that way. Because with the following immediate measures and long-term exercises, you too can increase your concentration.
Over- and under-challenging
In addition to the factors mentioned above, over- or under-challenging in your activities can lead to you not being able to concentrate properly. Check yourself next time.
Are you possibly distracting yourself because a task is not demanding enough or is it because the task still exceeds your competencies?
3. Increasing concentration - Immediate measures
In most cases, external circumstances can be changed most quickly. The following immediate measures can help you to increase your concentration immediately.
Regular ventilation
Fresh air supplies the body and brain with new oxygen. This ensures better thinking performance than in rooms with stuffy air.
Finding the right room temperature
Rooms that are too warm make you tired and sluggish. Rooms that are too cold feel uncomfortable. Both disrupt your optimal concentration.
The ideal room temperature is perceived differently by everyone. If you work from home, you can regulate the room temperature so that it is neither too warm nor too cold for you.
Healthy light sources
Artificial light sources irritate our eyes more than natural sunlight. For some people, it may be useful to buy a daylight lamp.
The alternative light source irritates the eyes less. This means that fatigue occurs more slowly and concentration can be maintained for longer.
Eliminate or fade out noise sources
By eliminating or fading out disruptive noise sources, your concentration can be increased very quickly. The easiest way to do this is with headphones that have a noise-cancelling function.
Listen to concentration music
You already have your headphones with you. Now you can increase your concentration by listening to your special concentration music. Alpha and Beta sounds are said to be particularly effective here.
For many people, however, classical music, Lofi Hiphop or nature sounds also help.
Take a break
If you try to be 100% concentrated non-stop, you will be quite exhausted after a while. So take a break more often.
A good technique for this is the Pomodoro Technique. Here you set a timer for 25 minutes. During this time you work concentrated on your task. After that you take a 5 minute break. Then you repeat the process 3 more times and then take a longer break of 20 to 30 minutes.
Stop multitasking
Multitasking costs your brain a lot of energy and leads to more frequent errors. Instead, complete one task at a time. But faster and with fewer errors.
Ban your smartphone
Studies have shown that the smartphone is one of the most common sources of distraction in our modern society. The "Fear of missing out" or FOMO makes us constantly check if we have new notifications.
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4. Increasing concentration - Long-term tips and exercises
The quick measures mentioned above can temporarily increase your concentration and make you more productive. In the long term, however, it helps to specifically work on your concentration and to train your physical prerequisites and personal abilities.
Balanced diet
As already mentioned, blood sugar fluctuations and nutrient deficiencies can be the cause of reduced concentration.
A balanced diet with long-chain carbohydrates from whole grain products, fresh fruit and vegetables and healthy fats, such as Omega 3, offers the best conditions for your concentration.
Through the long-chain carbohydrates, you ensure a slow rise in your blood sugar level. Fruit and vegetables provide you with plenty of vitamins and minerals that your brain needs for full concentration.
Omega-3 from, for example, fish or algae oil is an important fatty acid for the function of your brain.
Drink enough
The human body consists of 70% to 85% water. Only a few hours without fluid during intense exercise can already lead to the first signs of dehydration.
It is therefore not surprising that a lack of water can also very quickly affect your ability to concentrate. Provide your body regularly and sufficiently with fluid to create optimal conditions for your concentration.
Restful sleep
If you sleep poorly or too little, you will probably feel anything but refreshed the next day. The frequent consequence: tiredness and sluggishness throughout the day.
Ensure optimal sleeping conditions through sleep hygiene techniques and thus increase your sleep quality. Freshly rested, you can start the day with full power and concentrate better on everything you do.
Exercises to increase your concentration
As already mentioned, you can increase your concentration by regularly training this ability. The following exercises are very suitable for this.
Meditation
Meditation is one of the most effective methods to increase your concentration. However, it requires a little practice and the willingness to engage with this method.
Through various forms of meditation, you learn to concentrate on very specific things. This also affects other areas of your life.
Painting
Coloring mandalas is mentioned as another exercise to increase your concentration. The occupation and focus on a single and relatively simple activity can put you into a flow state and, with regular repetition, improve your ability to concentrate.
Note down thoughts
If your thoughts often wander and distract you, it can be helpful to simply take a few minutes to write them down. In this way, you give your brain the signal that it no longer has to deal with them for the time being. At the same time, you also know that the thoughts will not be forgotten.
5. Conclusion
Good concentration is not genetically predetermined. People can increase their concentration. The fastest way to do this is by identifying and eliminating disruptive factors that negatively affect your concentration.
In addition, you can use the various immediate measures to quickly improve your concentration. In the long term, however, various exercises in particular will help you to effectively increase your concentration.
All our articles are written by nutritionists and checked for content quality by experts.
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