MAIN PAGE
– elvtr magazine – TRAIN YOUR BRAIN: TIPS FOR BETTER FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN: TIPS FOR BETTER FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

7 science-proven ways to stay focused and get stuff done.

A Microsoft survey of over 2,000 Canadians over the age of 18 has shown that people's ability to concentrate is rapidly deteriorating. In the 2000s the average person could focus on one object for 12 seconds. Nowadays, this figure has dropped to 8 seconds.

Problems with concentration come from global digitalisation, information overload, and perpetual stress. We are constantly distracted by something. Instead of sequentially reading the text, we jump on links, check mail, switch to notifications in messengers, and more. As a result, productivity, learning ability, and creativity suffer — after all, all these require focus and concentration.

We've rounded up tips on how to concentrate better. What's more, they are backed up by science.

How to Recognise Focus & Concentration Issues

Concentration is a retention of any information in short-term memory. A person with this function being impaired is called absent-minded. Having such a dysfunction, a person may face the following issues:

You forget things quite often.
You have difficulty completing familiar tasks at home and work (for example, a person forgets how many spoons of sugar they have already put in coffee).
You can't concentrate while reading (a person immediately forgets what he/she has just read).
It is difficult for you to stay focused for a long time on one single task.
You occasionally have a feeling that the brain is no longer working.
You get distracted a lot, especially when you hear someone else's speech or there is external noise in the room (coffee machine noise, people's conversations in a coffee shop or at a conference, etc).

On the contrary, by improving concentration, a person performs tasks faster and more creatively, increasing overall productivity. In addition, such a specialist is more stress-resistant, and understands better what responsibilities should be delegated or outsourced.

Determining the level of concentration is not difficult. You can find various attention span tests on the Internet, for example, this one. You can also use Schulte tables. They are usually used to boost speed reading, counting, and memory skills. However, they can also help you improve concentration.

How to Keep Concentration on Tasks Like a Jedi With Science-Proven Tips

We've offered some off-the-shelf recommendations and lifehacks that help concentrating — ones you can apply today.

#1. Zone out

There is a growing realisation among psychologists that we spend a lot of time daydreaming — almost 50% of the time. This has led some psychologists to assumption that mind wandering is a key part of the system itself that can help our brains function.

Paul Seli, a psychologist at Harvard University, concluded that deliberately letting your mind off now and again might pay dividends. "Think about something unrelated, maybe problem-solve something else that you've got on your mind and then come back to your task," suggests Seli.

#2. Watch some funny videos

Yes, you have read it right: watching funny videos is not procrastination, but rather a scientifically effective way to fix the focus on complex tasks. Funny cat videos are often seen as the ultimate distraction for procrastinators. However, psychologists think that they might help put us in the right mental state to get on with work.

According to the Journal of Business and Psychology, a good way to boost your reserves of willpower is to have a good laugh. In experiments, people who had watched a funny video tried to complete an impossible puzzle longer and harder than a control group of people who watched a video that was relaxing but not funny.

"Of course, this isn’t a blank cheque to watch cat videos all day, but taking the occasional break to fool around is useful, especially when you are feeling really tired," says David Cheng, a leading researcher at the Australia National University, who led the research.

#3. Have a break

There is a huge amount of evidence to suggest that breaks can help you get more things done. Some studies dating from the 1990s state that due to natural variations in our cycle of alertness, we can concentrate for no longer than 90 minutes before a 15-minute break need.

Other studies have found that even a short break of a few seconds will work, provided it is a total distraction. What's more, a quick dose of caffeine improves memory, reaction time, and attention in a short term. So whenever you choose to take your break, stop to put the kettle on as you make your way back to your desk.

We've rounded up tips on how to concentrate better. What's more, they are backed up by science.

How to Recognise Focus & Concentration Issues

You forget things quite often.
You have difficulty completing familiar tasks at home and work (for example, a person forgets how many spoons of sugar they have already put in coffee).
You can't concentrate while reading (a person immediately forgets what he/she has just read).
It is difficult for you to stay focused for a long time on one single task.
You occasionally have a feeling that the brain is no longer working.
You get distracted a lot, especially when you hear someone else's speech or there is external noise in the room (coffee machine noise, people's conversations in a coffee shop or at a conference, etc).

How to Keep Concentration on Tasks Like a Jedi With Science-Proven Tips

We've offered some off-the-shelf recommendations and lifehacks that help concentrating — ones you can apply today.

#1. Zone out

#2. Watch some funny videos

#3. Have a break

#4. Reduce focus on one task by rotating different tasks

Studies show that extreme concentration on one task is effective only if it doesn't require a long execution. Human mental resources are limited. Therefore, processing the surroundings, we prioritise and discard the excess.

Let's recall the experiment with the invisible gorilla. Four videotapes, each 75 seconds in duration, were created. Each tape showed teams of players, one team wearing white shirts and the other wearing black shirts, who moved around and passed a basketball to one another. After 44–48s of this action, a woman wearing a gorilla costume that fully covered her body appeared on the screen. More than 50% of the participants didn't notice the animal because they focused on counting. It turns out that if you are focused on a task without a break, you can miss an important detail or even an error.

Avoid prolonged focus and keep a work-rest balance. Follow the rhythm: for instance, 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest (or 50 and 10, in the worst case scenario—100 and 20 minutes). If the project is large, you can take a timeout for a week, and return to the solution with a fresh look later.

Lower the focus level where it is possible. This approach will help cover the maximum and not miss the important details. For example, if the task is large, split the process and distribute functions between people. One person can be responsible for the strategic decision, and the other for the tactical one. Or look for ways to automate the processes.

#5. Vary your diet

Nutrition can affect cognitive functions like focus or memory. For example, fast-acting carbs such as white bread, sweets, and confectionery provoke the release of glucose in blood. The person feels a surge of energy. However, when the level of sugar drops quickly enough, that same person feels tired and can no longer think clearly.

Synthetic processed food (lab-grown meat, veggie meat burger, dairy alternatives, soya, etc) also affects the level of concentration. The refusal of such food can improve the focus by 50–70%.

Instead of processed foods, too much sugar, and very greasy or fatty foods try eating more of the following:

Oily fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon and trout). A 2017 study by Trusted Source found a connection between omega-3 levels and better cognition, or thinking abilities.
Eggs (both white and yolk). Eggs contain choline, which is a nutrient that reduces cognitive decline.
Leafy green vegetables. Studies have shown that plant-based foods are connected to reduced cognitive decline because they are rich in vitamin K, lutein, phylloquinone, and nitrate. Leafy green vegetables also help fight dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Green tea. It contains caffeine and L-theanine, which aid in alertness and overall focus.

Staying hydrated is also crucial. Even mild dehydration can affect focus.

#6. Listen to music… the specific one

Studies have confirmed that listening to music while working or studying may help increase focus. In a study conducted by Stanford University School of Medicine, it was found that classical music can improve the brain's absorption and interpretation of new information.

If listening to music is not your cup of tea, you can listen to sounds of nature or white noise. The important rule is to avoid music that might distract you, such as ones with lyrics or ones you might love or hate.

There are some examples of focus and concentration playlists that can improve your efficiency and set you in the right mood:

#7. Check the room temperature

The temperature of the room you are in has a big effect on your concentration level. One study found that workers are most productive and make fewer errors in an environment that is somewhere between 20–25°C. Another study from Helsinki University of Technology says the best temperature to stay focused is around 22°C.

It is impossible to completely control or influence your level of focus and concentration. However, following the tips described above, you will notice a dead deer and not roll it into asphalt, as the highway crew did in 1996 when they laid the road on the Pennsylvania Highway. When questioned regarding their actions, the workers claimed to have never seen the dead animal.

*ELVTR is disrupting education by putting proven industry leaders in a virtual classroom with eager rising stars. ELVTR courses offer 100% instructor driven content designed to give you practical knowledge within a convenient time frame. Choose the right course for you!