ImpSo you’ve tried everything from a standing desk to chewing gum to maintain your focus at work or while studying and it all just doesn’t seem to work.
In a world that’s full of distractions, maintaining and improving your focus can be a daunting task. As humans, our brains are not designed to cope with the massive number of ‘shiny objects’ and personal devices that are constantly fighting for our attention.
Learn to be the master of your own mind and start improving your daily focus and concentration with these 3 simple tips.
Daily Meditation
According to studies done in 2011 [1] and 2016 [2], the daily practice of meditation improves your focus, concentration and helps to lower overall stress levels.
Meditation requires us to focus on the present moment and concentrate on the breaths that we take during the session. The benefits and training that our brains experience during this practice carry over in our daily lives and enhances our overall focus on tasks at work or at school.
Lower stress levels have also been associated with improved cognitive performance [3].
Try out some of the meditation therapies that Lifebeats has to offer in our app, most completely free of charge.
The Pomodoro Technique
A technique that was developed in the late 1980s, The Pomodoro Technique is basically a time management tool that breaks down tasks into 25 minute intervals for maximum output and productivity.
By breaking down tasks into smaller, more frequent intervals with this technique, your mind stays fresh while having a self-motivating factor of achieving smaller but numerous milestones with frequent breaks in between.
The simple technique basically involves a few easy steps:
Decide on the task to be done.
Set your timer for 25 minutes
Work on the task
End work when the timer rings and put a checkmark on a piece of paper
If you have fewer than four checkmarks, take a short break (3–5 minutes) and then return to step 2 if you have not finished your task; If you have 4 checkmarks and have not completed your task, continue to step 6.
After four cycles, take a longer break (15–30 minutes), reset your checkmark count to zero, then go to step 1.
Plug in some good music for productivity
A great playlist can make a difference between how focused and engaged you are while performing a task. Sure, plugging in might not always be possible in every scenario but if it is, it will help block out distractions while also providing extra motivation for you.
Lifebeats provides an integrated ‘Deep Focus’ mode for all users where we integrate the magic of binaural beats (read here how this helps you) with a carefully curated playlist tailored to maximize your focus. For those looking for more flexibility, we also integrate with your personal Spotify playlists.
While there are many more techniques and hacks that you can employ to improve your focus and concentration at work or school, these 3 practices are quick, easy and sustainable to be integrated into any lifestyle preference.
[1] Hölzel, B., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S., Gard, T., & Lazar, S. (2010, November 10). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.
[2] Creswell, J. David., Taren, Adreinne A., Lindsay, Emily K. (2016, January 26). Alterations in Resting-State Functional Connectivity Link Mindfulness Meditation With Reduced Interleukin-6: A Randomized Controlled Trial
[3] Vogel, Susanne., Schwabe, Lars. (2016, June 29). Learning and memory under stress: implications for the classroom