Struggling to Focus? Here's Why and How to Fix It Fast.

In today's society, being able to focus is practically like having superpowers. You rarely encounter someone who can focus on a single task for hours. And, unsurprisingly, those who can focus do far more than others.

There are numerous ways in which you could benefit from increased concentration. Whether for school, study, work, or a hobby. If you can concentrate, you can achieve your goals faster.

So today, I'll explain what's preventing you from focusing and how you might fix it. I know you're procrastinating right now by reading this post but i'll make it worth your while.

So get a pen and a piece of paper. Make a note of the most important points from this post. This will ensure that your engaging session is as productive as possible.

Let's dive in.

We have two forms of focus. Scattered and directed focus.

Scattered focus: This refers to broadly spread attention. This is your usual multitasker, attempting to accomplish several things at the same time. Cleaning the house, conversing on the phone, and cooking dinner or someone who is attempting to concentrate on one task but is distracted by another.

This is what most people do. They focus their attention on a variety of subjects.

The issue with this style of focus is that your brain is incredibly poor at switching between numerous tasks at once. You see, switching from one work to another does not happen instantly. Instead, your brain must "load" the context of whatever you're doing into its working memory.

When you frequently move your attention from one subject to another, your brain is forced to load and reload context repeatedly.

Essentially, moving back and forth wastes a lot of mental energy, leaving you weary and unable to accomplish much.

Directed Focus: On the other hand, we have directed our focus. You achieve that by focusing your attention on a particular action and disregarding everything else. This is what you should aim for, and it is how great achievers focus their attention. They focus on one task at a time, like a laser beam and they execute it to the best of their ability, disregarding all other cues.

So, what can you do to avoid losing focus? It's simple. You should try to eliminate all distractions and prevent any stimulation that may impair your concentration.

Let us look at it this way. Assume you have 5 units of focus accessible at any time. That implies you can utilize those 5 units whichever you choose. while example, you may use them all while studying, resulting in directed focus.

Let's say your mom walks into your room when you're studying and tells you that supper will be ready in 45 minutes. Even if you were really concentrated and the contact lasted only 10 seconds, your attention is now fragmented. Dinner will be on your mind, and your concentration will be less than it was before. One of the focus units was used for the dinner, which took time away from your study session. It will take some time before you can fully regain your focus, and you will waste your mental energy in the meantime.

The strange thing is that you most likely have a similarly distracted mother with you at all times. Your phone. This little device is the largest anti-focus machine available. It rings, vibrates, and emits a sound everytime a new notification arrives. That single beep is all it takes to divert your attention away from the task at hand.

Even if your phone is set to silent, you're likely to glance at it whenever you're bored.

This divides your concentration. Of course, this does not imply that you should throw away your phone. Instead, I propose that if you want to concentrate on something, you place it somewhere where it will not annoy you and you will be unable to look at it.

However, cellphones are not the only distractions. Anything can do that, but your phone is definitely the most significant contribution.

The objective is to become aware of such distractions and avoid them. Your physiology may also have an impact on your capacity to focus. This is something that is rarely considered. However, if you want your mind to work properly, you must take care of your body. If you sleep less than 7 hours per day, your focus will drop.

On the contrary, studies have shown that having 7-9 hours of sleep improves concentration during the day. Exercise should be done on a daily basis. The release of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters boosts your capacity to concentrate on challenging activities. By exercise, I don't mean running a marathon; a quick walk around the block is adequate. Bonus points for a nature walk.

Hydration is also quite crucial. You may have observed that when you first wake up in the morning, you are unable to think clearly. One of the causes is because you haven't consumed anything in over 8 hours, so you're little dehydrated.

Your diet also has a significant impact on your performance. If you indulge in unhealthy foods or drink soda, you are doing your brain a disservice. Food heavy in sugar causes brain fog and inability to concentrate. You might wish to consider some healthier choices.

So, if you want to focus better, take care of your body.

Now, let's look at how to improve your focus.

Concentration is a skill. You may train your focus just like you would for a sport. The more you practice, the better you will get. When you first start, you might only be able to focus for 10 minutes. But if you do it every day, your capacity to concentrate will improve, and you'll be able to do it for longer periods of time. So, if you can't concentrate for hours right now, that's okay. You can improve your directed focus over time.

The greatest strategy to improve your focus is to set aside time in your day to concentrate intensely on a single topic. Essentially, you want to make focus a consistent habit.

Many of us are waiting for the perfect chance, when everything is in place, we are motivated, and all the planets are aligned, before we attempt to focus. But that is the wrong approach. Instead, set aside time during the day to sit down and focus solely on one task for as long as possible. You then want to safeguard that period of time.

The optimal time to focus is in the morning, approximately one hour after waking up. Typically, this is when you are completely awake and your mind is free of extraneous distractions. Furthermore, during that time, you usually have no distractions and all of your attention units are ready to be dispersed. Many historical artists, writers, and philosophers made use of this time of day. But how about the afternoon? Well, if you've had a busy day, your attention has already been diverted in several places. And your brain is very stimulated. That is why it is much easier to concentrate in the morning. Your brain has been resting for 8 hours, after all. So, if you decide to move your attention to a cognitively demanding work, such as studying, in the middle of a distracted afternoon, you'll have a difficult time focusing. Your thoughts will already be preoccupied with other issues. Such attempts will generally fail. However, this does not preclude the ability to focus late in the day. You simply need to un-stimulate your brain. And you accomplish this by taking a proper pause.

You see, it's difficult to focus on something for an extended period of time without becoming mentally exhausted. It doesn't matter if the emphasis is scattered or directed. Both are exhausting. That is why you should take a break and relax your mind every now and again. However, this is where the majority of people make mistakes.

You know, taking a break does not imply whipping out your phone and checking Instagram, YouTube, or anything. You're still challenging your brain and mentally engaged, which drains your mental energy rather than replenishing it. Instead, go for a stroll, meditate, or nap.

These activities help you to unplug and begin recharging your mental energy because they are less stimulating. I know it seems monotonous, but you should allow yourself to be bored to give your brain a break. Of course, taking a mental break is not limited to switching from scattered to focussed focus. It's also excellent for increasing your capacity to focus deeply.

Another way to think about it is to suppose you've been running for an hour without rest. Then you take a 15-minute break before continuing to run for another hour. You can opt to: A.) sit down, unwind, and do nothing for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can perform 15 minutes of jump rope and burpees. Obviously, you choose option A since you do not want to exert yourself further. You want to have enough stamina to run for another hour, after all. In this scenario, running is a metaphor for concentration. When you've been focusing for an hour, you don't want to add any additional stimuli. Watching TV or browsing the internet will only tire you out psychologically.

So pick an activity that suits you, is not mentally stimulating, and allows you to detach. Personally, my favorite thing to do is take a little walk. It always helps me rejuvenate mentally.

The Pomodoro technique is now the ideal method for combining intense focus with mental pauses. I've already created a video about this strategy, but I'll go over it briefly. It goes like this: You decide the task you wish to focus on. Then set a timer for 25 minutes and focus solely on that work.

When the timer rings, you take a 5-minute break and then restart it. After four 25-minute sessions, you take a lengthier rest, usually of 30 minutes. Of course, it doesn't have to be as rigid. 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest are only suggestions. You can perform it for as long as you want, depending on the complexity of the assignment.

For example, when I make films, I normally set a timer for 45 minutes and then take a 15-minute break. So, try a little to see which combination works best for you.

Congratulations if you've made it this far in the post. You already have superior focus than most people. Let me quickly summarize thisnpost:

First, we have two sorts of focus: scattered and focused focus. You want to develop directed focus while avoiding distractions.

Second, the greatest method to minimize dispersed attention is to avoid distractions. Every interruption drains your attention units. And your brain has to re-load the context repeatedly, leaving you intellectually exhausted.

Third, take care of your physique. If you want your mind to work effectively, you must first maintain your physical health. This includes getting adequate sleep, exercising frequently, being hydrated, and watching what you consume in your mouth.

4. Concentration is a skill. It's okay if you're having trouble focusing right now. You may train your concentration the same way you would for a sport, and you will improve over time.

5. Make focusing a daily habit. Don't merely wait for motivation; instead, schedule a period in your day to focus hard. Mornings are the best because there are usually no distractions and your brain is not already preoccupied with several tasks.

6. Unstimulate your brain. Meditate, go for a walk, or nap. Allow your brain to be bored, and avoid doing anything stimulating, such as perusing the internet. This is especially critical if you want to focus later in the day.

7th: Take regular breaks. Focusing quickly becomes tiresome. Give your mind a break, and you'll be able to focus hard for longer. Also, be sure you're genuinely resting rather than mildly stimulating your brain.

8. Apply the Pomodoro technique. It's an ideal approach for combining concentrated focus with regular pauses. If nothing else, make this method a daily habit.

This concludes this post. Thank you very much for reading to the very end. I hope you enjoyed it;

Hopefully, you will be able to focus better. Drop your comment below.