
Concentration seems to be the hardest thing to master in this day and age. The sheer amount of distractions in just smartphones, computers and other gadgets and devices conspire to stimulate our ever-wandering mind to leave everything we’re doing and lose any small amount of concentration we had in the first place. If you are finding it hard to concentrate on a single thing, and you find yourself turning to something else every single time, here are a few tips to discipline your mind and how to increase concentration.
How to Increase Concentration
1. Meditation
Being one of the most popular pieces of advice given to people trying to improve concentration, meditation definitely works. Meditation helps to neutralize all the distractions that spring into your mind, but it is not as easy as it sounds.
While meditating, it is necessary to concentrate on one single thing and nothing else. Your mind should be clear of all thoughts except that main concentration point. This can be difficult as your mind starts wandering off into new worlds and daydreams.
Practice tuning out these other thoughts and meditating and eventually you’ll train your mind to concentrate better.
2. Choose a Conducive Environment
There’s no point in sitting in your room to study or do some work where you have a computer in front of you, a phone by your side and a TV on the wall. You want to concentrate, then you have to choose a place where you are free of these mindless diversions.
Choose a quiet place with adequate light and without any distractions at an arm’s length from you. Stay away from people too (if you can) when you’re working and you’ll realize that concentrating on something is not that hard to do.
3. Plan it Out
Plan everything out. You’ve got something to do – schedule it on a piece of paper. Write down what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it, and set small breaks in between to indulge yourself in your distractions – check emails, texts and whatever you want in those small breaks and then get back to work. Follow the time table diligently for a perfect blend of work and leisure, and you’ll find that you’re getting work done easily and effectively.
4. Start. Finish. Then Move On.
If you are having troubles with your concentration, you must be familiar with this scenario – you take on a new task and move on to newer tasks without completing the previous one.
Start. Finish. Move on. Make this a habit. Take on a new task, and only move on to the next one when you are done with it. You’re going to find it difficult at the start, but as the old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” Keep at it, and you’ll be able to complete any challenge that comes your way.
Concentrating well will not only help you finish pending work or studies effectively, but will also discipline your brain and train your consciousness in the long run, while also helping to reduce stress and anxiety for a healthier lifestyle.
Do you have some tips on how to increase concentration?
I need to follow these tips. There are times that I struggle to focus.