Let’s say you have an important assignment to complete, be it at school, college or work. You decide to work on it for an hour straight. But what happens is that you read a paragraph in your mind but forgot to understand it. Been there, done that?
You are not alone. Most people struggle with it. It’s not that your memory is weak, but it is your focus and concentration that are a problem. In most cases, if you are finding it difficult to concentrate, it is not an issue or a sign of a disorder. It can be rectified with a few changes in the lifestyle. Consider following these habits if you are struggling with a wandering mind.
But before we enlighten you with helpful tips, it may be useful to discuss a few causes that can be the culprit here.
- Lack of sleep
- Not having nutritious meals throughout the day
- You are not getting enough physical activities throughout the day
- You have a bunch of distractions around you
Now that we have established a few causes of a wandering mind, let’s offer you what you came looking for here, i.e.,
How to increase your concentration power
Eliminate distraction
If there are things that distract you, it only makes sense to distance them to fix the issue. For instance, if you find yourself mindlessly scrolling after a while, your phone may be the distraction you need to distance yourself from. Consider setting a time for using gadgets. You even want to switch off your data to wifI to limit notifications. It may also help if you set a timer; not only will it give you motivation but it will also enhance your focus.
Have Ayurveda for the rescue
Ayurveda is known to be a healing practice for many health issues. One Ayurvedic technique is tratak aasana that can help boost cognitive function. This technique involves shifting your focus on one particular object, such as a painting on the wall. Once you have finalised the object, stare at it while observing everything about the object. You may stop when your eyes begin to water.
Aim to perform this exercise for 10 minutes daily and witness the benefits in your focus and concentration.
Feed your body the focus-boosting food items
Even your brain needs fuel to perform its best. This is where some foods come in to improve your focus. These include blueberries, coffee, eggs, nuts and leafy green vegetables. Coffee may also help. However, it must not be the means to keep you awake if you plan to pull an all-nighter to finish your work. Compromising on sleep does more harm than good.
Perform these exercises to train your mind
Remember the time you solved jigsaw puzzles? Not only were they fun but played a huge role in improving your cognitive function. If you are struggling with a lack of focus lately, it may be a good idea to try them again. Remember, you are never too old to solve puzzles. It keeps your brain engaged and keeps concentration levels up.
In addition to jigsaw puzzles, you can also perform these exercises:
- Pick any random digits, and learn them. It could be a phone number or serial number of an object
- Count to 100, but backwards. Do not let your mind wander
- Learn a poem or lyrics of a song
- Read a book
- Practice mindfulness
Just so you know apart from boosting focus, mindfulness is also the secret of a happy and peaceful life. As practising mindfulness involves staying in the present, you’re less likely to find yourself in the past or future, i.e. away from distractions.
To begin, you may observe where you are right now, and the objects you’re seeing currently. Practising guided meditation will also help you be mindful and boost your concentration power.
Closing thoughts
Boosting concentration is not a rocket-science but it does involve practice and consistency. And for the sake of practice, you may want to read this very blog again from the very start. Feel free to try out these other techniques and see how they benefit your focus.
