Techniques to Strengthen Your Focus at Work

 

What to do to develop your concentration at work?

1 - Choose your priorities

The very first step towards concentration is to clear the fog by choosing precisely what you decide to concentrate on. Wanting to focus without knowing what your tasks are, what your goals are and what your real priorities are, is a mistake.

If you don't know what you need to do precisely, you will inevitably be attracted by distractions. That's why, in order to stay focused, it is essential to define before you start working what you want to achieve and how.

This way, if a distraction or interruption occurs, it will be much easier to refocus your attention on the work at hand rather than being distracted.

2- Reduce your mental load

The problem is directly related to the times we live in. Today, we are continuously flooded with a wave of information, for which the brain is not equipped. The very limited capacity of our working memory to juggle multiple pieces of information is directly responsible. Even if our brain is capable of integrating an almost infinite amount of information simultaneously, we are regularly confronted with one of its limits: the inability to concentrate on several things at the same time.

Throughout the ages, the human brain has continued to evolve. But the fast-paced society we live in now no longer matches the biological rhythm of the human being.

Although the mental load is invisible, it constantly occupies our brain and leaves little room for concentration. This will lead to chronic stress, exhaustion and will make us progressively slide towards burn out!

3- Identify your disruptors (and find solutions)

One of the important steps to improve your concentration is to know how to identify the elements that prevent you from concentrating and/or that regularly distract you.

To do this, we simply need to start observing our behavior directly for 3 or 4 days, noting when we lose focus and why. This really helps us to see more clearly, in order to create a work environment that is conducive to concentration.

You will know if the noise disturbs you, if the commotion around you is a distraction. Or if, on the contrary, it helps you to concentrate better. You will know if you are the type of person who wants a place with absolute quiet or background music.

4- Get enough sleep

I'm not the only one to say that lack of sleep is the enemy of concentration. It is easy to notice that our cognitive abilities are reduced after a night without sleep. During sleep, a biochemistry takes place in our body and brain to repair the "damaged" parts and to replenish our energy.

Long-term sleep deprivation can lead to impaired performance, increased cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of depression.

On the other hand, quality sleep plays a major role on our body. That's why it is advisable to take care of your sleep to be in top shape and productive the next day.

Concentration requires a lot of energy, so if you are tired because you have slept all night, you will have a lot of trouble staying focused and being efficient at work. Fatigue and efficiency do not mix!