Zenhabits has a post designed to help you “get your mind functioning at peak performance.” It is rather basic, but definitely a good reminder since often the most basic principles get overlooked. Often we compromise on these and so fight an uphill battle to become efficient and healthy again:
1. Get Your Rest. It might seem obvious, but the biggest factor affecting concentration is rest. If you aren’t well rested your mind will be scattered and lethargic. Avoid this by making sure you get the right amount of sleep at the right time. Set a regular bed time for yourself and use an evening routine to wind down so you don’t have trouble sleeping.
2. Make a Plan. When you sit down to work without a plan, it’s easy to get caught up in crutch activities like checking email and browsing the web. Without a purpose, your mind will be pulled in several different directions. Instead of devoting all your attention to one important task, you’ll find yourself distracted by a variety of nagging thoughts.
3. Eat Light and Healthy. Nothing slows down the mind and body like a big greasy meal. Overeating puts a huge load of digestion on the body, sapping strength from the mind. Maximize your ability to concentrate by eating light and healthy meals. As Thomas Jefferson said, we rarely regret eating too little. It’s likely you’ll find that you need less food to satisfy you than you think. If you run out of energy, keep some healthy snacks on hand to give yourself a quick boost.
4. Exercise. The body has pent up energy that needs to be used. If you don’t exercise regularly, this energy can manifest itself in the form of a distracted mind. The best way to improve your concentration all day long is by exercising first thing in the morning. This will clear your head, give you a chance to reflect on the day ahead, and allow your body to sweat out impurities. Afterwards you’ll feel rejuventated, cleansed, and ready to take on tough problems.
5. Take Breaks and Mix Up Your Environment. Stagnation and fatigue are other factors that can negatively affect concentration. When you’ve been working too long in the same place, you start to get stir crazy and lose focus. The best remedy for this is taking breaks and switching up your work environment. When you find yourself losing focus, get up and take a walk. This will get your heart rate up, increase your alertness, and give your mind a chance to work on the problem internally.
It’s hard for most of us to maximize our concentration. I was watching Game 7 of the Baseball ALCS last Sunday and marveled at the way pitchers and batters are able to easily maximize their concentration. I think it takes a lot of discipline of the mental and physical abilities to do this. Thanks for sharing these ideas.
A person that cannot control their thoughts and allows them to run rampant cannot concentrate. The first thing you need to do is gain control and focus on the task at hand. In order to concentrate there must be peace of mind. You can acheive peace of mind by thinking peace,acting peace,until there is pease with the world around you. If you are angry,count backwords to gain peace again. Once you are at peace,it is possible to focus your thoughts and concentrate. You cannot control all the events around you, but you can be at peace as long as you control your thoughts.