Wandering Mind? 4 Tips For Improving Focus
Staying focused and achieving your objectives can be difficult sometimes.
There could be environmental factors breaking your concentration, or you could simply have too many tasks to do at once and find yourself overwhelmed.
It is easy to find yourself distracted, and you can struggle to regain your drive and focus and get going again, and this can last for days or weeks.
If you are struggling to focus your wandering mind, we have four tips that should help anyone regain control and start getting things done again.
Try to Remove Distractions from Your Workspace
This can be an incredibly difficult task in a modern workspace. You are surrounded by distractions if you work with computers, or own a smartphone. The internet, and social media in particular, can be a huge time waster when you should be focused on your tasks.
There are web browser add-ons and smartphone apps that can help you, however. These helpful programs can limit your access to selected websites, or the whole of the world wide web altogether, preventing you from getting distracted online. These often work on timers, blocking access between certain hours, giving you full access again when the working day is done.
Practice Mindfulness, Live in the Moment
Many people use mindfulness techniques to improve their productivity and stay focused on the tasks they have in front of them.
It is easy to become distracted by thoughts of the past or concerns for the future. These don’t have to be work-related either. It is important to be mindful of the moment we are in, and what we can do in that moment, without spending too much time thinking about what we could have done differently or challenges we may face in the future. There are a number of mindfulness techniques that people can use to stay focused on their tasks and achieve their goals.
Take Regular, Short Breaks
Many studies have shown that taking regular short breaks, especially those that involve some physical activity or exercise, can have a big impact on your focus and productivity.
Sitting down and working on a project for a long period of time can be stifling to your mind, but taking five or ten minutes out of every hour to walk or run and clear your mind can make the rest of your hours super productive and help you maintain your focus.
Get Better Quality Sleep, Create a Sleep Space
Sleep is very important to our health, and low amounts of poor-quality sleep can make it impossible to concentrate on work, or just about anything, and can cause long-term damage to our physical and mental health.
Invest a little in your rest and make your bedroom a sleeping space. Too many people allow different aspects of their lives, like hobbies and work, to invade the space they sleep in. Make your bedroom a room for sleep, and just that. Consider buying a new bed frame or mattress to support your body while you sleep, and help you get better quality, deeper sleep. If you look out for seasonal offers, or search online, you can get a great deal at a discounted price on the perfect mattress for you and get a better night of high-quality sleep.
With all the distractions of modern life, you can forgive yourself for lacking focus from time to time. If your mind continues to wander, however, and you spend long periods of time unfocused, your work and life can suffer. With these simple tips, anyone can regain their focus and take back control of their lives.