Did you know that the average worker is more distracted than ever? In fact, 70 percent of all workers admit that they’re distracted a lot at work. That number is higher among millennials and Gen Zers.
In fact, it’s so bad that the average modern-day worker cannot sustain their concentration for longer than 11 minutes at a stretch. This is alarming, and unsurprisingly costing companies a ton of money. If you’re serious about personal growth, you need to learn how to improve concentration.
People who master how to concentrate truly get more work done, excel more, get promoted faster, and achieve more goals. If this is you, then this article will help you get started.
Put Those Devices Aside
Technology appears to be leading the charge. The same tool that was designed to help improve our effectiveness is the same one that’s getting us more distracted. Think about it: everywhere you go, you see people looking at their screens.
The truth is our digital lives are interfering with our real lives. People spend more time scrolling through social media, watching cat videos and tweeting than they are working.
As a result, productivity is down across the board. From Wall Street to the corner store near you, people are doing far less than they ought to because they’re distracted by their tech devices.
So, what’s the solution? Simple: put those things away. Once you get to work unplug from the internet and use a clean system. If you must surf the internet, install extensions like Heyfocus, RescueTime and a bunch of others.
Here’s a list of 10 of such apps. These will block those favorite time-wasting sites within set hours. Set timers on your emails. Once done, you’ll automatically get logged out.
Increase Focus Incrementally
Intense focus is hard when you’re just starting. So, you need to take the working out approach to it too. You can’t just go from being a couch potato to lifting 250 lbs of weight.
It never works. You need to gradually build your strength and stamina until you can comfortably do that. So, start small. Use the Pomodoro technique. The concept behind this is very simple.
You set your timer for a certain amount of time during which you’ll do nothing but one designated task. Once that’s done, you’ll take some rest for a shorter time. And then get back to it again.
Pomodoro recommends 25-35 minutes. We’ll suggest you start smaller. Start with 10-minute time slots. So, work on just one thing for 10 minutes, take a 2-5 minute break. Then repeat.
Start slowly and gradually build up until you can work without distractions for 40-60 minutes at a stretch. This is a proven tactic for those looking for how to improve concentration easily.
Get Rid of Distractions
No matter how hard you try, there’ll always be distractions, mostly from external stimuli. These can be in the form of chatty coworkers or other sounds. When this happens, what do you do? First, see if there’s a quiet place you can work from.
If you have a door, close it and put a Do Not Disturb sign there. If you don’t see if there’s a conference room or somewhere more quiet available. And if all these fail, buy yourself a noise-canceling headset or earbud.
These are super effective at tuning out all external sounds, thus allowing you to think. And if you keep getting interrupted by other workers, just tell them you’re busy and will get back to them when you’re done.
This might be difficult, but it does work. Sometimes, people just need you to set your boundaries.
Practice Mindfulness
Basically, be intentional about your actions. Most people just run on autopilot. It’s the reason you’ll see people flitting from one task to another. Start paying attention to your tasks.
The one thing you can do is by intentionally focusing on what you’re doing every second. Become more aware of your thoughts, actions, work and everything you’re doing.
And if you remember something you ought to check out or do, make a to-do list of those things and check them later. This is called the distraction to-do list.
Do this frequently enough, you’ll soon find yourself immersed in your work and being incredibly productive.
Meditate More
Many people think meditation is just pure hokum. That’s not true. The reason it doesn’t work immediately is that, like everything else, it needs time. It takes time for your “meditation muscles” to kick in. It’s like going to the gym.
You can’t expect to build muscles like your idol the first time you start lifting weights. Neither will you the second, third or even the 100th time. It takes time, patience and practice.
Anyway, people, who meditate enjoy increased attention spans because they’re essentially exercising the muscles they built while meditating.
Take Brain Boosting Supplements
You know how you take coffee to wake you up and stay alert? Well, the problem with that is you tend to crash after it’s run its course.
And when you have the energy, it’s some kind of ‘dirty’ energy that gives you the jitters, makes you irritable and causes heart palpitations.
However, there are alternative supplements that you can take that will provide you with “clean” energy. These supplements provide you with a calm, soothing, but incredibly effective energy that will have you achieving a lot more than you thought possible.
Supplements like Vyvanse can help with this. And while it can be a bit pricey, options like Vyvanse coupons can help you get the supplements for a cheaper price.
Nootropic supplements like this have been proven to help improve focus, concentration, and productivity. You’ll find yourself knocking projects out of the park with these supplemental aids.
Is That All on How to Improve Concentration?
If you’re really serious about learning how to improve concentration, these tips will serve you well.
Improving your concentration is a daily activity. you have to commit to it. The good thing is once you do, you’ll reap the rewards for a long time. Good luck.
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