How to learn to focus. How to manage attention and concentrate. Various extraneous sounds

Elena, you are not alone, most people have a problem with concentration, and now I will talk about 12 ways to focus.

How our brain works

Our brain cannot work in parallel, so the main problem when you can’t concentrate is other thoughts that wander in your head. It is because of these distracting thoughts that it is so difficult to get down to business.

Let's delve into the theory, the brain consists of neurons that form various connections with each other. Neurons are constantly changing connections with each other as we think. Starting a new task, new connections of neurons are created in the head. The more unfamiliar the case, the more difficult the process of creating new connections.

Making new connections is much more difficult and costly than using existing ones. Therefore, at the very beginning of work, the brain has to create new connections of neurons. But after a few minutes, most of the necessary connections of neurons are created and it is easier to concentrate in the middle of work or study than at the beginning. Remember when it is easier to concentrate - at the beginning or after 10-20 minutes. work, study?

Thus, Every business has 3 steps:

-inclusion in work (0–15 min.), productivity increases. The most difficult and time-consuming stage, because the brain needs to create new neuron connections. Lasts for the first few minutes.

-productive mode (from 20 minutes to several hours). Neuronal connections are mostly built, so this stage is the simplest.

- fatigue, decreased productivity. Our brain, like muscles, gets tired, so when you feel that you are starting to think slowly, work inefficiently, it's time to take a break or do something different that would involve other neural connections.

Let's depict the stages on the chart: On the x-axis - time, on the y - focus on work or study. When we start a new business, concentration grows, namely at the beginning (the first 10-15 minutes). Then concentration levels off and begins to fall.

The most important

At the moment when you get involved in work and are at the peak of concentration - do not interrupt, otherwise the graph will be something like this.

You just focused, you were distracted, you have to concentrate again on the matter, you are distracted again and you will not be able to concentrate well on work.

To keep an efficient state, ideally, accumulate all incoming tasks, for example, if you get a call - say that you are busy now, but call back after a while. In general, accumulate things until you start to get tired, and then immediately do all the accumulated tasks. such.

At first, concentration grows, then it is at its maximum, because you do not answer calls, you are not distracted by trifles. When there is a fall due to fatigue, it's time to do all the accumulated things in a crowd. Then you also start the planned business and again accumulate new tasks...

And now consider 12 ways to focus on work.

1. Don't get distracted

Imagine you started working on a project, and then the phone rings, they ask you to answer by e-mail, etc. We are constantly knocked down, because of this, the duration of the productive mode decreases dramatically, you have to spend more time to get involved in work, and this is very unproductive. It's like driving a car, constantly stopping and accelerating. There will be high fuel consumption and low average speed. Also at work, if you are distracted every 10 minutes, then you will not be able to achieve maximum productivity and the results will be appropriate. As a result, we get tired and do much less than we can.

How to be? Say no to multitasking

When you start work: Ask colleagues or loved ones not to distract you, explain that you will be free after a while, for example, in an hour and you can discuss the situation, but now you are busy. Turn off your phone, don't check your email, avoid chatter, don't surf the internet, don't get distracted. In general, try not to do anything other than your project to be as efficient as possible, as long as you feel like your productivity isn't dropping. When you feel tired and productivity drops, it's time to switch - answer missed calls, check mail, chat with colleagues, make necessary calls and you can start a new circle.

The less distractions you have, the easier it is to focus on the task..

2. Remove everything from the table

Extra things on the table are always bad because they distract the brain from what is important. Any extra item is an extra thought. And if the whole table is littered with something? Extra items create an information house in the head and it is harder for us to get involved in the work, because our brain can only think about one thing. We have a single-core processor in our head. As soon as you pay attention to some thing on the table, as soon as the thought process is interrupted and you start thinking about this thing. Make the table completely empty and you will feel how much easier it will be for you to concentrate.

3. Timer operation

Agree that until the time runs out you will work without being distracted. You can set a timer or an alarm clock, it's not so important. Working on a timer strengthens self-discipline. The time of high productivity for each task, repeated from day to day, remains almost the same. If you do the same thing every day, the time to peak efficiency will be about the same and you can already know approximately how long it will take to get tired. Fix this time on the timer, it will be very convenient.

We often get carried away and become less receptive to our feelings, so a timer or an alarm clock will help you realize in time that productivity is falling and now you should change your field of activity in order to continue with it later. high efficiency. For example, I know that the time of maximum productivity in writing articles ends in about 30 minutes. So I set a stopwatch for 30 minutes. and after this time I interrupt myself and start doing something else in order to maintain maximum efficiency.

You can focus on the sensations and not use the timer, but then it will be more difficult for us to understand how tired we are. It is very easy to confuse reluctance to do anything and fatigue. Sometimes you can work 10 minutes. and feel as if all 30 minutes have passed. and it's time to rest, but in fact it's not tired, but just unwillingness to work. You can’t fool the timer, if you see that you worked for 10 minutes, then you understand that during this time you could not get tired and you can overpower yourself. Conversely, when you know that you have worked productively for 1 hour, it is better to take a break or switch to another task than to squeeze the last juice out of yourself. Therefore, turning on the timer is so important, it is like a fuel indicator in a car.

How long to set on the timer?

As much as you can work effectively without distractions. The time depends on the type of task and your abilities. If the timer rang, and there are forces, then evaluate how much you still have enough of them and set a new timer. If you feel good when you get tired, you can use a regular stopwatch. There are a huge number of timer programs on the Internet for installation on a phone, tablet or computer.

4. Get up early

Everyone knows that morning is the most productive time for work. And now in more detail why it is easier to concentrate in the morning:

A. You have a lot of strength, because the brain rests and recovers in a dream.
B. Before the start of the working day, i.e. before 8–9 am minimum calls, requests and other distractions.
B. Sleep well inhibits all obsessive thoughts., which are very distracting at work.

If you have difficulty concentrating, then try to go to bed and wake up early, for example, at 5 am and during this period proceed to the most difficult task, because it is easiest to concentrate at this time.

5. Work first, fun later

Don't start your work day by watching the news on social media. networks, useless communication, etc. It's like eating sweets, after which the main dish is no longer wanted, because it begins to seem less attractive.

When you sit down at your desk, work until you get tired, and then you can already relax by changing the field of activity, communicating with colleagues, watching interesting news, etc. But remember that there is time for business, and there is an hour for fun, otherwise it will be difficult to concentrate.

6. Warm up with a plan

Many people know that before the main workout, athletes warm up by making light movements. Warm-up exercises improve blood circulation and tone muscles. After warming up, the athlete has more strength than without it, and it is easier for him to start the main part of the workout. Warm up - preparatory stage, an intermediate state that provides a smoother transition between rest and load.

The situation is approximately the same with the brain, as mentioned above, when we are just starting a new business, then at the initial stage, our brain needs to rebuild the connections of neurons to this task, and this process is laborious. Therefore, it is difficult to concentrate at first. But if you warm up, i.e., start rebuilding connections not of all neurons, but of some part, then it will be much easier to concentrate.

How can we warm up our brain? Very simple: draw up an action plan, write in detail on a piece of paper what you will do in the next few minutes, hours. If there is one thing, then break it into several stages and write these stages on a piece of paper. Write at least 5-10 points on a regular piece of paper and you will feel how much easier it will be for you to get started.

There is another addition - you can warm up by imagining the workflow in your mind. Think about how you will work for a couple of minutes and it will be much easier to concentrate.

Whenever you find it difficult to concentrate - use the warm-up technique, drawing up a detailed plan of action on a piece of paper or a few minutes imagining the process in your mind.

7. Turn on the logic

Everyone knows that we have 2 hemispheres of the brain: left and right. So the left hemisphere is responsible for logic, movements of the right side of the body and purposefulness. Right for imagination, feelings, passivity and movements of the left side of the body. To focus faster, you need to turn on the left hemisphere, which is responsible for purposefulness.

You can activate this hemisphere with the help of logical tasks, solving crossword puzzles, playing checkers, etc. The left hemisphere is also turned on by moving the opposite side of the body - you can pee with your right hand, move your right foot. That is why many turn the pen in their hand, this is how the logic is activated.

If it becomes difficult to concentrate, turn the knob to right hand, shake your right foot (this can be done discreetly under the table) or solve a logical problem. This will activate the left hemisphere, which is responsible for purposefulness, and it will be easier for you to get started.

8. Remove moving objects

At the heart of the instinct of self-preservation is the concentration of attention on all moving objects. It is moving objects at the level of our subconscious that can pose the greatest danger. For example, we will not pay attention to the wall of the house, but we will carefully observe the car moving in our direction. That is why, when something happens behind us, we turn around, this is how the unconditioned reflex works to make sure we are safe.

Do this to reduce the number of moving objects near you:

- At work. If you have your own office, close the door so that you are less distracted by everyone who walks in the hallway. Hang a sign on the office door do not disturb until a certain time (for example, until 15-00)

- Houses. Ask loved ones not to enter your room, you can also hang a do not disturb sign. If you have active pets that like to run and jump, then remove them from the room for a while. An aquarium, a cage with birds are not so distracting because all movements are limited in a narrow space.

- When you can not remove the source of motion. It happens, workplace is in the middle of nowhere and you can't do anything about it. Then shift your area of ​​attention, that is, think about how to turn your table around so that there is a stationary object in front of you. For example, if there is a passageway in front of your desktop, turn the table at least 90 degrees, in general, make sure that there are as few moving objects in your field of view as possible.

9. Control your arousal

Excitation is characterized by adrenaline. The higher it is, the more adrenaline in the blood. Conversely, the weaker the excitement, the lower the level of adrenaline. It happens that you are very excited and obsessive thoughts do not allow you to concentrate on business. And sometimes, on the contrary, you have a sleepy state and it’s hard for you to start doing anything at all.

So, in order to focus on work, you need to maintain an average level of adrenaline, because with a big thought they try, but with a small one you don’t want to do anything.

For clarity, let's draw a graph. The y-axis will be the degree of concentration, and the x-axis will be the level of adrenaline. The graph will be an inverted parabola. Zone from x1 to x2 - corresponds to maximum concentration. Our task is to prevent overexcitation and too much relaxation.

Now to practice, first you need to determine the current level of adrenaline. Let's take the scale as a basis: where 0 is the state of relaxation, and 10 is the most excited. Now let's calibrate our scale. Remember the most relaxed state, for example, you are lying on the beach, you feel good and do not want to do anything. Remember this state, it will correspond to 0. Now let's take another border, when some kind of incident happened, for example, you jumped from a parachute for the first time in your life or something like that. Remember your feeling, it will correspond to 10.

If you have physical work, then higher, about 6. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bmaximum concentration will shift to the right.

For other tasks, you can get an idea of ​​how much adrenaline is needed by remembering your state when you were easiest to focus.

To reduce arousal

- Listen to calm music, classical or nature sounds;

Take a walk in nature;

Remember the moments of life when you felt good, calm, you rested;

Imagine an image of calm water, nature, calm animals;

Reduce muscle tone, i.e. take a position in which fewer muscles are involved. If you are standing, then sit down. If you were sitting, then sit with your elbows on your back, you can lie down. The more body area in contact with the surface, the less muscle is involved and the lower your muscle tone, and with it the level of arousal. Therefore, it is easier for us to relax and fall asleep lying down, rather than standing or sitting.

Do things slowly. Is our the physical state strongly connected with the mental, since a single nervous system is responsible for both of them. When we consciously begin to slow down all our actions and breathing, then the excitement falls.

To increase arousal

Listen to energetic music;

Remember the most vivid impressions, from which the heart literally jumped out of the chest;

Imagine overcoming dangers (just imagine, there is no need to repeat), for example, walking on burning coals, climbing Mount Everest, etc.

Imagine how you compete with someone in a sport or other business;

Dance or do a warm-up;

- Increase muscle tone. If you worked, leaning on the back, straighten up and do not lean on. If you work sitting, work standing. The smaller the area of ​​​​contact of the body with the surface, the more muscles are involved. And the work of the muscles increases the level of adrenaline and excitement. Working standing is much easier to concentrate than sitting, unless, of course, there are health contraindications.

Get things done faster. The nervous system controls both the physical and mental state. Therefore, if we move faster and do daily activities, we will activate nervous system, resulting in increased arousal.

By controlling the level of adrenaline, it will be much easier for you to focus and get to work faster.

10. Remove unwanted sounds

Just like moving objects, unexpected and unpleasant sounds distract us greatly. Sounds, as well as moving objects, are a clear indicator of possible danger. Therefore, whether we like it or not, the sounds will distract us and prevent us from concentrating.

If you work in a team, you can wear earplugs (earplugs) or headphones (you can even without music). Another way to remove unwanted sounds is to listen to your music on headphones, but one that doesn’t excite you too much and doesn’t slow you down too much.

11. Stand up

In many offices, to increase efficiency, they work at the computer while standing. Everything is explained simply: The larger the area of ​​​​contact of the body with the surface, the less muscles are in good shape, and we relax more. Conversely, the less the body is in contact with the surface, the more muscles are involved and it is easier to focus. An example - we are lying on the bed, almost half of the body is in contact with the bed, the muscles do not work and it is extremely difficult to concentrate. If you sit down, then the contact area decreases and more muscles turn on, it becomes easier to concentrate. And if you stand up, then even more muscles work, the overall tone and mental abilities increase. Restriction in standing work is a state of health.

You can start work standing to make it easier to concentrate, and when you turn on, continue sitting. To make it easier to concentrate while working while sitting - try not to lean on the back, so it will be easier to get involved, especially in the first minutes.

12. Don't eat sweets (not just at night;)

Confectionery: buns, pastries, cookies, sugar, sweets and the like are called fast carbohydrates because they break down quickly in the stomach, unlike complex carbohydrates such as cereals. Confectionery is like paper, which burns quickly on a fire and gives a lot of heat, and cereals are like logs, which burn slowly and give heat for a long time. From confectionery appears fatigue, lack of energy. From fatigue, the tone decreases, the desire to do something and concentration drops to extremely low values.

That's why after confectionery weakness

1. Due to rapid splitting the body uses a lot of energy in order to use these carbohydrates and send the excess to the warehouse, i.e., to fat.

2. Soon, fast carbohydrates were broken down and there was no energy left for the body have to use internal reserves(until fat) supply from the liver to meet energy needs.

If you eat healthy food, such as cereals, vegetables, fruits, then there will be no stages of energy exchange described above, since food will immediately turn into energy. There will be no unnecessary loss of energy, you will have more strength. And if there are more forces, then it will be easier to concentrate.

Do not eat confectionery and you will find that it will be easier to concentrate.

P.S. If you have any difficulties or questions about the article you read, as well as on the topics: Psychology (bad habits, experiences, etc.), sales, business, time management, etc., ask me, I will try to help. Skype consultation is also possible.

P.P.S. You can also take an online training "How to get 1 hour extra time". Write comments, your additions;)

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Open any book on popular psychology and you will find tips on how to avoid distractions and finish your work faster. But only many of them are difficult to implement. How do you like the idea of ​​spending the whole day wearing headphones? Or turn off the Internet so as not to look at social networks? Maybe you are able to instantly switch and imagine that your work is the most interesting, inspiring and fun? But if the tips do not work, what will help you not to be distracted?

1. Unplug

Can't concentrate on important work? This may seem absurd, but - then do not try to do this. More and more researchers are coming to the conclusion that we spend a significant part of the day simply daydreaming and fantasizing. But this is not laziness, not a whim, but something necessary that helps the brain to function normally.

Concentration requires the concerted action of different parts of the brain, including the frontal lobe, which is responsible for countering distractions and controlling our natural drive to do more interesting things, among other things. It takes a lot of energy to keep this system running smoothly. So at a certain point we inevitably slow down and our mind starts to wander.

People who can turn off their brains are more successful at complex tasks than those who let their brains tell them when to work and when not to. Manage the process. Decide for yourself when you need maximum concentration, and when you can relax a little and switch off. And do not feel guilty about this - on the contrary, such switching will make the work more efficient.

Cats, videos, funny statuses that are copied and spread over the Web endlessly seem like a distraction to us. But some psychologists believe that such videos, on the contrary, allow us to successfully cope with the work.

In one experiment, people who watched a funny video searched for a solution to a difficult problem longer and more thoroughly than subjects from the control group, who were shown relaxing but not funny videos. The researchers concluded that in order for people to work effectively, offices need to create a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Of course, this does not mean that everyone should watch such videos all day long. However, it's good to break into jokes from time to time, especially when you're tired.

3. Load yourself up even more

As early as 1955, psychologist Nilli Lavy of University College London proposed a theory she called the Load Theory. According to her, there is a limit to how much information from the outside world our brain can process in a particular period of time. When it is overloaded, the attention system itself begins to choose what to focus on.

Levy's experiments have shown that we work more efficiently not at empty, clean desks and in complete silence, but in disorder and chaos. “Perhaps this is because when the cells of perception are filled, all the energy of the brain is directed to the most important task,” the scientist says. “Everything else just gets cut off.” The problem with implementing this idea is to provide the right amount of distractions and not over-load.

4. Take a break

When something urgently needs to be done, a break is the last thing that comes to mind. Everyone needs a little respite. We can focus on something for a maximum of 90 minutes, after which we need a 15-minute break.

Even a very short pause, lasting only a few seconds, can help - provided that you do not think about the current business. You can look out the window, perform a few simple arithmetic operations. Even better - take a walk, do a little warm-up, meditate.

5. Don't stress too much.

"Take more breaks!" advise Joe Degutis and Mike Esterman of the Boston Attention and Learning Lab. Through a series of experiments, they found that The best way keep concentration - work a little, and then take a short break. Those who tried to work without stopping ended up getting more tired and making more mistakes.

Christian Olivers from the Free University of Amsterdam agrees with these conclusions: “If you are in constant stress, work without a break, the ability to concentrate gradually fades away. Load yourself less. And do not forget to take breaks more often - in the end you will have time for much more.

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Concentration - the ability of a person for a long period of time to keep attention on the only thing necessary for this moment, object. Usually, if a person is interested in an object, then concentration is not a problem.

A person focuses all his attention on one thing and at this time all the other objects surrounding him recede far into the background, thoughts connect with perception and are directed to a specific thing or work that requires concentration.

How does concentration work?

Not everyone is able to boast of the ability to concentrate, to control their consciousness and attention. But the problem is not that they do not have this quality, but that they do not develop these abilities in themselves.

Interesting and important things for a person - communication with the right people, as if transferring him to a special state. Here he is under a kind of "cap" and is completely fenced off from the surrounding things. In such cases, a person does not need to make an effort to concentrate his attention.

A person, without realizing it, can calmly concentrate if the object, work, hobby or phenomenon is of serious interest to him. It turns out that concentration is not the effort of a person, but the effort of his psyche, when an interested brain perceives and processes the necessary information with special attention and at an increased speed.

But there are situations where a person concentrates involuntarily. Circumstances force the human brain to adapt to conditions, focus attention and disconnect from the external environment. This happens in stressful situations or when pursuing their pragmatic goals. For example, when passing exams or a moment before a possible emergency. The brain connects all its resources and thanks to special concentration at such moments, a person gets out of a difficult situation without loss.

How to learn to concentrate?

The inability to concentrate makes a person uncomfortable. The inability to get together interferes with work, study, and, if necessary, focusing on the desired object. Function training is useful at any age.

We have already found out that if an object is interesting to a person, he concentrates on it without making any effort. But, unfortunately, study, work are routine and uninteresting things, in comparison with the same or reading a book. And the brain is constantly switching to something else, in order to somehow unwind from the depressing pastime.

You can change the current situation and learn to concentrate your attention even on boring things by pulling yourself together and understanding some of the features of brain activity.

Thanks to the research, it was possible to find out that in order to fully concentrate on a task, a person needs at least ten minutes for the brain to switch to one task. As soon as this phase is completed, the second one begins - active working capacity, lasts forty to fifty minutes, but this time is enough to clarify some details, to reveal some facts. Then a recession sets in - a person gets tired, he needs a break, and no motivation will help to achieve the set results.

Therefore, try at the initial stage not to give up all undertakings, thinking that nothing comes out of you. Keep working, you need to go through this stage, then there will be nowhere to go and the brain will be carried away by the process that is slipped to it. Without going through this stage, you will not be able to fully concentrate on what is important to you.

What prevents you from concentrating?

There are many distracting things around, especially if a person is not interested in what he is doing. Desk neighbors, colleagues at work, the desire to get some air, drink tea, and other situations unsettle and do not allow to concentrate.

No less distracting from important matters that require concentration, clutter in the workplace, a mess in the room, extraneous smells and sounds. Lack of sleep is also said feeling unwell. Also, a working TV, a turned on computer often become an interfering factor.

It is advisable to move away from annoying and distracting factors, but at the same time, you do not need to accustom yourself to complete silence. Life is so busy that a person must be able to abstract in any situation. Otherwise, having become accustomed to concentrating in some conditions, it will be difficult to concentrate in others.

How to learn to manage your attention at work?

To gain the ability to concentrate at work for a long time, learn to control your attention.

Self-discipline at work is the main factor that develops concentration, and it depends on the ability to manage oneself, one's thoughts and thoughts.

The first thing to do to develop self-discipline is:

Clean up where you work. Close the tabs on the computer, turn down or turn off the music. So that nothing distracts you from your work.
Do not overwork the body, give yourself a ten-minute break every hour. Breathe in fresh air at this time, do exercises or be distracted by some other object.
Communicate with people around you during breaks, and during working hours, ask them not to disturb you.
Tune in to the amount of work in advance, think over a plan of action. This way you will retain an understanding of the process itself and will be focused on maintaining your own set plan.

Perseverance, understanding why you need to focus - these qualities will lead you to the ability to concentrate your attention at the right time for this. Be persistent in your desires and aspirations.

March 2, 2014, 11:59

In search of an easy way, our brain is constantly trying to switch us from a productive mode to something less important: and now it seems that you are ready to do anything but work tasks. Thus, many get addicted to the drug of "urgency", when it is possible to work effectively only in the mode of burning deadlines. But attempts to do everything in a short time adversely affect the psyche, become sources of endless stress. How to focus on one thing, learn to concentrate on work and not be distracted, I will tell in this article.

How our brain works

The mind does not know how to function in several different directions in parallel. At the same time, thoughts wander in the head all the time, because of which there are difficulties with concentration.

When a new task appears, at the very beginning of its execution, brain activity is aimed at creating neural connections. The more complex the issue, the longer this process takes. After a few minutes, most of the necessary neurons are activated, so it becomes easier to concentrate.

How is concentration

Any business can be divided into 3 stages:

• Power on (0-15 min.). This is the most energy intensive stage.
• Productivity phase (20 minutes - several hours).
• Fatigue (decreased performance). Time to take a break.

So, every time you are distracted at the beginning of work, the brain needs to “turn on” again, spending a certain number of minutes on this - you will not be able to immediately focus on the goal.

How to learn to focus on one thing

The best way to maintain an effective state is to postpone all incoming thoughts, tasks, calls, messages until the moment when you start to get tired. Then in the third stage you will be able to immediately complete all the additional tasks that have accumulated. So you get distracted from the main thing, take a break from it, switching to other little things.

How to practice active concentration

This technique consists of four useful techniques.

Take notes

If the format of the work allows it, write by hand. This is one of the most effective methods that allow you to constantly keep your brain in good shape, to be maximally involved in the process. As soon as you feel that during a business meeting or lecture you start to get distracted, create more notes. They may not be helpful, but they will help keep your focus.

Scribble

The crop pictures really help to concentrate. If you have to listen to a large amount of information for a long time, by drawing even the simplest elements, you will not let yourself get bored and distracted by extraneous thoughts, you will feel yourself here and now.

How to Become More Focused: Speak Out Loud

Sounding allows you to better understand what is read or written. Verbalization contributes to maximum involvement in activities, because by concentrating on pronouncing a sentence, the brain does not wander, but keeps one task in focus.

Look for the right solutions

When your thoughts start to take you the other way, consciously bring them back to work, telling yourself, "I'm doing everything right." At this point, start reading, writing or listening even more actively, think about each phrase, feel your actions.

How to Focus on a Goal: Tips for Planning and Focusing

Another technique is related to the development of time management.

Find the best time

Find out what part of the day you are most productive and complete the most important tasks in that time frame. If you are a night owl, you should not start the day with the most difficult things, give yourself time to swing on the little things. If you are a lark, do not put off work questions until the evening.

Make a plan in the morning

A clear schedule will allow you to track the implementation of current tasks and not be distracted by trifles. Set a strict time frame for each task that needs to be completed (with a little margin in case more time is suddenly needed). Make sure that you do not think about two things at the same time, but focus on only one.

Pay attention to both short-term and long-term goals

The focus should always be not only the current occupation, but also thoughts about why you are doing this. Find a way to remind yourself of the goal you are really striving for. Understanding that your current activity is one of the steps towards a dream will motivate and restore concentration.

How to learn to focus on one thing and not be distracted by extraneous thoughts: create a habit

If you can't work because of the monotony, understand how long your brain is able to focus on one activity. Based on this, plan your day so that different variants activities alternated. For example, take a break of 10 minutes every half hour. Make a list of small tasks that you can pay attention to during breaks. As soon as this format becomes familiar to you, you will notice how much you can get done in a short period of time.

Rest according to schedule

Rest is extremely important, but only if it is consciously planned by you. Resist the temptation to have a cup of tea right after opening a working paper. Agree to take a five-minute break after completing a small, specific task. You can also use the 50/10 or 40/10 technique - then every 40-50 minutes you can relax and consciously distract yourself, and then return to activity again.

Focus on one thing: removing obstacles

• Work in comfortable conditions. If you have the opportunity to choose your own place of work, make sure that there is not a single distraction around. Make a list of what distracts you the most and create a workspace where you won't have the option of checking social media, watching YouTube videos, or chatting with a friend.
• If it is impossible to eliminate the source of noise or movement that distracts you, you should not waste your strength, nerves and endure to the last. Also, do not switch to aggression mode. Just walk away, find a quieter place to organize your workspace, or take a walk. The second option is to put on headphones and turn on a calm, pleasant melody.
• Turn off the Internet, if possible. Close the browser window with intrusive ads, log out of social networks, let only the necessary materials for the project be in front of you.
• Set your priorities wisely. During the day, you probably fall down a huge number of tasks, each of which requires attention. Do what is of particular importance or urgency first. And only then proceed to issues of lesser prioritization.
• Take up meditation. Learn breathing exercises, which will help bring the body into a state of concentration during overload. Look for sources of energy and inspiration within yourself. To do this, you can sign up for my women's course "" right now, during which you will learn how to use internal resources to the fullest!

How to learn to keep your attention on one thing: 12 ways to focus on work

It is extremely important not to be interrupted when you are at the stage of inclusion in the workflow. To prevent this, use the methods below.

Do not be distructed

Constantly switching to other things when you first started the project activity is the same as driving a car, stopping and accelerating all the time. This takes a lot of energy, and productivity is reduced to a minimum. If multitasking isn't your thing, ask your loved ones and colleagues not to disturb you for a certain amount of time. Turn off social networks, mail and phone. Switch to other activities only when you feel that you have entered the phase of declining performance.

How to learn to properly concentrate at work: remove all unnecessary

Things that are not related to the project distract the mind, generating an additional stream of thoughts. If the workplace is littered, information noise, chaos arises in the head, which makes it much more difficult to immerse yourself in vigorous activity. Try working on a cluttered desk, and then leave it completely clean and compare the results.

Work or study on a timer

Promise yourself that until the time allotted for concentration on one task is over, you will not be distracted. Cut off these time intervals on an alarm clock. This way of organizing trains self-discipline. Determine how long your most productive moments last and take this into account when compiling your timing. Periodically change the objects of your attention, but only consciously, according to a schedule.

For example, knowing that you reach your maximum efficiency in work activities after 30 minutes, take a ten-minute break every half hour. Then the brain will always be in good shape. And if suddenly after 15 minutes. work you want to be distracted, remember that, most likely, the mind is trying to deceive you. Having overcome this desire, you will be able to remain at the peak of productivity for some time, and then relax with a clear conscience.

Get up earlier

In the morning, focusing on the task is much easier, since the mind has just recovered and is not yet overloaded with information. In addition, sleep itself greatly slows down the flow of thoughts that distract from business, so there will be much less reason to interrupt. That is why many prefer to wake up at 5-6 o'clock and go to bed early to be effective. most day. In the meantime, be sure to get enough sleep! Lack of sleep reduces the reaction, mental activity, leads to exhaustion and weakening of the body.

Leave the fun for later

In no case should you start your working days by reading the news in social networks, watching TV and other useless activities. Remember that after dessert, the main course is much more difficult to sit down - it simply does not seem so attractive. Work for so long until you feel tired, and only then switch to relaxation. No wonder there is a completely working expression: "Cause - time, fun - an hour."

How to learn to focus on a goal and be focused: warm up by making a plan

To set your mind in a productive way, before you start a task, make a detailed daily routine. If you have one big task to complete, break it into several parts and allocate a specific time period for each. Imagine how the workflow will go in a couple of minutes. After such a workout, you will feel that it will be noticeably easier to turn on.

Connect Logic

The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for logical thinking, purposefulness and rational activity. It can be launched by solving math problems, crossword puzzles and games. Activate the right side of your body: move your arm or leg.

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Rule out moving objects

The subconscious will always pay attention to movement, which is the basic principle of the instinct of self-preservation. Activity is a danger, so reflexively you will be distracted by them.

If you can't focus on anything, control your adrenaline

When you are agitated, the flow of intrusive thoughts makes it difficult to concentrate on business. Like fatigue, drowsiness does not allow you to fully engage in the work process. To work effectively, you need to maintain an average level of arousal that does not feed mental activity, but also does not push everything to quit.

To reduce anxiety:

• turn on a calm instrumental melody or sounds of nature;
• take a walk;
• reproduce in your head the image of a quiet, beautiful area where you once visited;
• reduce muscle tone, take a relaxed position;
• act slowly;
• slow down your breathing.

To boost adrenaline:

How to correctly and quickly focus on the main thing and work: remove unnecessary sounds

Extraneous conversations inhibit brain activity, creating an additional stream of thoughts. Block out the noise with headphones or earplugs. Better yet, ask those who make you uncomfortable to be quieter.

Don't eat sweets

Although they say that chocolate stimulates brain activity, confectionery products are sources of fast carbohydrates, are instantly broken down in the stomach and do not provide enough energy. Sweets reduce efficiency, concentration, so often after eating them you can feel sluggish, relaxed. Instead, eat fruits and vegetables as often as possible, which will supply the body with vitamins and fill it with vitality.

Work standing

The larger the surface area with which the body is in contact, the less tone the muscles are. So, leaning on or lying down on the bed, we give the body a signal that we can relax, rest. It is extremely difficult to concentrate in this state. If you can't stand all the time while doing a project, sit down when you feel like you've passed the turn-on phase and entered the productive phase.

Help from psychologist Daria Milay

Conclusion

After trying each of these techniques, you can develop your own technique for focusing on a task. If you still don’t understand how to quickly focus on work, force yourself to focus on a goal, and you need to do this as quickly as possible, sign up for mine to find individual ways to increase concentration. Just an hour of our communication will help you get unique tools for finding inner harmony and balance. You will see how powerful a source of energy is hidden inside you, you will feel like an omnipotent and purposeful person.

Personal consultation

In difficult life situations, there is a feeling of hopelessness and despair. The most effective way is a personal consultation.

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If there is an exam or session on the nose, and it doesn’t even smell like a five, it’s good that you got on the Internet. In this article, we will look at step by step way concentrate on studying as much as possible in order to prepare faster and better. All steps are simple, only require a little responsibility.

Step #1 Prepare the site

Room → Home Office

Before you sit down to study, it will be a good idea to create an atmosphere of work for yourself. Let it be the way you imagine it: cheat sheets pasted on the walls, a cup of coffee, a motivating screensaver on your computer. The main thing is to work comfortably. Below is a list of how to create this convenience in your workplace.

• Find a secluded spot without too much noise
• Put things in order, be sure to wipe the dust (breathing and thinking easier - tested on yourself)
• Ventilate the room so as not to "stupid" from a lack of oxygen
• Prepare everything you need: pen, ruler, pencil, calculator, draft, drink
• Take a normal chair with a back and no wheels

After you do these actions, you will have 2 benefits. Firstly, you will pick up the “initial speed” and will already start doing something, and secondly, you will not be distracted by the mess and will be able to stay focused longer.

Technics

Separately, it is worth talking about technology. Constantly checking messages and updates from friends today has become a daily habit: you already automatically go through instagram when you pick up your phone. This is especially annoying if you need a calculator or a search engine.

To prevent this while studying, you need to either remove gadgets altogether, or restrict their impact. For this you can try:

• Turn on Do Not Disturb
• Enable Airplane Mode
• Delete social page networks for a while
• Delete all browser bookmarks
• Place all shortcuts on the desktop in one folder and separately create the "Study" folder

These simple actions can sometimes save yourself a few hours. After all, it happens that you go to rest for 5 minutes, but spend 10 times more time on it.

Step #2 Prepare yourself

Snack

After you have prepared the workplace, you need to take care of yourself. For starters, just have a snack so that the brain focuses on the lessons, and not on food. It is better to eat something light, so as not to fall down on the sofa with an obsessive desire to fall asleep.

You can kill two birds with one stone: eat and increase your concentration. For this, it is recommended to use the following products:

• Green tea
• Greenery
• nuts
• Fatty fish (herring, mackerel)
• bitter chocolate
• Water (does nothing on its own, but lack causes fatigue)

While eating watch some video on the topic of your subject or read a short article. So you immediately begin to join the process and get rid of extraneous thoughts.

Thoughts

If we are already talking about thoughts, then we will open this issue more widely. Problems, unresolved issues, dreams and memories can also interfere with concentration, so you need to do it as much as possible before starting classes. Here's how.

And you can not waste time and immediately sit down to study. If the problem is not serious, then obsessive thoughts will gradually calm down and, in the process of immersion, will go away on their own.

More, important aspect to help you set yourself up is visualization. In your thoughts, you prepare yourself for work in advance, constantly repeating: “now and only today”, “I will work in the evening”, “I will not get up until I do it”, etc. You scroll through the process of work in your head and let the body know that you have to make an effort. With these actions, you cause concentration even before the work begins, and it will be easier for you to get involved in the process later.

Music

Scientists have found that Mozart is good for health, Vivaldi - for and speed of reaction, Beethoven - for getting rid of stress. Some complex neurobiological processes occur in the body, which determine all these positive effects.

But we don't care. It is important for us that music has a calming and relaxing effect. It helps to relieve irritability and increase concentration. Here are some examples of soothing classical music:

• "Moonlight Sonata" - L. Beethoven
• Piano Concerto No. 23 - V.A. Mozart
• "To Elise" - L.V. Beethoven
• Nocturne No. 20 - F. Chopin
• "Waltz of the Flowers" - P.I. Tchaikovsky

You can use not only the classics. Modern compositions and sounds of nature are perfect.

Plan

As Brian Tracy wrote: every minute spent planning saves 10 minutes execution».

Indeed, if you plan the whole process in advance, you will notice that you will finish faster than you expected. Your thoughts won't move from side to side, and this will allow you to concentrate on one subject.

For example, if you are doing an essay - write down the structure and subheadings, if you are studying several subjects - think about the order in which to read them, if you are doing homework - decide what to write off and what to do yourself. You will spend only a couple of minutes, but get rid of the feeling of uncertainty. You will have a structure of work - a skeleton that you can rely on.

Step #3 Concentration while studying

So we come to the most important thing - the learning process. In fact, all the defining steps were taken in the past, and now we only need to learn a couple of effective life hacks.

#1 Breaks

Take breaks after 1 hour work. Scientists have found that it is this distribution of time that helps to maintain better performance.

#2 Deadline

Set yourself hard term. When you set limits for yourself, the brain automatically increases productivity. What you do in a quiet schedule in 3 hours can be done 2 or even 3 times faster.

Only you need to set real restrictions so that it is not possible to slip away. For example, arrange a meeting with a friend, promise to help parents or buy a movie ticket.

#3 Total dedication

Do only 1 thing at 1 time and give it your all. Move your fingers across the table, draw figures in the air, speak out loud, in general - try to connect as many senses as possible. So you comprehensively approach the question, and thereby better focus.

#4 Breath holding

If you are half asleep and tired of studying, try holding your breath. This is good exercise shocks the brain and cheers up.

#5 Goal

Keep the goal in mind, imagine freedom and pleasure after completing tasks. Otherwise, you can slip and quickly become discouraged.

A little motivation

Many people do not need all the past reasoning at all. For them, the main difficulty is the lack of interest in learning and boredom.

But what is there to say? The quote from artist Chuck Close describes it all: "Inspiration for amateurs, the rest just come and work". A person never does only what he loves, there are always problems and routine.

You just need to sit down and start, without any excuses. Raise your ass and get used to breaking your “I don’t want to” every day. This is what life is about, this is the kind of behavior that makes respect yourself . Don't be lazy, start developing your character right now.

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