In this article I will show you 15 keys to improve concentration, In addition to guiding you in the understanding of what is and commenting on the current scientific panorama in the discipline.
In a society as competitive as this, people try to be more productive and being focused on what we do is important for it. This will not only make you do things better, but save time.
With so many electronic devices and stimulation, it is sometimes complicated, however it is a matter of habituating, starting with small habits and little by little.
Isaac Asimov Lived and published his fruitful literary work during the twentieth century. Now, in the 21st century, things have changed. We live in the era of Technology, surrounded by lots of small distractions: WhatsApp, Facebook, email, etc.
The difficulty of focusing attention in dealing with irrelevant distractors is a common and often frustrating experience 2 .
The Consequences range from reduced quality of life (eg not being able to focus attention when reading a good book or even this Article) to affect the Ability to study And work or be more prone to accidents 2 .
So what is the concentration really?
Formally the concentration is called sustained attention. It is nothing more than attention but, more specifically, the capacity to sustain it in a Specific focus of information for a given time.
We can do many different things thanks to our attention: attending to a focus of information ignoring everything that happens around (attention Selective), attending to several sources of information at the same time (divided attention) or keeping attention in a focus of information over time That is necessary (sustained attention).
Of all these, the last capacity is the one that is more difficult for the human being because it implies continuous control of the levels of optimal attention. In This concept is sometimes related to surveillance, thus including the ability to react to an unpredictable change in the stimulus signal Attended.
Thus, when we refer to wanting to improve our concentration, what we really want is to learn to maintain adequate levels of attention During the necessary time.
This ability is vital when, for example, we are willing to learn or memorize certain content. Why? Because this capacity is how Our hippocampus works when it comes to learning.
15 Keys to Improving Concentration
1-Make lists and do one thing at the same time
Making lists is a basic principle of productivity. If you list everything you have to do, you will avoid being worried and thinking about other topics. It's about having what you have to do to be able to"get it out of your mind".
For example, you can get used to making a list of everything you have to do on the day before or the morning before you start working or studying. As you go through the tasks, you are crossing over and so you can focus on one task at a time.
More simple tips:
- Read the email once or twice a day.
- Close the chat window, facebook or email.
- Plan a Time of day to think about your concerns .
- Prioritize: Do the most important tasks first.
- Work on tasks that require less concentration when you are most tired.
- Rest every time (50 minutes - 1 hour).
- Think about the time of day when you feel more active and productive and work on it.
- Change theme: if you can do it, it is recommended. When you change the subject of what you study or what you work, your interest increases.
In addition to these lists, I recommend you make a list of what you do not have to do to be focused. If you are going to start studying or working, start with the list of your tasks to finish and the list of what you do not have to do to concentrate (open facebook, look at whatsapp...).
2-Set time limits
It is good that you know what Parkinson's law says:"work expands until the time available for completion is over." This is real and is usually fulfilled. If you do not set time limits to finish the tasks, you will tend to distract and deconcentrate yourself.
Therefore, something highly recommended is to put time limits to finish what you have to do. I recommend reading This article from Parkinson's Law To delve into these techniques.
3-Cover your basic needs
If you have to go to the bathroom, you are hungry or thirsty, it will be difficult to concentrate. So, try to have those needs met before you go to study, read or work.
Surely you are familiar with the feeling of restlessness when you are reading, working or studying and at the same time you feel hungry. Get rid of your basic needs and then you will see how your concentration improves.
4-Work in a place without distractions: it creates a suitable environment
Did you know that it takes us approximately 10 minutes to reach the optimum concentration point? And every time you get distracted (someone talks to you, you watch something that moves, you hear something), you have to start over.
Try to create a place free of distractions. This can be difficult because you may be working in an office where many people go or studying in a crowded library, but you can always try to improve the situation by putting you in the best places, using caps, changing the orientation of the table, etc.
More about the place of reading / work / study:
- Make sure you feel comfortable.
- Did you know that relaxing images increase concentration? If you can put pictures in your place of work or reading, choose relaxing images as natural landscapes. Cute pictures of dogs and cats, etc. Can also improve concentration, as shown This studio .
- Music? The research has not shown whether it is convenient to use music or not. If it helps you, wear it, but do not use it. What if it seems clear, is that it is better that you use classic music, relaxing or soundtracks, all without lyrics.
- Sunlight: light stimulates the production of Serotonin , A neurotransmitter that influences good mood and prevents depression, helping you sleep better and improve your concentration levels.
5-Feed properly
Yes, nutrition is also very important to have a good concentration.
- Drinking water: besides being a basic necessity, feeling thirsty or dehydrated makes us feel tired, without energy or irritable. Also, when the brain has little water, it can not function properly.
- Breakfast: As I said before, it is very difficult to stay focused when you feel hungry.
- Any meal high in omega 3 (salmon, sardines, walnuts) are good for improving concentration and cognitive functions. They are also anti-inflammatory, so they help the brain to function better.
- Foods high in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, are good for concentration. These increase the blood supply to the brain and provide the brain cells with more oxygen.
- Moderate amounts of caffeine. Coffee is recommended on occasions where you need an extra push, but do not take it daily, because your caffeine amounts are very large. Green tea contains much less caffeine and antioxidants called polyphenols, which improve brain function and reduce cell death.
- Bananas and sunflower seeds are high in dopamine, a neurotransmitter that increases motivation and concentration.
- Foods high in vitamin B6 and B12 are good for memory and concentration because they improve cognitive functioning and prevent diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer's. Fish, meat, eggs, nuts and seaweed are high in these vitamins.
- High fiber foods such as fruits, nuts, seeds and grains are very good for concentration as they help maintain an average energy level by maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
In this article You can know the foods that will help you concentrate.
6-Know your limits
If you want to increase your concentration, the first task you must do is to recognize what are the things that distract you the most.
Once you have identified them, plan a stimulus control routine.
If, for example, what distracts you most is to be aware of your email, when you are performing an important task that requires maximum Concentrate on pacing with yourself / checking the mail once per hour.
This will also be a good way to set breaks in your activity.
7-Pauses are important
Why do you think classes at school and university last between 45 minutes and an hour?
Our sustained attention is both variable. In fact, the peak concentration has a duration of about 40 minutes, which time Can be increased with training and motivation.
It took about 10 minutes to reach this peak of concentration so it would be interesting to pause the activity to be performed once each hour.
With a short break of 5 to 10 minutes to drink or go to the bathroom, we will regain our maximum attention to return to work.
Again, do not forget your limits because, forcing you to do more than you humanly can, will only lead you to stress and frustration.
8-If you listen to music, choose the type
Different studies have shown that concentration and performance are influenced by the type of music that we put in the background while Let's work.
In 2010 it was shown that listening to hip hop is better in this regard than listening to classical music or not listening to music 4 .
Why is this possible?
Hip hop music has a very marked rhythmic pattern while the melodic component is scarce or nonexistent (even the vocal melody in hip hop Is rhythmic). It is argued in this study that melodic music is distracting while rhythmic music favors concentration 4 .
A striking finding in this study was that the subjective perception of music as a distractor served as a predictor of concentration and performance. That is, if you think music will distract you, do not use it because it will definitely.
As a final conclusion of the study it was stated that, if what we are looking for is a perfect understanding and not so much concentration, it is best to get accustomed to Work in a quiet space.
The performance analysis in reading comprehension concluded that the best understanding was given in the control condition of the study (control: total absence of music). Why?
They called the effect"drainage effect of attention", consisting of the unconscious dedication of attentional resources to the processing of music.
That is, even if you achieve a greater concentration using music, in fact you will get a better understanding of the content and a greater acquisition Of knowledge if you are in a quiet environment.
If your goal is not learning and understanding, this should not worry you. Sometimes we simply need to work Routine activity for hours and hours.
To achieve this, rhythmic music is the option (and, following the logic presented, better instrumental or in a Language you do not understand).
9-Stay at breakfast
Breakfast provides the necessary energy to the brain and, as a result, improves learning through improved attention-concentration 5 .
The 10-12 hour interval between dinner and breakfast causes a drop in Blood glucose . Not having breakfast can drastically affect Cognitive performance 5 Given that the brain uses about 20% of the glucose we consume.
If the concentration of glucose in blood is sufficiently low this will result in an immediate worsening of the cerebral functions 6 .
10-Practice meditation
In recent years, The Benefits of Meditation Are being made patent through numerous psychological therapies. This has triggered the Interest in the scientific study of the benefits of this tool.
In 2010 a study showed that meditation training improves both sustained attention (concentration) and perceptual discrimination in Selective attention tasks 7 .
Learn how to meditate here .
11-Rest correctly
Gruber et al. Demonstrated in the year 2000 that ADHD, attention disorder, is accompanied by an imbalance in sleep patterns Referring to Fig. .
Whenever possible, try to make your sleep patterns stable by setting a sleep routine and waking you up. This, over time, will ensure that your Sleep stabilizes and you will notice it in your attentional performance during the day.
If in addition to concentrating, what you are looking for is to improve your ability to study and memorize, a proper rest is also very important.
If you sleep a Average of 7 hours a day, you will have enough time for your brain to consolidate the information learned. If you rest well, you will have to Strive less.
For more information on better sleep visit:
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12-Take advantage of your emotions. On the role of motivation
Emotion / Motivation → Attention / Concentration → Learning / Memory
What The learning And memory are modulated by emotion and motivation is a fact proven in a wide range of studies 9,10,11,12,13 . Han Been postulated two explanatory mechanisms: through attention / concentration 14 And through the retention of content fifteen .
How can emotion / motivation change our level of attention?
Hormones released in emotional states ( adrenalin ) Are crucial for Our brain Interpret the importance of a situation or content.
If something is perceived as important, these hormones will act in the brain circuits of memorization and learning, making possible the consolidation of The contents through the amygdala-hippocampus circuit 16 .
As I mentioned earlier, the attention is multi-component. There are two components of care that modulate this process.
One of them is the selective component. Thus, in a state of concentration, the selective component of attention will guide your brain through the material To learn and remember.
This has been demonstrated in practice by recording the eye movements of people while in a state of concentration Learning a certain material 17 .
The contents best remembered were those that most attracted the attention of the participants, that is, those where the sight was fixed in more Occasions.
The second is the sustained or purely"concentration"component. The contents that have more emotional meaning for a person are better Remembered since the attention takes more time in"to disengage of them" 18 .
How could you modulate your emotions to get the results you want?
Try to perceive your tasks as personal challenges. If the task is long and tedious, it sets small short-term challenges. This will do the motivating task for you And each of your achievements will be a positive reinforcement.
13-Arousal training
He Arousal Is the state of alert in which we are in a certain moment.
An optimal arousal state has been shown to modulate attention by allowing information to be processed more efficiently and with less effort 19 .
A more efficient processing not only implies a better learning, but also implies a better performance and execution in sports tasks or Any other nature.
How to get optimum arousal?
There are two very similar psychological theories that explain it coming to the same conclusion: the theory of the inverted U (Yerkes and Dodson) and the theory of Optimal operating area (Hanin). I will rely on the second:
Arousal or alertness is a result of the level of activation or stress of a person at a particular time. As we see in Hanin's chart, the Attentional performance will be optimal when our arousal level is medium.
Hanin, unlike Yerkes and Dodson, showed that this optimal zone is a time interval.
14-Do physical exercise
Multiple studies have concluded improvement in concentration as a short-term outcome of physical exercise. One of them is the one of Howard Taras, Published in 2005.
In this study, they attempted to evaluate all possible Benefits of physical exercise In academic performance. However, the only result Indisputable was the improvement in student concentration 19 .
Although not known for sure, it is hypothesized that this improvement could be a result of improved brain oxygenation and, therefore, better Cognitive functioning.
A study is currently under development in the University of Geneva Which aims to know what role oxygenation plays in improving the Cognitive performance and concentration. The enigma will soon be solved.
In the meantime, play sports because although we do not know why, it helps.
15-Form an Enriching Environment
The greatest enemy of sustained attention or concentration is distraction.
It has recently been demonstrated in Lavie's scientific review that the ability to focus attention improves in those tasks in which the Perceptual stimulation is high, regardless of the difficulty 2,3 !!!
What does this mean?
Usually, it has been argued that it will be more difficult to concentrate on those more difficult tasks.
By itself, this is true. However, if the Perceptual stimulation is high, there will be no place in our attentional resources to lose concentration because of irrelevant distractors.
Let's put it into practice : Yes, you are reading a book for example, you will concentrate better and for longer if the aesthetics of the book is so appealing that You feel that"you love"(images, colorful, beautiful letter, drawings, schemes, etc.).
So, if you are a student, make some beautiful notes or choose books full of color. If, on the contrary, you are a worker, make sure you are in a "Aesthetically stimulating"environment (this also applies to students in their study space).
In the cited scientific publication, moreover, something obvious was demonstrated: that in simple tasks, perceptual richness need not be high because We will also maintain concentration. However this, on some occasions, may not be so obvious.
The ability to concentrate is different in each person. While Isaac Asimov boasted of an impassable concentration (see quote at the beginning of Article), there are also people with more difficulties or even people who suffer ADHD , Chronic pathology that precludes the concentration of extreme form.
If you consider that your ability to concentrate is very low, even if the task to be performed is very simple, be sure to always enrich your environment. From In this way, your attentional focus will be assured.
Why do you think books for children are so beautiful and colorful?
And what do you do to improve your concentration? Your comment will allow us to know what works and what does not. Thanks!
References
- Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- Lavie, N. (2010). Attention, distraction and cognitive control under load. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19 (3), pp. 143-148.
- Forster, S., & Lavie, N. (2007). High perceptual load makes everybody equal: Eliminating individual differences in distractibility with load. Psychological Science, 18, 377-382.
- Tze, P. and Chou, M. (2010). Attention drainage effect: how background music affects concentration in Taiwanese college students. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, vol 10, no.1, pp. 36-46.
- Gajre, N.S. Et al. (2008). Breakfast Eating Habit and its Influence on Attention-concentration, Immediate Memory and School Achievement. Indian Pediatrics 2008; 45: 824-828.
- Wurtman RJ, Judith J, Wurtman J. Determinants of the availability of nutrients to brain. Cereb Nut Energy Metab 1977; 1: 103-129.
- MacLean, K. et al. (2010). Intensive Meditation Training Improves Perceptual Discrimination and Sustained Attention. Psychological Science 21 (6) 829-839.
- Gruber, R et al (2000). Instability of Sleep Patterns in Children With Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and adolescent psychiatry, vol. 39, pp. 495-501.
- Bohannon, J. N., III (1988). Flashbulb memories for the space shuttle disaster: A tale of two theories. Cognition, 29, 179-196Heuer and Reisberg (1990).
- Cahill, L. (1997). The neurobiology of emotionally-influenced memory: Implications for understanding traumatic memory. In R. Yehuda & A. C.
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- Bradley, M. M., Greenwald, M.K., Petry, M.C., & Lang, P.J. (1992). Remembering pictures: Pleasure and arousal in memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 18, 379-390.
- Christianson, S.A., & Loftus, E. F. (1991). Remembering emotional events: The fate of detailed information. Cognition & Emotion, 5, 81-108
- Kleinsmith, L.J., & Kaplan, S. (1963). Paired-associate learning as a function of arousal and interpolated interval. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 65, 190-193.
- McGaugh, J.L. (2000). Memory: A century of consolidation. Science, 14, 248-251.
- Loftus, E. F., Loftus, G. R., & Messo, J. (1987). Some facts about weapon focus. Law & Human Behavior, 11, 55-62.
- Fox, E., Russo, R., Bowles, R., & Dutton, K. (2001). Do threatening stimuli draw or hold visual attention in subclinical anxiety? Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 130, 681-700.
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