You Can Get More Done in Less Time If You Concentrate More. Here’s How
If you’re used to social media with messages that last only a short time and are constantly replaced by new messages, hyperlinks that take you off down new rabbit-holes, and attention-grabbing videos that you just HAVE to watch, then you might think that our concentration span is getting shorter.
There’s a common statistic that says the human attention span is now 8 seconds. Well actually, that’s not accurate, it depends on what you’re doing. (If you’re reading a cliff-hanger book, or researching something that’s really interesting to you, you can concentrate or pay attention for hours if necessary).
But it’s probably true to say that in today’s world, with so much going on around us, it seems much harder to stay focused.
And the fact is, your ability to get things done depends on your ability to pay attention. To concentrate.
The good news is that you CAN learn to focus more and focus better. All you need is to take charge and apply these simple tips to concentrate more and get more done in less time.
(By the way, many people assume only office workers need to get more done in less time – but it also applies if you are a busy mum for example, or retired, or feel that you don’t know where the time went but you didn’t get anything done).
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Organize Your Brain
If you’re at work you have deadlines, meetings, projects, tasks – all things that need to get done within the span of a few hours. Perhaps you need to organize the kids for school, buy and prepare food, do laundry and cleaning…… or perhaps you need to organize that photo collection lurking in your attic or detail your family tree.
Whatever it is that you need to get done, the absolutely best thing you can do is to make a list.
Yes, it’s an old-fashioned concept. But it’s still around today because it works. Just the act of writing or typing up a list of the tasks you must do, helps your brain to start planning how you will go about doing everything.
Think about the steps you need to take, and write them down.
Even better – prioritise your list – there are some things you absolutely must do first thing, while other items can wait a while. When you do this, you’re making sure you’re more productive because you get the important things done first.
Better still – write your list the night before so you’re not bombarded with many things at the start of the day. This is like stretching before a workout – it doesn’t take a lot of time, but you can’t start without it.
Interval Training
Get more done in less time by breaking up your day into intervals. Once you’ve started on a task, set the timer to, say, 30 minutes.
During that time, focus completely on that task.
Once the timer rings, you take a short break to get some coffee or just walk around your desk or home for some quick exercise. After 4 intervals, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes.
Remember I said you need to focus completely on that one task? That means you can’t keep picking up your phone to check your email or social media every 5 minutes. Why? Because it can take up to 25 minutes to get back to you original task once you’ve been distracted.
And that means you’re spending the entire day just trying to regain your focus – but not really achieving it.
Some ideas – put your phone on silent or stick it in a drawer to ward off temptation. An even better way to do this is to carve out half an hour at the start of the day, or in the afternoon, to get all that out of your system so that you’re not constantly thinking about it.
Of course, that’s easier in an office environment than when you’re looking after kids for example, but the same principles still hold true. Perhaps there’s a fun task you could set the kids that will keep them busy for 30 minutes, while you complete your own task.
Calm Your Environment
If you’re trying to get things done but there’s clutter and mess all around you, it’s going to be more difficult to concentrate. You don’t have to be pristine, or minimalist, just not cluttered.
Even if your choices are limited or you can’t change your workspace, here are some ideas to help. They’ll work whether you are in an office, or working on crafts or sorting your attic.
- You need a clear space to work on. It doesn’t need to be big, just clear. You might consider a desk organizer or similar to store away whatever you’re not working on at the moment
- Add a plant or two – being close to Nature is shown to improve concentration.
- Make sure you have enough light to be able to see clearly.
- Add a lovely photo or a calming piece of artwork.
- Play soft background music or sounds of nature to put you in the mood to concentrate
Feed Your Brain!
What you eat is important. Convenience and junk food and drinks rich in sugar will NOT help your brain to concentrate.
Enjoying a balanced diet rich in minerals and vitamins, on the other hand, boosts energy levels and gives you the mental stamina you need to concentrate on the task at hand.
Water is also very important to prevent dehydration. Staying hydrated throughout the day prevents your mind from slowing down. Exercising regularly also boosts cognitive powers and mental stamina.
Relax With Yoga
Yoga is great for making you more supple, and for relaxation, but did you know it also helps to improve your concentration? If you practice Yoga regularly, you’ll find it easier to concentrate on one thing at a time, instead of having your mind spinning around all the time.
(If you’re not familiar with Yoga, join the 5-day challenge and discover 5 super-simple stretches that you’ll love. they’ll help you relax, de-stress and concentrate better!).
Play!
In between your intervals of focus and concentration, consider some games to relax you. Although research has been mixed as to their effectiveness on your abilities, I’ve noticed for example, that my mental arithmetic – which was terrible – has improved since I started playing Lumosity. I also enjoy Sudoku, crosswords and other puzzles. They may help with your problem-solving abilities, reasoning, memory and attention spans, as well as being fun!
These 6 tips will all help you to concentrate more so that you get more done in less time – and that’s got to be worthwhile!
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Warm regards,
P.S. Don’t forget to join the 5-day Yoga to De-Stress Challenge – it’s fun! You’ll be glad you did. Click here to join – it’s FREE!
