Considering the number of distractions available in the modern world, it’s remarkable that anyone can stay focused on anything for very long. This is the era of the short attention span, and many people find it extremely challenging to remain focused on an important project at work or an exercise program at home. There are ways to improve your concentration and increase your attention span, however.
It is important to understand that maintaining focus is an active mental and physical exercise, not a passive or automatic response. You should think of focus in the same way a sharpshooter would think of his target. Nothing else matters besides the task or objective at hand, and giving into a preventable distraction could ruin the mission. Take an active role mentally whenever a situation calls for total concentration or attention.
Some might suggest eliminating all possible distractions when trying to stay focused on a task, but this is not entirely realistic. A certain amount of ambient noise or commotion might actually help you concentrate by forcing you to actively block it out. Working in a complete vacuum may sound ideal, but sometimes your mind will seek out a distraction of its own when none are available. Decide between distractions you can’t control and those you can, then take steps to eliminate only those which could pull your focus, such as a loud television or telephone.
Be sure to get a sufficient amount of rest before taking on a task requiring total focus. Sleep deprivation and mental exhaustion can make it especially difficult to stay focused, so you may want to take a power nap or a long walk before starting a new project. Drinking caffeinated beverages or taking a cold shower might temporarily improve your ability to concentrate, but be prepared for an eventual crash. Too much stimulation can be just as hard on your ability to focus as too little.
You may want to give your mind a more compelling reason to stay focused on a task as well. If you have no solid deadline to meet or quota to fill, it’s much easier to become distracted or unfocused. By creating your own mental deadline or other imperative to get the job done quickly, you can trick your mind into remaining focused. If you assign yourself an incentive, or even a punishment, to remain on task, you may be less inclined to give into a distraction.
Focus and concentration are mental skills, and as such can be improved through exercise. There are a number of computer games available online designed to challenge a player’s ability to focus on details, often under time restraints. You may benefit from playing these games from time to time as a form of mental exercise. Improving your ability to focus on the task at hand can be beneficial to your work life, which in turn can positively affect your home life.