How to Increase Focus and Concentration

When you are looking for how to increase focus, it starts with eliminating distractions. You should first take steps to reduce distractions. Once you are working in an optimal environment, you can then improve your focus and concentration.

First, Reduce Distractions

Have you ever worked all day and felt like you have gotten very little accomplished? This has happened to me. On average, I have heard that it can take 25 minutes to get back on task once you have been distracted. Think about it. If you are interrupted just four times a day, you could lose half of your work hours trying to refocus. Now that the case has been made for limiting distractions, here are some ideas for reducing those distractions to gain better focus:

1.  Remove or hide unnecessary technology. Put your cell phone in a drawer and only check it when you are taking a break. Make sure the sound is turned down. 
   
2. Schedule specific times to check your social media sites, instant messaging, email, and whatever else you check regularly. Remove shortcuts to those social media sites from your computer screen to things that are not relevant to what you are doing. These sites can eat up a ton of your time. You can use a timeboxing to schedule time to check them when you are not planning on working.
   
3. Stop multitasking. While it was once thought that people were more productive if they multitasked, recent studies show that is not the case. You can do a better job and get more done when you focus on one thing at a time.
   
4. Schedule a different time to make phone calls. Turn off the ringer for the time you have set aside for work. Let your family and friends know that you do not take phone calls during certain hours because you are working.  You can follow these tips for handling interruptions, so you can get more done.
   
5. Declutter your work area and environment. The more organized and streamlined your work area is, the more focused and productive you will be. While you want to reduce clutter, it is okay to decorate with a few items, such as a plant and a few pictures.
   
6. Reward yourself when you have worked hard and stayed focused. A 15-minute spent calling a friend to chat or doing something you love will encourage you to focus once again when you return to what you are working on.  
   
7. Keep the temperature at a comfortable setting. Being too hot or too cold can cause you to lose focus.
   
8. If noise is an issue, try using a pair of noise-canceling headphones or play some “white noise” to drown out background sounds.
   
9. If you are visually distracted by things outside a door or window, move your desk where you’re not staring directly outside. Alternately, hand a sheer curtain, so your vision is filtered, but the light still shines through.

Next, Try the Following for How to Increase Your Focus

Now that you have completed the first steps to eliminate distractions, you can implement any or all of the following steps to gain focus.

1. Prioritize your to-do list. That way, you will get the essential tasks on your list finished first.
   
2. Try taking a brisk walk during your lunch break and stay hydrated to re-energize your mind and body.
   
3. When you are not performing as well as you would like, try chewing a piece of gum or eating a mint. The smell and taste of peppermint have been found to improve concentration.
   
4. Work on your most important tasks when your focus is at its best. This is different for everyone. Some people find they work best in the mornings, some work best in the afternoon or evenings. Determine when your focus is at peak performance and schedule your most important things during that time.
   
5. Work from a to-do list or planner, using timeboxing to set specific times when you will do each task. If necessary, you can set alarms to remind you that it is time to move on to the next task. This will enable you to keep focused on what you are working on without subconsciously worrying about missing another critical task.
   
6. Work in 30-minute increments as described here. Set a timer for 30 minutes and focus on one task. If your mind starts to wander, bring it back into focus and continue working until the timer goes off. Take a 5-minute break to recharge and practice some deep breathing. Stretch and get a drink of water. Then, reset the timer for another 30 minutes to continue working on the task at hand, or if that has been completed, start another task.
   
7. On days where you cannot seem to focus, try taking a 20-minute power nap. Hydrate yourself well and try again. If this does not work, consider taking the day off and refocusing the next day if this is possible for you.
   
8. Try doing something fun on your lunch break. It will put you in a better mood and help you to feel more focused after.
   
9. Practice living in the present moment. The more mindful of your body and surroundings, the greater chance you will be able to function at an optimal level.
   
10. Schedule time on your calendar to deal with things that cause you stress. If you are worrying all day, that will keep you distracted. But if you know that you have time set aside later to deal with the things that are stressing you, you will be better able to concentrate on the task at hand.
    
11. Be mindful of your diet and eat foods that will help with your concentration rather than hinder it. Some foods to try are avocados, walnuts, and even a little bit of chocolate. Be careful not to eat too many sugary snacks that may only cause you to crash.
    
12. If you have a full day of tasks, alternate between those that require a lot of attention and those that do not.

The 21 tips above show you how to increase your focus. If you implement just a few of them, you are sure to gain focus and be able to get more done. You will become more productive each day you practice following these tips.