When concentration drops, concentration exercises, adequate sleep, a balanced diet, and exercise can all help to increase alertness and concentration. In this article, we'll show you which tips provide more focus.
Perhaps you know the feeling when you want to concentrate - but your concentration is continuously decreasing? You need an eternity for your work, but nothing sensible will come of it. Your brain has apparently long been asleep, although you still have so much to do.
The fact is: concentration problems are not uncommon. Many people suffer from poor concentration - especially when they are pressed for time. We usually drink gallons of coffee to get through the day. If you want to improve your focus as well as your energy and productivity in the long term and increase your concentration, you should use these simple tips and exercises.
Increase concentration: These disruptive factors exist
A lack of concentration that affects your performance can have many causes. The most common trigger is stress, which seems to paralyze your brain and senses. As soon as your stress level rises, your body runs at full speed, while your concentration and attention leave much to be desired.
The worse the concentration, the more stressed you are and become carried away to distraction. A vicious circle begins. Many then suffer from procrastination (procrastination) because they prefer to do the tasks tomorrow rather than today. As a result, your challenges will accumulate quickly. Procrastination, poor concentration and fatigue are not the only causes of an acute decline in performance.
Other disruptive factors that can cause your lack of concentration are:
- lack of sleep
- lack of movement
- emotional stress
- lack of motivation
- Depression
- Smartphone, emails & social networks
- bad time management
- unbalanced diet
- too much coffee, nicotine or drug consumption
It has long been not only adults but also children who have problems with concentration. Children's brains are exposed to numerous stimuli on a daily basis, known as downright energy thieves. Smartphones, televisions, computer games: there are many disruptive factors. As soon as the little ones can no longer concentrate properly, the stress level increases and with it the tiredness and the pressure to perform. Inevitably, there is a lack of concentration, distraction and poor productivity in school, so that they are even less motivated.
Increase concentration: exercises and tips
If you want to increase your concentration and not be distracted by disruptive factors, you should try these tricks and concentration exercises for your ability to concentrate.
1. Get enough sleep with chronic fatigue and low motivation
Sounds simple - it is too! Too little sleep not only harms your health in the long term, but also your concentration and productivity. Most people get by on seven hours of sleep. Others need eight hours of sleep to focus. Remember, it's not just your body that needs to recover at night. The brain also needs sufficient regenerationto be ready for your full performance the next day.
Our advice: If you suffer from sleep deprivation and fatigue, you need to get into the habit of sticking to your bedtime so your body can adjust to a rhythm. Our natural sleep aid DEEP SLEEP additionally supports you for a restful sleep. The capsules contain the sleep hormone melatonin, which shortens the time it takes to fall asleep
2. Increase concentration: food as good food for the nerves
If you want to increase your concentration, you can only achieve it with more energy. Because when there is a lack of energy, concentration suffers. Sweets and white flour products are real energy thieves because they briefly raise the blood sugar level and then cause poor concentration. Whole grain products, which slowly increase the insulin level and supply the body with valuable carbohydrates, are much better. As a snack between meals, sticks made from vegetables or fruit, nuts and, for the sweet tooth, ours are ideal ACHIEVE Bar with only 1,9 g of sugar.
These foods are considered good food for the nerves:
- Green leafy vegetables
- avocados
- Nuts (especially walnuts)
- broccoli
- citrus fruits
- Bananas
- fatty fish (salmon)
3. Increase concentration through exercise and sport
Other tips include a regular workout or at least a little more exercise in everyday life! The effect of physical activity pays off. Movement not only boosts blood circulation, but also improves concentration. The more you move, the more oxygen is available to your bodyso that you can increase and improve your concentration.
Don't worry: you don't have to run to the nearest gym and do a two-hour workout or run a marathon to increase your concentration. Often it is enough for optimal concentration if you take the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Go for a walk in the park during your lunch break or recharge your energies with gymnastics, a few push-ups or squatsin case concentration and alertness deteriorate. It can also make sense to stand with your smartphone when making a call than to sit down so that you can listen attentively.
4. Increase concentration: Home remedy No. 1 - more fluids for the body
Have you ever felt weak and unfocused when you haven't drunk enough? In fact, the concentration drops by 30 percent as soon as we drink too little. After all, our body consists of 80 percent water. Even when we sit, sleep, and breathe, we continuously release water in the form of sweat, so we should drink regularly to make up for the loss. Liquid does not only serve as a thirst quencher - it is also an important supplier of nutrients.
However, you shouldn't wait so long to get thirsty. Thirst is an alarm signal from your body that it urgently needs fluids. In addition to pure water, you can also use apple juice spritzers, herbal or fruit teas. How much water you need depends on your physical activity. Two liters are optimal for people who do not do very much sport, while athletes should consume more than three liters.
5. Increase concentration: learning and working with music
Music can be a real miracle cure. Many people listen to songs in order to work better and improve their concentration. With your favorite music, everything is a little easier for you. It doesn't matter whether you listen to classical music or rock, because every style of music is suitable to push your ability to concentrate. The only requirement is that it is your favorite music.
Binaural beats are another way to stimulate your brain and increase concentration. Binaural beats are a kind of concentration music. These sounds are a steady beeping that is accompanied by natural sounds. Even though you are wide awake, the sounds put your brain into a kind of trance, which is why some people become downright addicted to it. We have a free one for you Playlist with binaural beats for maximum concentration on Spotify created. Check it out and try it out!
Brain doping is also often mentioned when people talk about binaural beats. You can find out more about this topic in our YouTube video.
6. Increase concentration with better time management
If you don't manage your time properly, work will pile up on the desk and the appointments will overlap. Stress, in turn, is the most common cause of a lack of concentration, which is why you need to manage your time better. Commenting on posts on Facebook and giving likes on Instagram is wasting valuable time. It is best to plan the next day the evening before in order to have enough time for your work. You can get more tips on time management in the next section.
Be focused on your work - you should keep these tips in mind
1. To-do lists instead of multitasking
If you know that there will be a lot of work waiting for you the next day, you should make a to-do list in order to divide your tasks into "important" and "unimportant". As soon as you want to finish several things at the same time, you run the risk of getting bogged down. A to-do list helps you set priorities and shift down a gear. The brain can only fully focus on one task - multitasking only disturbs your concentration and you have to concentrate on the other task every time you switch back and forth.
2. Regular exercise breaks for more concentration
If you take a little break from time to time, you can increase your concentration many times over. Try this out: Work for half an hour before you take a 5-minute break. Increase the working time bit by bit until you can concentrate on working for an hour. You can then use the time-out for a flight of stairs to stimulate your circulation.
3. Ability to concentrate and work ergonomics
If you sit in front of the screen all day, you run the risk of falling asleep with this monotonous work at some point. Variety is required here in order to keep the circulation on its toes. Therefore, the workplace should be designed in such a way that you can work standing up and sitting down. It is best to keep the printer and the phone out of reach so that you can get up frequently and take another position.
By the way: an ergonomic workplace is good for both the gray cells in the brain and the back. The correct sitting position not only prevents concentration problems, but also neck and back pain, which are responsible for headaches, visual disturbances and dizziness. A height-adjustable chair and desk are ideal in this regard. High tables are also suitable for concentrated work.
Stress Relief: The Best Exercises for Adults to Help You Focus
Just close your eyes for a moment: concentration exercises can be so easy. By escaping everyday life for a few minutes, you can recharge your batteries in order to be focused again. Take a deep breath before you just exhale the stress or anger.
If your ability to concentrate weakens or if you are stressed, you should meditate more often. Five to ten minutes are enough to focus the mind on the essentials. For this concentration exercise, sit or lie down comfortably, close your eyes and try not to think about anything. Let the thoughts go when they arise. As soon as you meditate regularly, you will be much more focused, calm and relaxed.
Sounds strange at first, but it isn't at all. Sudoku and crossword puzzles can actually improve your ability to concentrate and yours as well Increase memory. 15 minutes a day is enough to push the brain.
Set small goals that will help you avoid distraction. For example, you could only take a break when you have done a minimum of your work. You can then take the break for a small snack, like one ACHIEVE Use bars or some gymnastics. If you get distracted by your smartphone, you should simply switch it off or put it in a visible range.
Lack of concentration in children
Difficulty concentrating is a big problem in children. Especially when the school grades suffer. As with adults, the causes are extremely diverse. In addition to malnutrition and malnutrition, the little ones often suffer from pressure to perform, which inevitably increases the stress level. Parents should be particularly sensitive in this case. What the child doesn't need in this situation is anger, frustration and unnecessary pressure.
Kids need one high-energy diet that provides enough nutrients for small and large tasks. Soft drinks, fast food and chocolate bars therefore do not belong in the lunch box. Whole grain sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese are much healthier and you can add fruit, nuts or freshly prepared smoothies.
In addition, children need exercise to relieve stress. The more relaxed you are, the faster you can concentrate on a task. Movement still has one advantage: the little ones will be able to fall asleep and sleep better.
As soon as children do not enjoy moving around, parents should do sports with them by playing soccer, swimming or jogging, cycling, hiking or romping in the garden. Concentration exercises and exercise in the fresh air is much healthier than sitting in front of the game console for hours. A television has no place in the nursery.
By the way: When parents argue, it is a burden for the children. Therefore, differences of opinion should, if possible, not be played out in front of the kids.
Tips: concentration exercises and tasks for children
Kids playfully learn how to best concentrate. They need to learn to focus their attention on a particular concentration exercise, task, or thing. In order for children to be able to work and learn in a more focused manner, however, they not only need a quiet environment, regular breaks, tasks and a tidy desk - they also need rituals to get used to a certain process. However, distractions are to be avoided in any case. These concentration exercises will help:
To promote concentration in children, you can, for example Color in mandalas or do a jigsaw puzzle. Concentration exercises, games of skill and memory, in particular mikado, jumping rope, building a house of cards, memory, “city, country, river” or “I'm packing my suitcase” are also suitable as concentration exercises.
Summary
Concentration disorders are widespread, but getting enough sleep, a full diet, sport and concentration exercises help to improve the ability to concentrate. Always try to find out which disruptive factors are responsible for your concentration and try to avoid these disruptive factors or to change your behavior.