Make your workplace comfortable and keep it in order
When it is comfortable to work at a desk, your productivity increases. Concentrating on tasks is much more difficult if the table is cluttered, the chair is uncomfortable, the light from the lamp is annoying, and the room is stuffy or cold. Therefore, you need to fix the things in your room that make you uncomfortable studying, and learn to maintain constant order. If on your desk there are only those textbooks, notebooks and printouts that are needed at the moment, you will not have to waste extra energy looking for the right thing.
What is attention
In childhood, we believe that everything we feel can be grasped with our hands. The same was believed with thoughts, memory, and attention. For us it was something specific, like a muscle, and if it is not fully developed, then the attention is poor. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. Otherwise, we could replace it with another muscle and live happily ever after. In fact, all our mental abilities are the result of the activity of brain cells, neurons, and neurotransmitters.
In scientific terms, attention is the direction of our consciousness, focusing on certain things, objects, stimuli. Simply put, our brain receives various signals from the world around us, leaves some of them, and filters others. Their condition depends on various factors.
The problem with mental abilities may be congenital. It’s difficult to fix anything here at all; dementia is often the cause of poor attention. These are two related things. But if this is not a genetic, congenital defect, then you can perfectly develop the ability to concentrate on important things. And put aside the non-essential ones. And it won’t be a problem to focus on the main thing even in those moments when you are very nervous and worried. After all, that same muscle of attention will be trained thanks to our own actions.
When our attention is disrupted
If you periodically have problems with attention, don’t worry, this is common to all normal people. We want to embrace everything that happens in us and around us, and it is quite natural that this does not always work out. In addition, factors such as insomnia, fatigue, and prolonged overexertion can interfere with the concentration of our thoughts. But they do not last long, they take a short time. If they last longer, then a certain type of disorder is present:
- Absent-mindedness. With weak concentration, an involuntary, easy switching of human attention occurs. This is more common among preschoolers and elementary school students. There is everything in their head, but not the main thing.
- Absent-mindedness of scientists. Pundits, as a rule, concentrate their attention on something specific, their teaching, science. They are not able to quickly switch to other things.
- Absent-mindedness is age-related. Old people suffer from this disease; they forget everything and are unable to concentrate on specific positions. The cause is age-related diseases, problems with memory, and brain activity.
- The attention span is reduced due to other significant factors and events. People in moments of grief or great happiness can be absent-minded and inattentive.
- Attention fatigue – occurs due to depletion of concentration when working on a specific task for a long time.
If brain diseases are present, a person may develop serious problems with concentration and other, more complex diseases.
How to maintain developed attention
It is not enough to develop your attentiveness; if you do not maintain it, then very soon your ability to concentrate will dry up. It is necessary to create a favorable atmosphere so that problems do not arise.
- Don't overload yourself with information. Memory is not limitless, and having received a new dose of news, it pushes important points aside. Rest, don't jump from one to another. Study everything carefully, in detail, do not miss small points.
- Concentrate your attention on what you are doing. Don’t get distracted, and if something becomes a hindrance, return to the main process again. Spraying on all sorts of little things is our main mistake, which interferes with the quality of life of every person.
Qualities such as self-control and willpower play a big role in this. You understand that there is a close connection between them. If there is no willpower and self-discipline, then we will not be able to focus on the specific, we will be slack and absent-minded. It is necessary to concentrate, which will allow you to realize your goals and desires, and achieve results. This means that attentiveness must be cultivated from childhood, develop it and the child’s future will be more than successful.
Human sense organs
The information received by the human brain from the senses shapes a person’s perception of the world around him and himself.
Information about stimuli affecting the receptors of the human senses is transmitted to the central nervous system. She analyzes incoming information and identifies it (sensations arise). Then a response signal is generated, which is transmitted along the nerves to the corresponding organs of the body.
There are 6 types of external sensations (motility does not have a separate sensory organ, but it causes sensations). A person can experience 6 types of external sensations: visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile (tactile), gustatory and kinesthetic sensations[1].
The pathways from the sense organs in humans are the vestibular, auditory, visual, olfactory, tactile and gustatory pathways of the central nervous system.
highlight its main properties: stability, distribution, switchability, volume, concentration, selectivity of attention.
Signs of memory and attention deterioration
Imagine you are walking around the city and you don’t know that this is your city, you don’t remember your first and last name, you don’t know where you live and where you work, you don’t know anything, you’ve forgotten everything. It's getting scary, isn't it? Terribly scary.
Let's not reach this extreme point, let's study, develop our memory and attention.
Man is a very cunning and lazy creature, and if he is not moved and developed, he will be worse than a monkey. So our brain, if you don’t load it, it starts to get lazy and tells you: I don’t remember, I forgot, and so on.
Remember your school days. For nine months your brain works without rest, it learns a lot of interesting and useful things, learns poems and songs, studies history and mathematics. The brain is tense, it is always at work.
Then for three months of vacation your brain rests, does nothing, is lazy. And the time comes again, the first of September, it’s time for you to go to school. Oh no, your brain says, I don’t want to, but it’s starting to get lazy and it’s a difficult period to get it to work with the same productivity as those nine months.
From birth to old age, it is necessary to develop memory and attention. Sometimes people think that they are retired and don’t need to do anything. They stop reading, counting, and engage in simple everyday life. The brain begins to get lazy and what does this lead to?
Pensioners often forget everything: they put the kettle on to boil and forgot, they went to the store and forgot what they needed to buy, they came to the pharmacy and don’t know what medicine they need.
Many people are born with a good memory and the ability to concentrate on little things.
If you are not lazy and train your memory and attention, you can achieve great success in life.
Some people need to work hard on themselves, on their memory and concentration, in order to achieve at least something in life.
Don’t be alarmed by the word “training”, this is not a gym, although it wouldn’t hurt to look there either. Everyone, without exception, even the laziest people, should do memory training. A lazy person immediately begins to come up with various excuses so that he does not do anything. But you can do it without postponing any important or unimportant matters.
Educational games and exercises are a great option not only to pass the time or have fun, but also to improve memory. Let's look at some of the most powerful exercises.
After checking the level of attentiveness, we will consider how to develop concentration. An effective method for enhancing concentration is exercise. The following exercises do not require much time and effort; they are performed daily, at every opportunity.
While at home, on the street, or at work, do not be in prostration. Try to concentrate your attention on what is happening around you. Focus on what you are doing, who is nearby, what people are doing, what the weather is like.
This exercise will help you easily increase your level of concentration.
- Performing conscious actions.
Learn to perform your usual actions consciously and carefully. Take every moment of your life seriously, as if a lot depends on how you move your feet when walking, wipe off the dust, and put on clothes.
This kind of exercise will teach you to focus on business. The activity will help increase the power of attention.
While doing the exercise, look at the objects around you and notice new properties, qualities of things, and the appearance of objects. Try to see something you didn't notice before.
The exercise will develop the skill of switching concentration from one subject to another without losing concentration.
To complete the activity, prepare a white sheet of paper, pen or pencil. The line must be drawn smoothly and slowly. Concentrate on the line you are drawing. As soon as you realize that you are distracted, draw a line up. It should look like a cardiogram. The exercise lasts 3 minutes.
The result is positive only if the line remains straight.
Classical music for concentration is a way to increase your level of concentration. Improved attentiveness while listening to music occurs due to the impact of the melody and harmony of the classical genre on the right hemisphere of the brain. When completing a task, you need to relax and distract yourself from extraneous thoughts. The music of Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Tchaikovsky is suitable for this exercise.
The development of concentration will go faster if you use exercises and special techniques to train attention.
Statement chains
Imagine that you receive a cold call from a company. And the first thing they ask you is: “Would you like to use our services?” Of course, you answer: “No.” Now the caller will have to show miracles of persuasion to get you to change your mind, and he is unlikely to succeed.
If we begin to deny something, our whole nature is aimed at insisting on our own and not changing our position. We close ourselves off, begin to be skeptical of the other person’s words, and are very reluctant to accept other people’s ideas, even if they have nothing to do with the question we were originally answering.
Therefore, it is necessary to create chains of statements. Ask people obvious questions to get a few yeses in response. This will create favorable conditions for the perception of your ideas and will endear the audience to you. The person who said “yes” is psychologically determined to absorb information and willingly listen.
What foods will help improve your attention level?
If you're reading this article, wondering how to improve your focus, and your stomach is screaming for a snack, I have good news for you. I will tell you about products that increase attention.
- Coffee + cinnamon
Just 2-3 cups of coffee a day improves both long-term and short-term memory. A pinch of cinnamon helps enhance the effect.
- Green tea
This ancient drink contains L-theanine, an amino acid that improves brain function, activating areas associated with relaxation and memory.
- Proper breakfast
This meal is the most important. Choose natural foods that give you energy throughout the day instead of processed foods. Don't even think about a donut for breakfast! You will fall asleep at your desk by 10 am.
- Berries
Not only are fruits and berries very good for overall health, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease, studies show that they improve concentration for 5 hours. It's all about the antioxidants that are included in their composition. They increase the concentration of oxygen in the blood. This helps the brain solve problems faster and easier.
- Dark chocolate or cocoa
Dark chocolate increases blood flow to the brain and protects against age-related memory loss. Chocolate also stimulates the production of substances that improve mood and well-being. This way you will get the job done quickly and efficiently, while also flashing a smile.
- Water+lemon
Dehydration is strongly linked to the ability to concentrate. And the aroma of lemon increases productivity in tasks that require great concentration.
- Buryak
Yes, yes, Buryak. This vegetable also falls into the category of “attention enhancers.” It increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and helps you concentrate.
- Mint tea
It has no caffeine. But the aroma of mint helps increase concentration, reduces anxiety and fatigue, and increases motivation and productivity.
So if you still can't concentrate, take a short break and have a cup of tea with a piece of chocolate.
How to become more attentive to detail
This can be achieved through training. Many people are surprised by scenes from detective films, where the detective asks witnesses if they remember the license plate number of the car that left the crime scene. How can you remember this? Not the color of the car, not its make, not the type of body (sedan, station wagon, convertible, etc.) or even the size, namely the number? After all, this is the last thing a person pays attention to in life. So, try to become a reliable witness: learn to pay attention to the license plates of the cars that are parked near your home or the building in which you work.
Remember the make of each car, pay attention to who drives it:
- woman or man;
- an elderly person or a young person;
- what clothes does this subject prefer, etc.
This detective game will captivate you and teach you to notice little things that you previously passed by indifferently. You can also see what kind of hubcaps are on the wheels of these cars, whether there is a fragrance or toy hanging behind the glass, and whether there is a child seat in the car. Then you won’t recognize yourself when you start to notice these cars with your vision even in the flow of traffic while driving.
If you use public transport when commuting to work, you can remember what color the tram or bus you rode on today was. Do you take the subway? There, the seats in the cars are arranged in such a way that it is convenient to unobtrusively look at the passengers, of course, if there are not too many people. You can note what the women are wearing - trousers, skirts or dresses. In the off-season, you can see who is wearing boots, who is wearing ankle boots, and who continues to wear shoes or sneakers in spite of the weather. If you are not shy about looking at someone’s face, then pay attention to which of the passengers wears glasses and what kind of frame they have – metal or plastic. On the other hand, no matter how enthusiastically you look at other people, you must remain vigilant, not only so as not to miss your station, but also so as not to lose your ticket or become a victim of a pickpocket. Such a seemingly simple task will teach you to be attentive to details even better than studying with books.
How to train attentiveness in an adult
Many resources encourage adults to meditate, but don't explain how to do it. Just sit in the lotus position, close your eyes and not think about anything? But how then will this increase attentiveness? In fact, meditation helps not to fixate attention on one or several objects, but to concentrate. This process teaches you not to be distracted by little things. The purpose of meditative exercises is to understand yourself, to hear the call of your own soul and through it to comprehend the laws of the Universe. It sounds loud and pretentious, but these classes help you not to waste time on trifles, not to be absent-minded, and to quickly tune in to work and to accomplish a specific goal. And how exactly you need to meditate is worth looking at on the websites of eastern schools. If you try to find complete information about meditation on the website of the yoga section, then this may turn out to be a futile attempt, since they will never reveal all the secrets there, but will kindly offer to come to the classes in person, and for money.
The situation with training is not the best either. This coach can hammer into you the truth that you are a successful person, etc., because for this he receives money from you. Personal effectiveness classes also include a course to improve attentiveness or concentration. After the training, you will be on a positive wave, but it is not a fact that without consolidation, your attentiveness will improve. Therefore, you need to work on yourself by conducting regular classes, and not shell out money for what they promised to teach you to be attentive in one day. Whatever one may say, a person develops a habit of something in 40 days. You will have to devote approximately the same amount of time to independent study to achieve results and consolidate them.
If you are purposefully engaged in developing new habits, then do not give up this activity too quickly. The first results may not make themselves felt from the first attempts. And the consolidation of a different way of thinking may not occur in a month. Set yourself up for a month and a half at once, and then you will be able to achieve success.
Ways to concentrate
- Don't give up on thoughts
If something happens in your thoughts, don't throw it away, let it digest. Imagine the morning of your day. You got up, drank some coffee, took a shower, and then decided to read. It goes easily, you literally absorb what is written.
Or the second option: first, after the morning activities, we sat at the computer, wrote an article, read a lot of news, and then sat down to read a book. In this situation, the book will be much more difficult to read, and the information presented in it will be poorly absorbed. It’s simple, it goes better in a “clean” head than in a busy one.
It is for this reason that people study and work in the morning, and not in the afternoon. They visit school in the morning, college, and work too. There is a place for information, and people learn new things more easily. Also, after sleep, a person gains strength and is able to concentrate. But if we interrupt the flow of information with other things, it does not have time to be delayed. And those that remain unprocessed continually do not leave us alone.
Important: you should not perform complex processes that require concentration one after another. Give your body and brain a break, at least 20-30 minutes.
Why do you need to develop attention? Is it really impossible to live without this? This question is often asked by those who do not take their poor memory and concentration seriously. If you do not address this issue, then failure awaits you. He will not be able to normally fulfill his obligations, remember tasks, drive a car, or cook food. In short, the process of mindfulness accompanies us in all areas of life.
- Develop your attention
Turn on willpower - each of us has it. To develop, use all proven methods - solve riddles, puzzles, answer crosswords, take various IQ tests. But the most important way is to do the work with full concentration of your attention on it.
And if external irritants arise during the process, get rid of them and focus on the task at hand. Test the method on a simple task - washing dishes. Carefully examine the patterns on the plate, watch the flow of water and the movements of your hands. Act as if you are in the operating room performing surgery on a person. In this process, attention must be colossal.
In order not to lose attentiveness, you need to follow simple rules.
- Learn to relax
To keep your attention on something specific, you need to be able to relax, not strain your body and mind. You should also eliminate strong emotions that interfere with concentration. But if you think it's easy, you're wrong. Just at the moment when you want to concentrate, a person tenses up, fearing that he will not succeed. So let's learn together.
I recommend reading: How to focus on work.
If you feel that tension is preventing you from getting down to work, stop the work process. Move away from your desk, lean your head back in your chair, and take up to 10 deep breaths. At the same time, you also need to focus on your breathing, which will lead to complete calm and relaxation.
- Take your time
If you rush and in moments of tension still try to work, nothing will work. Don't be afraid and take a break, then catch up. Your 10 minutes of relaxation and rest will be beneficial, but if you refuse to relieve stress, your work will still not work out.
- Keep your body toned
It is impossible to talk about concentration without a normal routine and lifestyle. Bad habits, alcohol, smoking, and especially drug use will never allow you to concentrate on something specific and conscientiously perform your tasks. Improve your health, drink more clean water, walk in the fresh air.
- Healthy eating
There is no need to brush aside this moment. Junk foods: fatty, smoked, sweet, salty, fast foods, energy drinks, sweet sodas disrupt digestion. Hence the general deterioration in health, metabolism, metabolic processes. Of course, all this affects the brain, more precisely, the work of cells and neurons. The severance of their connection is the source of loss of memory and attention.
- Eliminate irritants
We cannot fully concentrate on something important if there is extraneous noise. If they bother you, remove it. You can hear the roar of a neighbor's motorcycle from the window - close the window, the TV is playing loudly in the next room - close the doors, ask them to turn it down.
Advice - how to learn not to be distracted? Everything is very simple. Think about how important the process is to you, to which you need to pay maximum attention. Once you realize the significance, you will eventually learn not to hear, see or feel extraneous stimuli. And if you get distracted, return to the interrupted point or start over. By the way, the latter will make a person forget about external factors. For example, you were writing an article and distracting thoughts began to arise. Sometimes it's easier to get up and do what's keeping you from working. Then, with peace of mind, you can continue writing your article.
