Concentration: What It Is And How To Improve It

In today’s work environment, there are a limitless number of distractions vying for our attention. The senses can quickly become overwhelmed, and next thing you know, you’ve spent the last twenty minutes on your phone, scrolling through your Instagram feed, when you sat down to get some work done.

Concentrating becomes even more difficult if you’re working from home, where kids, spouses, family members, house chores, and pets can all be things that take us away from the task at hand. Even things as simple as a pile of paperwork can take you away from the current task.

Concentration can feel out-of-reach and out of our control. Luckily, concentrating is not a natural talent, but rather a skill that can be improved upon with practice and dedication.

Key Takeaways:

• Concentration is your conscious act of directing your attention.

• Concentrating at work helps increase productivity and your ability to manage stress.

• Improve your concentration by improving your health, eliminating distractions, and taking the occasional break.

• Your physical and mental health, as well as your environment, play a big role in your ability to concentrate.

What Is Concentration?

Concentration is the conscious act of choosing where to direct your attention. While focus and concentration are used somewhat interchangeably, focusing is having your attention centered around something, while concentration is being able to focus on what you want, when you want.

Interestingly, the human brain craves constant stimulation; we always want to be learning, investigating, and thinking. When we stay focused on one task for a long time, however, our brains seem to get bored, stamp their feet, and say, “We don’t want to do this anymore.”

Then, without your permission, it shuts down and refuses to get anything done. This can be equally annoying and frustrating, especially when your brain leads you to focus on other things.

Benefits of Concentrating at Work

Concentrating at work may seem more like a requirement than anything else, but there are benefits to using your concentration skills at work that you may not have considered:

• Increased productivity. This one is rather obvious. If you’re able to ignore distractions, you are going to be able to get more done in a shorter amount of time.

  Being more productive can also reduce the work-related stress you carry with you, both inside and outside the office.

• Ability to multitask. If you master directing your attention, you will find it much easier to multitask, which means it will be easier to juggle several different tasks at once.

• Ability to switch gears. We have all had days where you’re in the middle of something, and a new problem arises, requiring you to drop everything and work on a different task.

  When you’re more in charge of where your focus goes, you will find it easier to switch gears when the situation calls for it. It also reduces the time it takes to “settle in” to a new task, allowing you to get started right away.

• Manageable stress. When there is a multitude of tasks on your plate, the stress can quickly become overwhelming, which means your ability to concentrate is diminished.

  You find yourself unable to focus on one task because your mind keeps going back to the stack of other tasks that need to be completed. Then you start to stress about the amount of stress you have, and the snowballing cycle continues.

  With an improved ability to concentrate, you will be able to train your focus on one task at a time, making it easier to complete each task that you have.

• Being able to work anywhere. Those who are good at concentrating can shut out the world. Being able to ignore external stimuli, such as a baby crying next to you on a plane or your neighbors having a party, is a real asset.

  This means that you will be able to work anywhere you need to. Refining your concentration skills makes your office mobile and makes working on the go easier.

• More accurate work. With improved concentration, you will be less likely to make simple mistakes or errors. This means that the work you deliver will be of higher quality and will save you time in the long run.

How to Improve Concentration and Memory

We have all had experiences when concentrating was difficult, and odds are you haven’t had your last bout of difficulty focusing. The next time concentration issues arise, you can use these tips to help you get through them.

• Remove interesting things from your surroundings. Concentration difficulties can stem from the brain wanting more stimulation. By removing other sources of stimulation, such as your phone or a pile of laundry you’ve been meaning to fold, the brain is forced to focus on the task you’ve set out to complete.

  If you’re working on paperwork, try turning off your computer screen or sending your laptop into sleep mode. This will prevent an incoming email or alert from throwing you off of your task.

• Take a break. This one may seem counterintuitive, but as we said before, the brain craves stimulation, and when you’re bored, it can be nearly impossible to force yourself to focus.

  Sometimes a ten or fifteen-minute break can be just what is needed to clear your head and refresh your focus. You can set a timer, to make sure that you come back to the task when your break is done.

• Take a walk. New surroundings are full of interesting stimuli that can get your mind off of the stressful task you’ve been working on for hours.

  There’s no sense in beating a dead horse, so if you find yourself hitting a wall, try taking a walk outside, if you can, or simply leaving your desk. You will find when you come back that you are more ready to tackle your to-do list.

• Listen to music. Having a little background noise might be the key to unlocking your ability to concentrate, as it gives your mind a little bit of the stimulation it craves, and also the right upbeat song gives you a rhythm to work to.

  We recommend songs that don’t have any lyrics that could distract you. Music can also help you drown out other auditory distractions, such as your coworkers chatting at the next desk over.

  Music streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music, have plenty of focusing playlists, ranging from today’s hits to calming classical. Try out both and see what works best for you.

• Know when you are most productive. Some of us are night owls and others are early birds. Some studies suggest that we evolved to be active at different times so that there was always someone watching for dangers. Since it very well may be part of our evolution, there’s no sense in fighting it.

  If you know that you’re able to work better in the mornings, when you’re refreshed and ready to take on the day, don’t feel bad for saving work until then.

  The same goes for if you prefer to work at night, while other distractions are minimal because said distractions (such as kids and pets) may be asleep.

  Everyone is different in this regard, so try out a few different times and see which allows you to work at your best.

• Declutter. This is a big one. When there are other things in your surroundings, such as piles of paperwork that you should have filed days ago, they are just other things for your brain to focus on. When it comes to concentrating, a clear workspace means a clear mind.

• Recognize when you’re distracted. When you find yourself away from the task you set out to do, rather than immediately returning to the task and scolding yourself for having gotten distracted, instead take a moment to recognize what was your distractor.

  Then, do your best to remove it from your environment.

• Put your phone down. This one can be especially difficult to do, considering how entertaining those little rectangles can be and how attached we are to them. Luckily, there are apps you can download that encourage you to remain focused.

  For example, you can try Flora, which is a focus aid that sets a timer. As the timer counts down, a little virtual tree will grow. If you leave the app, your tree will die.

  As a result, any time you unlock your phone, you will see your little tree growing and a reminder message to stay on track. This is especially helpful for those of us who unlock our phones as a reflex, without even realizing we’ve been distracted.

  Another nice thing about this app is that, if you opt-in to pay, any time you use the app, they will plant a real-life tree. The app is available on iPhone, Android, and as a Google Chrome extension.

Factors And Conditions That Affect Concentration

When it comes to concentration, everyone has a different level of ability, since some people are more susceptible to distractions than others.

• Environmental distractions. Where you are plays a big part of how well you can concentrate. There is a reason why study halls and libraries are quiet. Your environment can provide many distractions, such as sounds, smells, and chaotic movements. Some people prefer certain environments than others, so it’s important to know what works best for you.

• Technology. Your phone, your computer, your TV, these all provide distractions that take away from your concentration.

• Poor sleep, diet, and exercise. If you haven’t been taking care of yourself, you will put yourself at a disadvantage when it comes to concentration. A lack of sleep puts stress on your cognitive abilities, while a poor diet will provide constant internal distractions. Meanwhile, a lack of exercise degrades your body’s primal functions and adds extra stress.

• ADHD. Those with ADHD deal with underdeveloped executive functions, which play a big role in concentration. Your executive functions act as your conscious abilities to regulate your emotions, focus, remember, plan, and act. Issues with ADHD and executive functions makes it harder to concentrate.

• Cognitive traits. Other functions in the brain can also affect your concentration. Our complex neurological makeup impacts our memory, our emotions, and our ability to think, all of which can result in less concentration.

• Thoughts and emotions. Thoughts and emotions can spring seemingly out of nowhere and distract you from your tasks.

• Mental health. Your overall mental health plays a big role in your ability to concentrate. If you are experiencing issues with your mental health, such as depression or anxiety, then your body will likely focus its attention on that, taking away from your concentration.

• Physical health. Physical health is just as important to your concentration because the state of your body impacts your mind.

• Social relationships. Sometimes, things going on with friends and family will make it harder to concentrate. Planned gatherings, drama, or even simple conversations all provide distraction. Although the health of your relationships are important, it is equally important to acknowledge that their presence may take away from tasks you need to do.

Because everyone is different, you need to discover what helps and what hinders your concentration, as what works for some may not work for you.

What Are Examples Of Concentration Skills

Examples of concentration skills include:

• Conflict or crisis management.

• Attention to detail.

• Endurance.

• Problem solving.

• Project management.

• Research.

How To Include Concentration Skills On Your Resume

To include concentration skills on your resume, make sure to provide specific, quantifiable examples that show your ability to concentrate. You don’t just want to say something like “has a great talent for concentration” or “strong attention to detail.” Instead you want to prove your capabilities and what type of value you provide.

A good example of showing concentration skills on your resume would be:

Final Thoughts

Concentration can sometimes seem impossible, especially when it seems to come so easy to others. Luckily, concentration is a skill you can build and improve, with a little practice and with the right tools. Now, get back to work.

Author

Samantha Goddiess

Samantha is a lifelong writer who has been writing professionally for the last six years. After graduating with honors from Greensboro College with a degree in English & Communications, she went on to find work as an in-house copywriter for several companies including Costume Supercenter, and Blueprint Education.