Being efficient at work is quite a big concern for all working professionals, & one of the ways to improve work efficiency is to improve the ability to concentrate on the task at hand. Removing distractions can help to develop the quality of the work & thus assist with career progression. By understanding how focus can impact your career, you can explore Ways To Improve Concentration.
With several matters crying for a piece of our attention, personal issues, professional issues, and constant notifications of emails & social media, sometimes it can be challenging to focus on the task at hand. As professionals, we can’t afford to be distracted. No matter what we do, we must dedicate 100% of our concentration to it.
Ways To Improve Concentration
1. Eradicate Distractions
How can we concentrate better if we are always barraged with information? Try to block time in your schedule to do a particular task or activity. During that time, request to be left alone or go somewhere where others can’t disturb you: a library, a coffee shop, or a secluded room.
Close all social media & other apps, silence notifications, & keep your phone away from sight in a bag. Researchers found that cognitive ability improves notably when the phone is out of sight, not just switched off. Provide primary focus to complete what you must do. Removing both internal & external interruptions can help you to concentrate better.
2. Complete Most Vital Tasks First
Whether you manage your tasks in a to-do list, some app, or an online calendar, noting your vital tasks is a useful way to manage your day. Once you have noted down all your tasks, position them in order of precedence & handle the most vital works first.
These may be more enormous & more daunting tasks or ones you are not feeling to complete, but if you manage them early on, you are less likely to procrastinate & push them for some other time.
3. Avoid Multitasking
One of the best Ways To Improve Concentration in the workplace is to avoid multitasking. Attempting to execute several activities simultaneously makes us feel productive. It’s also a reason for lower & poor concentration, & lower efficiency. It is well known that lower efficiency can cause burnout.
Examples of multitasking can be listening to a playlist while replying to emails or talking to someone while making your report. Multitasking not only obstructs your ability to focus but brings down your work quality.
4. Allot Time to Refocus
Occasionally, stepping away from your work is an effective way to refocus your attention. Take a walk, have lunch, or get coffee with a colleague. Even if the thought of having a break from your work may seem impossible, doing that can boost brain function & develop concentration.
Try the Pomodoro method to work in breaks in a typical workday. This method allows you to work in 25-minute periods followed by short, 5-minute breaks. Go over until you have completed four breaks. Then, allow a longer 20- to 30-minute break after one hour of work.
5. Practice Mindfulness & Meditation
Practicing meditation & mindfulness can be an answer to the question of How to Improve Concentration. Meditating or practicing mindful activities can reinforce overall well-being & mental fitness to improve focus. In the meditation procedure, our brain becomes tranquil & our whole body becomes more comfortable.
We focus on our breath in the process so our minds will not sidetrack us. With enough practice, we can learn to control our minds and pay attention to a specific task so that it can be done well, even if we occasionally get disturbed.
6. Try To Improve Sleep Habits
The amount of sleep you get every night can affect your capability to pay attention & focus. Adopt the habit of going to bed at a fixed time every night & eradicate distractions that may obstruct your sleep. Turn off your phone, TV, computer & lights.
It is essential to get at least eight hours of sleep each night to feel energetic during the day, but you can also benefit from resting in the afternoons if possible. Taking short naps for 20 to 40 minutes in the afternoon can refresh your body & allow you to concentrate better. However, it may not be possible if you are in the workplace. People working from home can try that.
7. Keep Your Workspace Tidy & Organized
Removing distractions while you work is easier said than done, particularly if you work from home. To help reduce distractions, ensure your workspace is tidy & organized so you can promptly find what you are looking for—soft copy or hard copy.
Your work surroundings should also make you feel welcome & comfortable. Declutter your working space whenever possible & get rid of junk & non-useful things.
8. Switch Tasks
While we may want to focus on a specific task, sometimes we feel stuck & our brain requires something fresh to refocus. Try to switch to other tasks or something you like to do. Switching tasks can help you to stay focused & efficient for a longer period.
As per the wise words of Sherlock Holmes, the best way to relax is by switching tasks. But make sure to distinguish between switching tasks & multitasking. Multitasking is when you try to do several things at once & switching tasks is temporarily suspending a task to start another.
As described earlier, multitasking is not advisable as it brings down concentration & quality of work. Switching tasks can offer a breather & ability to refocus.
What Are The Advantages Of Concentrating At Work?
Your capacity to focus & pay complete attention to your tasks can benefit you in the workplace in several ways. It can be done by exploring some Ways To Improve Concentration. Some of those benefits are:
- Finishing tasks more efficiently & capably.
- Getting solutions to work-related problems more swiftly.
- Increasing your efficiency by getting more work done.
- Offering resourceful, innovative & higher-quality work.
- Getting better at work management by allotting or outsourcing tasks.
- Minimizing errors & the need to redo work assignments.
- Reducing distractions & getting better at time management.
- Finishing work on time.
- Inviting more & better work opportunities.
- Earning more & becoming financially affluent.
FAQ
Q: Some elements in my workplace don’t let me concentrate; what should I do?
A: Try to get rid of those elements. If doing so is hard for you, ask a colleague for assistance.
Q: Which is the most effective among these Ways To Improve Concentration?
A: All of them are effective & have their own importance. Though eliminating & minimizing distractions should be a priority.
Q: When working from home, how can I minimize distractions like TV, noises from the drawing room or kids being naughty?
A: When you are working, ask your family members to turn the volume of the TV & take care of the kids. Let them know you must pay attention to the task.
