6 Easy Ways to Boost Your Focus

You know the feeling. You’ve got loads to do and you just can’t get down to it for some reason.

Maybe your phone won’t stop ringing. Maybe the builders outside won’t stop shouting. Or maybe the lure of the snack fridge is just too powerful to resist.

The good news is that there are quick and easy techniques to help strengthen your focus.

Here are six quick fixes to help.

1. Drink More Water

Did you know that even if you’re only slightly dehydrated it can make you feel sluggish?

Bahee Van de Bor of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) says it's crucial to maintain a good water balance to transport important nutrients to your brain.

Unfortunately, your kidneys retain less water as you age. So older people are more susceptible to dehydration.

Also, people with higher body-fat become dehydrated faster than those with lower body-fat.

You should drink 6-8 glasses of water each day according to the NHS. Foods with high water content also contribute to your fluid intake.

Your urine should consistently be a pale straw colour, according to Van de Bor. It’s a good idea to check the colour of your urine, preferably around midday, to keep tabs on your hydration status.

2. Try Peppermint

Head of psychology at Northumbria University, Dr Mark Moss, conducted a study into the effects of peppermint on brain function.

Dr Moss and his team gave 180 people either camomile tea or peppermint tea. Afterwards, they assessed the participants’ cognition before and after drinking the tea.

Only the people who drank the peppermint tea showed improved cognition and alertness.

Dr Moss also discovered that chewing peppermint gum can help your memory.

So, if you need a focus boost or want to improve your memory, why not try peppermint tea or chew gum?

It might just do the trick!

3. Get to the Library

A terrific way to get away from home distractions is to get out and go to the library.

There’s an unspoken rule of silence in the library. And you’re surrounded by people who are also working.

This creates a ‘positive antagonism’. Meaning that, if you get distracted, you can look up and see everyone else working and think ‘why aren’t I working too?’.

1. Disconnect From Your Phone

Did you know you’re at your most creative during the period called ‘profound boredom’?

However, like many of us, you’re probably in the habit of scrolling through your phone every time you have a spare moment, to avoid getting bored.

According to a study by researchers at Trinity College Dublin, most people never get to the ‘profound boredom’ state, because they pick up their phone at the ‘superficial boredom’ stage.

When you allow yourself to daydream, you activate your brain’s ‘default mode network’ which is crucial for creativity and generating ideas.

1. Take a Brisk Walk

Aerobic exercise increases the blood flow to your brain, making it brilliant for your cognitive health.

So, if you need a concentration boost, why not take a brisk walk or jog for 20 minutes? Studies have shown that it’s great for helping you stay focused.

The benefits of a walk or jog usually only last for about an hour though, so it’s important to keep as active as you can the rest of the time.

1. Give HIIT a Shot

Research has shown that a quick high intensity interval training (HIIT) session can do wonders for your focus.

A short ten-minute session of a 10-second sprint followed by a 50-second walk (repeated ten times) can supercharge your short-term concentration.

The effects can last for as long as an hour.

However, further studies have found that doing too much intense exercise might actually have a detrimental impact on your concentration.

So while exercise is great, it's crucial not to exhaust yourself if you want to maximise your focus.

These are just a few simple techniques to get yourself focused. There are many other methods, but these are some great ‘quick fixes’ to get you into gear for an intense work day.

Why not try them?