The world is full of things that kill our concentration. Doctor of psychology Lucy Jo Palladino offers a few tips that will help to manage them.
The culprit: Social networking
With their help, easy to communicate with friends, to have fun, to rest and to Disconnect from work. We switched her attention between the social. networks and work several times per hour, and each time we bring down the thinking.
The decision
Turn off notifications while you work. If you need to be all the time, go to the social. network is during breaks. It is not impossible to resist the pull of Youtube and instagram? Act radically: disconnect the Internet.
The culprit: E-mail
While most emails arrive for work, they still distract from the main task.
The decision
Instead of having to constantly check emails, take on this activity time. And then just close it.
The culprit: Mobile phone
Incoming calls are even harder to ignore than emails Inbox. Suddenly something important?
The decision
Connect the voice mail and take the time to test it. Then don’t need to interrupt and resume the workflow.
Culprit: Multitasking
Think you have time to do more? But experts urge you to think again. Studies show that the parallel execution of tasks requires more time than sequential.
The decision
Do only one project, and your multitasking skills leave for other occasions. Perhaps they will be useful to simultaneously wash the dishes and talking on the phone.
The Culprit: Boredom
Boring classes can hold our attention only minutes, and it makes concentration very vulnerable.
The decision
Make a deal with yourself: do a boring task, for example, 30 minutes. And then do 10-minute break. Reward yourself coffee, delicious food or even watching videos with cats.
The culprit: Obsessive thoughts
Think about how you had to answer that boor on the Internet? Well, it is a powerful distraction.
The decision
Write down your thoughts. Think of a witty answer villain and transfer it to paper/screen. Scientists say, this method perfectly eliminates Intrusive thoughts.
The Culprit: Stress
Stress can cause a feeling of heaviness in the shoulders, headaches and heart palpitations. Each of these symptoms can kill the ability to concentrate. Not to mention the fact that heavy thoughts to distract themselves.
The decision
Try to meditate. Scientists report that the eight-week course of meditation relieves stress and improves concentration.
The Culprit: Fatigue
Lack of sleep can kill your concentration and impair short-term memory.
The decision
Adult, 7-9 hours of sleep a night, otherwise no problems with attention can not be avoided. Put a full night’s sleep a priority so you will get more done during the day. And pay attention to what time of day is easiest to focus on. Plan on these watches the most important tasks.
The Culprit: Hunger
Lack of energy also suffer short-term memory and attention.
The decision
If there is no opportunity to snack, when you want to, include in each meal complex carbohydrates and protein. For example, pasta with meat or cereal with scrambled eggs. The feeling of fullness will not leave you for a long time.
The Culprit: Depression
Specialists of the National Institute of mental health say that the difficulty with concentration is one of the main signs of depression.
The decision
Feel the emptiness, the hopelessness, indifference? Lost sleep and appetite? Consult your therapist. Depression is a serious disease that should be treated.
Culprit: Medication
Many drugs have such unpleasant side effect.
The decision
Talk to your doctor about changing the dosage or switching to another drug.
The culprit: the syndrome of deficiency of concentration of attention with hyperactivity
If you suffer from this problem in childhood, with 50% chance the symptoms will occur in adult life.
The decision
If you have a persistent problem with the focusing, contact your doctor. This condition can be managed using behavioral therapy and medication.
Absolutely nothing helps? Perhaps it’s time to take a vacation and go traveling. We call at least 5 reasons “for” the article “What is travel good for health? 5 scientific facts”.