One major snag in any time management plan is the ability to stay focused
throughout the day. Have you ever had days where you just couldn’t
seem to keep it together and found yourself running in circles and
getting nothing done?
Poor concentration is one common reason for a scattered mind-set. If
your mind isn’t as strong and alert as it could be, you won’t be able to
focus clearly for extended periods of time. Mental exercises can help
because they strengthen your ability to concentrate, and will improve
your focus over time.
Here are 3 good exercises that can help you create a strong, clear focus
and of course these are answer to your question how to improve
concentration:
1)Strengthen concentration : Twice a day, practice holding a specific
object in mind steadily for 5 to 10 minutes. The item should have some
detail that you can imagine, but it should also be simple to “see” it in
your mind. Some good examples: an apple, a pencil, the face of your
child or pet, your house as it looks from the outside, and so on. Choose
something you won’t have trouble picturing, but something that requires
you to focus in order to see it clearly. Call up a strong mental image of it,
and then try to keep your focus on the object for a full 5 or 10 minutes
without losing your focus.
This is hard to do at the beginning because your mind is probably
untrained. Random thoughts and pictures may keep popping in and
you’ll have to keep pulling your attention back to the object again. Don’t
let this stop you! Remember, the only reason you struggle with this is
because you don’t have a strong ability to focus yet. As you keep working
at it daily, you’ll notice that you find it easier and easier to concentrate.
The stronger your ability to concentrate during your focus sessions, the
more you’ll notice you’re not having trouble concentrating at other times
either. Could this be the first major step in how to improve concentration?
2)Empty your mind : Another focus-killer is a head full of scattered
thoughts. You know those days when you’ve got a million things going on
and you’re trying to remember them all at once and you keep forgetting
things anyway? Emptying your mind can do wonders for scattered
thoughts! Before you do this exercise, first make a list of everything you
can think of that you need to remember. This will help you feel more
comfortable about releasing your scattered thoughts.
Then, set aside 5 or 10 minutes to focus on quieting your thoughts.
Though this exercise is called “empty your mind,” you really can’t
completely empty your mind of thoughts. Your thoughts will keep on
flowing through your mind the whole time. However, you can detach and
simply let them pass by. You become an observer of sorts, watching your
thoughts flow by. You’re aware that you’re having thoughts, but you
don’t latch on to them and start actively “thinking” about them. You
simply sit in a space of peace and being while your thoughts flow calmly
past. This experience is hard to describe, but once you master it you’ll
have discovered a powerful technique for releasing stress and improving
your focus in a very short period of time! How to improve
concentration tips might be easy at first sight, but they are much more
difficult to do.
3)Visualize for practice : If you’ve got an important goal or task coming
up and you’re feeling unsure about your ability to do it, visualize it first!
Many studies have been done on the power of visualization, and the
general consensus is that performing tasks and activities mentally over
and over again is equally as effective as performing them physically! That
means that visualization can serve as a powerful practice session that
helps you master anything – including better time management!
Try visualizing yourself staying balanced, calm and focused throughout
the course of your day, easily handling any surprises and interruptions,
and feeling happy and proud of yourself at the end of the day. Visualize
yourself giving a successful speech, getting better at sports activities, or
anything else you want to master. The trick is to go through it completely
in your own mind, seeing and feeling what you would see and feel while
it’s really happening. The more you do this the more proficient you will
become at it and the more you’ll start seeing results in your physical
activities.
Hope these tips helped you in seeking the answer for how to improve concentration.
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