At a time when everyone, including strangers on the internet and digital entities like social media ads, is fighting hard for your attention, staying focused is a challenge. Our digital lives coupled with stress, anxiety, low energy levels, and fatigue have reduced our ability to focus and work efficiently, even for someone with great concentration power.
Take quality relaxing breaks
Focus is an inbuilt natural function. It is possible to enhance it naturally simply by relaxing the mind. Engaging your mind with interesting videos and social media does not count as quality relaxation.
Go old school when you want to relax. Walk, catch up with a colleague, listen to some relaxing music, meditate, or do refreshing face yoga for 7-minutes. “Take ten to fifteen minutes of break after every hour of deep work and you will notice your ability to focus has improved,” says Khurshed Batliwala, Author of Ready, Study and Go!
Meditate daily
A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows participants who practiced meditation were better at completing tasks when faced with distractions. Several similar studies show the power of meditation in improving focus. The practice increases the grey matter in our brains, improving our cognitive skills like thinking, problem-solving, and paying attention.
Manage your distractions
Notice what your usual distractions are. Is it checking messages on your phone or checking online sales? When you know your distractions, you can take measures to overcome them. If it is the notification sound on your mobile, keep your mobile in a corner where your hand does not reach easily. If it is social media or online shopping, tell yourself that you will open those platforms only after your task list is over.
Use mudras anytime you feel distracted
Mudras are simple hand postures that direct the body’s life force energy in a way that serves a purpose like improving digestion, focus, etc. You can form mudras while working, taking a break, or meditating. Chin Mudra is one simple mudra that can help you improve your focus. You can practice for five to ten minutes daily or whenever you feel like your focus is dwindling.
Practice to be in the now
When grudges from the past and worries about the future occupy your mind, focus naturally goes in for a toss. But life happens. Getting disturbed about past events and worried for your future seems natural. With awareness and practice, you can train your mind to be in the present and naturally increase your focus.
De-stress daily with your breath
Your mind may overthink a situation in the past and worry about the future, taking you away from the present where your task awaits your attention. You can use your breath to become more aware of the present moment and reduce the stress linked with the past and future. Sudarshan Kriya is a rhythmic breathing technique that reduces stress significantly and trains your mind to be in the present.
Take a five-minute Pranayama break
When you feel overwhelmed with your To-Dos, your mind naturally feels restless. Focusing on one task at a time becomes difficult. That’s when you must invoke the power of breath to calm down. Pause and practice Nadi Shodhan Pranayama for five minutes. You will feel calmer instantly. Learn how to practice it. It’s incredibly easy.
Check your diet for a healthy gut
The old adage, “you are what you eat” stands true because your gut and brain are linked. The food you eat affects your awareness, thoughts, and emotions. A gut-healthy diet is essential to reduce stress and anxiety, raise your alertness and keep your focus laser-sharp.
Practice these yoga poses & pranayama
There are certain yoga postures and pranayama that are good for strengthening your focus. You may include them daily in your morning routine.
Sleep well
As said in the beginning, the more you relax, the better your focus. So to be able to work and party hard, you need to get eight hours of quality sleep every night. If you have sleep issues, practice Sudarshan Kriya, which has been proven to improve sleep, and follow basic sleep hygiene to improve your sleep.
Written by: Vanditaa Kothari
FAQs on how to improve Focus with Meditation
To improve your concentration and focus, follow these tips -
* Practice yoga asana - Tadasana (Palm-tree pose), Vrikshasana (Tree pose), Paschimottanasana (Seated forward bend posture) and Suryanamaskar (Sun Salutations)
* Take quality relaxing breaks
* Meditate daily
* Manage your distractions
Eliminate distractions, take relaxing breaks, set reasonable goals for one sitting, use mind maps, love the subjects you are learning, and write to learn are some ways to motivate yourself to study.
Walnut, soaked almonds, raisins, dates and Medhya Rasayan boosts memory and improves brain health.
It is distracting to eat while studying. It is better to take a short break, do some stretches and have refreshing snacks like fennel seeds (saunf), roasted peanuts and fresh fruits in between.
Social media is very distracting and addictive. Research has shown that spending too much time on social media can heighten anxiety and stress levels in users.
