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Techniques to Retain Focus

Modern life can bring a seemingly endless list of things to pay attention to: financial worries, family responsibilities, physical health and career responsibilities. Staying focused while juggling many different parts of your life can be very challenging and at times stressful. To keep a healthy focus, it helps to have a relaxed mind. One way to achieve this is through meditation techniques.

  1. Repeat a Mantra

    • A mantra is a word or phrase that you repeat to yourself, either quietly or in your head, until the mind becomes relaxed. The idea is that the mind eventually grows tired of the repetition and falls into a trance, thus allowing the mind to fall into a relaxed state.

    Count

    • Begin by counting your breaths from 1 to 10 on each inhale and then exhale. With each count you will feel more relaxed. When you reach 10, start the process again. This works by keeping your mind occupied with thoughts other than those causing you distress. If counting from 1 to 10 does not work, you can try counting backwards, as this requires the mind to work harder and creating more of a distraction from stressful thoughts.

    Visualize

    • Another relaxation technique is to visualize a ball of light at the body's center, located directly beneath the belly button, inside the abdomen. Each time you inhale, visualize the ball of light increasing and as you exhale, visualize the ball of light fading away. This helps to keep the mind focused while relaxing the body through deep breathing.

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