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Tips to Help Yourself Focus

Not being able to focus can lead to loss of a job, poor grades and many other side effects. If you find yourself unable to concentrate, try making some changes in your life to improve your concentration. It's important to know the cause of your lack of focus, so a visit to medical professionals is in order if the lack of concentration lasts for an extended period of time. Keep trying various strategies until you find something that works.

  1. Determine Cause

    • If you often have trouble focusing, you could be suffering from a health condition like ADHD. If your inability to focus only occurs sometimes, the cause could be stress. Other causes include too much caffeine and not enough sleep. Knowing the cause helps treat the inability to focus. If you often find yourself unable to focus, visit your doctor to talk about reasons and possible treatments, such as medications or lifestyle changes.

    Exercise and Go Outside

    • If your inability to focus stems from ADHD or ADD, exercise is one of the most helpful treatments. In general, exercise is good for helping you focus and combating stress. Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week. Spending time outside in the sunshine and in fresh air can also be helpful if you can't focus. If you're having trouble focusing at work, try getting up and going on a short walk.

    Get Rest

    • No matter the source of your lack of focus, not getting enough sleep can cause symptoms to worsen. When you don't have enough sleep, your brain doesn't function at top rate. Make sure to get eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble falling asleep, avoid caffeine before sleeping. Go to bed in a dark and quiet room. Too little sleep makes dealing with stress much more difficult, meaning you're more likely to be unfocused.

    Other Tips

    • Stay away from sugar and junk food, as sugar leaves you jittery and unfocused. Eat throughout the day and don't allow yourself to get overly hungry, which can cause you to have trouble concentrating. Make sure your working areas are clean and clutter-free so you have fewer distractions. Keep on track by making a daily to-do list each morning of priorities for the day.

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