Concentration is to control the attention of one with one’s own will. It is a mental effort taken by one to focus on what is happening at the moment by ignoring other irrelevant and unrelated thoughts. Concentration is a skill. We can improve the concentration by practicing like any other skill.
Concentration difficulties can be caused by mental health, physical health, and addictions. Psychological conditions can affect concentration. Stress, anxiety, sleep disorder, depression, emotional trauma, and bipolar disorder can affect concentration.
Activities To Improve Concentration And Attention
Our Brain adapts to what we want to do. First, train our brain to concentrate. We could do what we like to do. Hobbies help us to focus and improve concentration. Games to improve concentration power are sudoku, crossword puzzles, memory games, word searches, chess and jigsaw puzzles help us to improve concentration and focus. Brain games are not only games that help improve concentration; various studies have proved that video games and outdoor games also help improve the individual’s concentration.
Exercise regularly to be both physically and mentally fit. Aerobic exercises are better. A study has proved that aerobic exercises can stop or even reverse the memory loss that occurs with age. People who cannot exercise just walk to a nearby place, have a quick jog, and improve the heart rate.
Improve your sleep. Sleep deprivations can easily affect concentration. Adults are required to get 7 to 8 years of sleep each night.
To improve sleep, keep the bed comfortable, do not watch TV or mobile phones an hour before the bed, maintain your sleep routines, avoid heavy workouts before bed, listen to soft music or read a book before the bed.
Spend time in nature and boost concentration by regularly walking in the natural environment for 10 to 15 minutes. Plant a tree nearby your place to have fresh air around you. Take short breaks whenever you feel you cannot concentrate. Small breaks help to improve concentration.
If you try to focus by forcing yourself, that makes you feel stressed, and you cannot finish the task. Do yoga and meditation. Yoga and meditation provide multiple benefits. Improved concentration is one among the many. Deep breathing helps in focusing on your thought.
Keep yourself hydrated to keep you focused. Drink coffee or have dark chocolate. Caffeine can improve the focus level. Have a balanced diet regularly. Avoid processed foods, too much sugar, and fatty foods. To improve your concentration, have more spinach, eggs, fish, and blueberries. Dry fruits like walnut also help to improve your concentration.
Listen to music while working. If you do not like listening to music, then use natural sounds to mask the background sounds that could help you focus more. Avoid music that you love or hate as both affect concentration. Do some concentration workouts to improve focus and concentration. All the above activities help one to improve concentration and memory while studying.
Also Read: How to concentrate on your studies?
Techniques To Improve Concentration In Kids
Kids learn by playing. Keep the mobile and other electronic gadgets away from the kids, play with regular toys, and involve them in activities that help improve concentration level. Games to improve the concentration for kids are as follows.
Allow children to play jumbled puzzle card games like Uno and Memory; these help to improve attention and increase concentration. Involve your kids in sequencing anything. There is a strong connection between sequencing and concentration. Some games like statues help the kid focus more and strengthen the mind-body connection.
Ask the children to spot the difference. This helps the kid to concentrate for a long and improves the focus. Tongue twisters are a good concentration workout for the kids. Play what is missing with your kid; this helps concentrate more and focus closely on finding the missed one.
Ensure that you prepare a distraction-free environment for your kid. Strictly no to gadgets. Create an ambience that is suitable for your kid to focus on studying.
Keep all the material needed to work in a reachable place so that the child does not get distracted by getting up each time to get something. Provide them with a healthy and balanced diet. Eating junk and high sugar content keeps your child sluggish. Fix a routine for your kid for a better concentration level. A power nap helps to kid to improve concentration. All nature calls should be taken care of before the study time.
Understand your kid’s way of learning and proceed along the line. Some feel comfortable with visuals, some are comfortable when they just hear it, but some are fine only when they touch and feel it. Ensure you understand what is catchier for your kid and teach them using flashcards, reading aloud, kinesthetic, drawing, music, etc. Always prepare your kid for the next activity by saying that he/she has to do the following acts when the kid is busy. Allow a small break before the next activity, as the mind requires some time to adapt to the next activity.
Set a short-term goal for better concentration for your kid. Provide a task and ask to finish within the timeframe. This leads to discipline and focuses more on the task. Provide enough time to finish the work; some may be stressed out by this pressure if not.
Set a reward system for the activity done by the kid, which is really an achievement for the kid. Encourage the kid to do a better job by rewarding. With this encouragement and a desire to win the reward, the kid focuses more on the task. These are the ways to improve the concentration level of your kid.
FAQS
Q. Can the memory be improved?
Yes, memory can be introduced using various techniques. Various techniques include yoga, good sleep, exercises, a balanced diet, etc.
Q. What foods improve memory and concentration?
Foods rich in vitamins and minerals help to improve memory and concentration. A balanced diet is always necessary.
Q. What exercise can improve memory?
Meditation, yoga, and aerobic exercises help to improve memory.
Q. What games can help the kids to focus?
Games like puzzles, sequencing, memory games, and other concentration games help the kids to focus.
Q. How is mental health important for concentration?
Mental conditions can affect the concentration level. Mental health is so important for concentration levels.