1-2-3 FOCUS!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

You’re in the middle of writing a big test, but you can’t block out the sound of the clock ticking behind you. Your best friend told you a long story but you have no idea what she just said, even though you told her you would listen to her vent.  Your boss wants to have a serious conversation with you about your work performance, but you can’t stop staring at the soup stain on his tie. 

What do all of these scenarios have in common? 

They’re all examples of times when being able to focus even a tiny bit better would make a big difference. 

For some people, being able to concentrate on a task is easier than for others, but we all have moments where we struggle to stay focused, and sometimes trying to ignore the distractions can only make the problem worse!
 
So what can you do instead? Here are three tips from MindBodyGreen.com to help you maintain your focus: 

1.    Pinpoint your distractions. Identify what’s pulling your focus and try to think of ways to block these things out. 

2.    Accept that distractions can make life interesting. This can help you settle your thoughts and focus less on what’s distracting you and more on the task at hand. 

3.    Break everything down to basics. Find the smallest detail in your work, concentrate on it, and then imagine how you can get from there to your desired result. This can be as simple as focusing on a single sentence in an essay, or the pain in your arms when you’re doing a push-up. 

You can read more about staying focused at the MindBodyGreen website. If concentration is a struggle for you, you can also visit us at the Nexus Youth Centre or make an appointment with one of our counsellors to get some help, and don’t forget about the Tangerine Walk-In Clinic, which is great if you want to talk to someone quickly, confidentially, without waiitng for an appointment or committing to counselling long-term. 

Photo by orangeacid on Flickr