It's time to say goodbye to distraction and hello to focus with these quick tips

Do you ever find yourself struggling to concentrate? Is it hard to focus even when you’re doing something you really enjoy? As a psychiatrist many patients I see struggle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but poor concentration and trouble focusing can also be symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma disorders. And sometimes lack of attention is just your brain being tired or bored! What’s a brain to do? Great news: focus is a skill that can be learned and practiced! And with more use, the pathways in your brain that manage attention become stronger which means getting into the “focus zone” can be faster and easier! But I know practicing can be hard, especially when we’re talking about being too distracted and not able to concentrate. But I’ve got you covered, just keep reading to find out how.Here are a dozen different tips to try the next time you need to wrangle your brain back to what it needs to be doing. And these things can help no matter if you have a diagnosis or take medications or not (and don’t have any negative side effects).The single most important thing you can do for better focus and concentration is to “single task”. Choose one task and tell yourself that this is your priority right now. When other “important” things pop into your brain, just jot them down and get back to what you’re doing.Do not try to do more than one thing at a time! “Multitasking” puts your brain (and productivity) at an unfortunate disadvantage because it takes a lot of mental energy to switch between multiple activities requiring your brain to hold bits and pieces of different tasks readily available. Expect mistakes!Although your brain requires a lot of energy in the form of glucose to function optimally, avoid eating sugary snacks with the intent to focus better because you will often end up with the opposite effect. Being hungry is also a distracting state so try to have a balanced snack readily available if you’ll need something to eat. Best to prepare when you know you need some dedicated focus time and keep a snack with protein and complex carbs (like nuts and fruit) close by.Having a routine when you’re trying to get into a focused state can make getting there quicker and easier. There is not a specific routine that will work for everyone but signaling to your brain that it’s transition time in a consistent way can have you primed and ready to focus.Walk around your home or office (or out to your car), spend a few moments staring out the window into the distance, or do some jumping jacks. Take some deep breaths with a focus-improving essential oil in the mint or citrus family. Preform a simple, repeatable activity to indicate to your brain that you are changing gears. Take the time to turn off notifications on your devices, stick a “Do Not Disturb” note on your door, and make sure the lighting, temperature, and noise levels are where you need them to be for comfort over the next few hours.The fantastic news is that the more time you spend in a flow or focused headspace, the easier it will be to get there again. By having a flow routine, you can get there even faster. Just becoming focused more often will reinforce the neural pathways that help get you there. Being in a state of flow is rewarding which ensures those behaviors that get you there become more ingrained. Getting focused can be “trained” like other habits and is strengthened by continuing to find your focus on a regular basis.Improving focus is a balance between limiting external distractions and building internal motivation. You may have a different level of each at any given time but if there is balance between the two you can still find the focus you’re looking for.Minimizing external distractions in your environment is key, and if this can be part of your routine it will give your brain the hint to get ready when you’re about to sit down for some focused work. Close the door, turn off the podcast, adjust the lighting, close your email, put your phone on silent, get comfortable and ready to work.Having a few clear mental or written prompts for starting your focus time can also help you find the mental side of that balance, even if you are in a noisy or distracting environment. Choose some simple mental tasks to work your way into the real area of focus you need to go. Even if you don’t really “feel” like getting started, once you’ve adjusted your environment and started your “flow” routine, answering some easy questions leading you in the right direction will be the last pull into that focused realm where you’re able to get so much done without any other awareness or distractions. It may seem like all of these tips are about focusing with the intent of doing more, but these same tips are just as useful for making sure you are truly present when you want to be, or able to fully enjoy an activity that you really love. Even self-care usually requires some level of focus (or at least the ability to manage mental distractions)!And remember, practicing focused attention will make it easier in the long run. Even if you have ADHD or struggle with spiraling anxiety, the ability to maintain concentration when you need to will become a quicker process with repeated use. It can be hard to apply these tips when you’re distracted or feel like your attention is lost but know that you can always come back to this list. If something doesn’t work well for you, pick a different tip to try! You may start to notice a pattern in what works for you and that will even help you come up with your own unique strategies that are a perfect fit for you.That’s not to say it will be simple to focus from here on out, or that now you’ll never have trouble concentrating again, but any steps in the right direction will strengthen your brain’s connection to “pay attention” so that it really does come easier. Buh-bye distraction and hello to being focused and present.