Focus: Improve Your Concentration and Lower Your Stress

Have you ever been to a yoga class where you suddenly realize that you're anything but present? Instead of focusing on your breath, you're thinking about what bills to pay or what you're having for dinner. I'm a notorious multi-tasker. In fact, I pride myself on the amount of things I can juggle all at once. As I get older, I'm finding I'm not as good as I used to be. At one point I chalked this up to getting older, but I've come to realize that isn't the only component.

An interesting article was written in the Journal of Experimental Psychology regarding the risks of multi-tasking. It says that when we multi-task, we may actually be creating more work for ourselves (as it's a lot for our brain to juggle and we make mistakes) and persistent multi-tasking can lead to burnout, depression and anxiety. Our brains are designed to do one thing at a time and do it well. Multi-tasking every now and then is fine, but doing it on a daily basis can cause issues.

It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to do for my New Years resolution,  I finally decided that it's going to be working on my focus. To figure out if focusing is an issue for you, do this test. I want you to count to ten. Inhale and on the exhale count one, inhale and exhale count two all the way to ten. See how far you make it. I got to two and my mind had already left the building. I've got my work cut out for me.

By increasing your focus you'll lower your stress levels. You'll do this by working on one thing at a time and doing that thing well. Less stress leads to less anxiety and depression and that can make you a happier and healthier person. Below are some suggestions on how to become more focused.

Make a plan: If you have a plan in place for your day, a list of all the things you have to do, you'll be less anxious about what you have to get done. Half the time my thoughts get interrupted by something I need to do or I forgot. If you have a plan, you're less likely to forget things and be able to focus more on your task at hand. If something does come up, make a note and continue focusing on your current task. When you finish the thing you're working on, put the forgotten task down on your schedule.

No matter how small the task seems, write it down so that your brain can let it go. OmniFocus is a great ap that helps you organize your to do list. It only works on iPhone. Check out this link to find a similar program for you Android. If you don't have a smartphone, a daily planner works just as great.

Breathe and count: It's hard to train your brain to focus when it's used to doing 10 things at once. Doing the breathing exercise I mentioned above (count to ten with your breath) will help to teach your brain to slow down and concentrate more. Make sure to be patient with yourself, it takes time to change. As soon as you realize your brain has wondered, start back at one. Keep track to see, how over time, you manage to get to a higher number. This will boost your confidence. This exercise is great to do when you're feeling scattered. It will focus your mind so you can concentrate more on what you're doing. Taking a few minutes to focus your mind can save you time lost fixing mistakes later.

Do your yoga: Yoga is wonderful for helping your focus. When in class keep your mind present. Focus on the breath and pay attention to your body. You'll begin to notice that not only will your mind feel better, but your body as well.

Decompress and disconnect: I just got back from vacation and barely used my phone. I came back so relaxed! By constantly checking your emails, texting and keeping up on social networks, we're not allowing our brains any downtime. Our brains are like computers, they need time to reboot. If left on all the time, problems begin to happen. This is where meditation is great, read a book or just have some quiet time to take a walk.

Turn off your background noise: Whether you have the TV or radio on at work or at home when cleaning the house or making dinner. Try turning it off and just focus on what you're doing. When we're doing something, especially when it takes a lot of thought, and we have noise in the background, it can distract us. By doing your task in a quiet environment, you're brain will function better.

Learning to focus and do everything with intention takes time. Persistence is necessary. I'm sure there will be times when I'll want to give up or when I'll get frustrated, but I'm confident that if I can stick with this, my life will change for the better. Being organized and present will give you a sense of calm. Calmness is happiness.