We all want to be focused and efficient when working and studying. But there are mistakes that pre-program fatigue. These tips will help.
We need an average of 23 minutes to focus on the original task again after an interruption. Many studies show that those who try to do several things at the same time jump back and forth between the different tasks and have a shorter attention span, remember and concentrate less well and the brain is exhausted more quickly.
We get much more done, and with better results, too, if we do it one at a time and focus fully on one task at a time. Here are five tips from me to help you pull it off:
Frequent breaks – less fatigue
Adults can concentrate for about 90 minutes at a time. Then we need a break. If there is a lack of breaks, the brain shuts down its performance, we become unfocused and make mistakes. But if we take breaks, we can work four to six hours a day with concentration.
The breaks don’t have to be long. Frequent, short breaks about every hour and a half are particularly effective: chat with colleagues for a few minutes, open the window and take deep breaths in and out, or take a power nap.
Physical exercise – better brain power
Students who took part in an additional hour of physical activity daily during one study were emotionally more balanced and achieved the best exam performance for their age group in comparison tests.
Movement reduces stress and makes our brain more efficient, we can concentrate better and therefore learn more easily. Too little exercise, on the other hand, even causes our brain to shrink. So alternate between sitting and standing, walking the stairs to the fourth floor, stretching, putting the things you need out of reach, and drinking plenty of fluids so you can use the bathroom more often.
Different place – different thoughts
For a task that requires high concentration, grab your laptop, tablet, or notebook and move to another chair, library, or meeting room. There’s a different vibe there, and you’re less reminded of your other responsibilities.
Also, when you’re done for the day, close out the work clearly in your mind. At some point it will be enough. For example, use the “Thought Stop” to stop unwanted thoughts aloud or internally with a “Stop!” to be terminated and replaced by others.
Because it is precisely the time in which you completely let go of previous thoughts and do not ponder problems that helps to solve them. Because the brain needs rest and relaxation to process and store memories.
Enough sleep – regeneration as if by itself
Most people need at least seven hours of sleep a night. During sleep, the brain restructures information particularly intensively, i.e. it is sorted into meaningful categories, stored and unexpected connections are discovered. This facilitates creative problem solving and new insights.
Sleep also ensures that we can work with concentration the next day and separate the important from the unimportant.
Pomodoro technique – the all-rounder for more concentration
With a fixed structure in short units, the Pomodoro technique helps you stay focused and get into a regular rhythm that your brain quickly gets used to: First, write down a (partial) task and set an alarm clock to 25 minutes. Now concentrate exclusively on one task for 25 minutes. Then take a five-minute break. After three to four such time blocks, you can take a longer break of 15 to 20 minutes.
So what to do if the child keeps looking at the cell phone? In my experience, even young people are impressed by the proven 23-minute time it takes to get back to the original task after a distraction.
Since hardly anyone wants to spend an unnecessarily large amount of time preparing for exams and the motivation to learn is usually quite high shortly before an exam, the chances of ending up with it are good. Otherwise, as always, it usually helps best if you, as parents, set a good example. Everyone will then benefit from this.
Ulrike Scheuermann is a qualified psychologist and bestselling author. For 25 years she has been helping people to live their lives better and healthier with the most modern methods of psychology and without blockages. Her self-care and coaching programs take place at her academy in Berlin and online.
