How To Concentrate On Work And Get Rid of Stress
Life-changing strategy
If you are suffering from stress and distress on the regular, then chances are that your ability to concentrate properly has also taken a hit. And this can be bad news because as we all know, not being able to concentrate affects our productivity.
I have some easy tips to share with you which will help you get back to focusing on your work and enjoying life without constant stress.
Divide your work into subtasks
To help you concentrate on your work and get rid of stress, you need to divide your work into subtasks. This is good for your mental health as well as physical health. It will also make you more productive.
To help you concentrate on your work and get rid of stress, you need to divide your work into subtasks. This is good for your mental health as well as physical health. It will also make you more productive.
Do before doing
- Focus on the most important tasks first
- Do difficult first, easy next
Procrastination is a universal issue. Even though we all know how procrastination can negatively impact our lives, we still find ourselves putting off work until the last minute. This is because when we should be working, there are so many other things that require our attention — like social media and emails. However, just because they are urgent doesn’t mean they are important. Often times what’s truly important is ignored and postponed for another day. This can lead to stress as you run out of time to complete your tasks and worry about what will happen if you don’t get them done in time!
Make a list
You should begin by making a to-do list, ideally on paper.
Be realistic about how much you can get done in a day so that you don’t create unnecessary pressure on yourself.
The most important thing is to prioritize your tasks and focus on those first — the less crucial things can wait until tomorrow or later in the week.
Once everything is written down, cross off your completed tasks so that you can feel accomplished and motivated to keep going!
Have fun with this process: use different colored pens and markers, draw stars next to things you’re looking forward to doing or doodle pictures of the contents of each task.
Don’t forget to write downtime for relaxation as well as work; both are necessary for productivity!
Figure out what distracts you
The first thing you’ll need to do is figure out what exactly distracts you at work. Is it the sounds coming from your co-worker’s desk? Is it that ping of the Slack notification? Is it the Facebook tab, which magically opens itself whenever you accidentally press ctrl+t?
Only after identifying these distractors can you make changes to your environment to help remove them. You might want to use an app or browser extension like Freedom, which blocks distracting websites and apps for a set period of time. Or if that doesn’t work, try removing those apps from your computer altogether — out of sight, out of mind. If loud noises are distracting you, consider investing in some noise-canceling headphones or earplugs.
The next step is to make a list of ways in which you can prevent distractions from happening in the first place. Removing your phone from your working space when it’s not needed would be a good start; keeping its ringer on silent would also help. Similarly, refrain from checking emails and WhatsApp messages during working hours unless absolutely necessary — they only serve as a distraction and do little but sap away precious time and energy.
Drink water
A large percentage of our bodies is made of water, and it has a lot to do with our health. Water influences all the functions of the body. If you want to concentrate on your work you have to drink enough water. Dehydration can lead to difficulty in concentration and even cognitive difficulties. Drinking enough water can help you improve your concentration and also keep yourself healthy. This will help you stress less about anything that might be worrying you, allowing you to better focus on your work.
Keep your mind sharp with brain games and puzzles
Apart from the physical aspect, mental sharpness is also crucial here. If you have been stressed for a long time, your mind becomes dull and you may not be able to concentrate on your work properly.
Brain games are here for your rescue!
These games will help improve your concentration and memory of yours. You can choose any game as per your interest. Some of these include sudoku, crossword puzzles, chess, etc. These games will not only help stimulate the mind but also improve problem-solving ability and make you more creative in general.
Enjoy a little exercise with your pet, if you have one
Although you may be tempted to spend all day with your furry friend, it’s also good to get out of the house, or at least out of the room where you’re working. If you have a dog, go for a walk, play fetch in the backyard if you have one, or work on a new trick together. For some kitties, leashes and harnesses are no problem — get them acclimated and take them for strolls around the neighborhood. Other pets may prefer to stay home while you go for a jog or do some yoga — they might even join in! Just make sure to ask your vet whether these activities are safe for your pet before giving them a try.
Get some fresh air and sunshine
Get out of the house, get your blood flowing and try to get some fresh air. Ideally, you’ll be able to do this in sunlight, as it will also have a good effect on your mood. Try doing 45–60 minutes in the morning if possible, go for a walk, or do some gardening, though not enough to make yourself tired.
It is easy to get distracted, but the focus is vital to getting any task done
You are not alone. It is easy to get distracted. The distractions could be an email notification, your phone buzzing, or a co-worker coming by for a quick chat. It is just how your brain works: Your attention span can be measured in seconds instead of minutes. And that’s fine!
You cannot do two things at the same time effectively and efficiently, but you can switch between tasks quickly. You need to focus on the task at hand and not on the end goal. Focus is a skill that you can learn and practice, like learning how to drive or play an instrument. Take a break every now and then if you need one in order to re-focus. In the long term, the focus will help you do better both personally and professionally — it’s worth the effort! Think of focus as something that helps you excel in every aspect of life: work, relationships, health…you name it!
