Improve Concentration and Productivity with These Four Things

How I overcame health challenges

I was in a really bad car accident in 2009. As a result, I had a stroke, now have occasional seizures, and had nerve damage that caused me to develop something called gastroparesis. Gastroparesis literally means a slow or inhibited (-paresis) stomach (gastro-); this basically translates to having a slow digestion process.

It took five years before I was diagnosed with gastroparesis. Up until that point, I was just nauseous all the time. Before I was diagnosed, I began to notice some patterns that seemed to make a difference in whether I would get nauseous.

These patterns led me to focus on four aspects of health:

1. what I ate,

2. how much activity I got,

3. my stress level, and

4. the amount of sleep I got.

You don’t have to have gastroparesis to understand how important these four things are when it comes to health, being productive, and staying focused throughout the day.

Food You Eat

Food is our body’s fuel. What we feed ourselves affects how we perform. If we want to keep our energy and concentration at their best, greasy fast food is not the best choice! The right foods increase brain power, cognitive function, focus, and motivation.

The Mediterranean diet has been linked to cardiovascular health, has anti-inflammatory benefits, and reduces the rate of cognitive decline as we age. This diet is high in plant foods, antioxidants, and fish, has limited meat intake, and uses olive oil as the main source of fat. Following these guidelines or a hybrid diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and whole foods aids in brain health, cognition, memory, and concentration. Our output is only as good as our input. According to the World Health Organization, by eating the right foods, brain power can increase by 20%, boosting productivity and problem solving.

Physical Activity

I also noticed that when I maintained a certain amount of activity, whether it was a walk, yoga session, or strength training, I was less likely to get nauseous.

In general, physical activity is a good indicator of overall health. 150 minutes of moderate activity per week are recommended.

According to neurologist Dr. Kirk Daffner, “There is a direct link between exercise and cognitive ability, especially attention.” He goes on to say that “when you exercise, you increase the availability of brain chemicals that promote new brain connections, reduce stress, and improve sleep. And when we sleep, we reduce stress hormones that can be harmful to the brain, and we clear out proteins that injure it.”

It is clear that exercise affects and improves many areas of our lives. Not only does it improve our brain’s ability to function and focus, it helps us maintain a healthy weight, gives us energy, but it also positively impacts the last two factors as well.

Stress Levels

I wrote an article explaining why many of us suffer from chronic stress levels, including ways to reduce our stress. Stress is an important aspect to focus on if we want to accomplish goals and be productive because high stress causes us to make errors, has a reduction in performance at work, lowers concentration, leads to higher rates of burnout, and is associated with mental health issues. High stress negatively impacts our health and work alike. Finding ways to reduce stress and end the stress cycle is important. Deep breathing, exercise, and organization are just a few things we can do to reduce stress in our lives.

How Much We Sleep

How much sleep I got always seemed to be a factor in my nausea. But you don’t have to be battling gastroparesis to understand the benefits of a full night’s rest. During sleep, the brain rids itself of toxins that build up throughout the day. During sleep, our memory goes over the events of the day and decides what is important to remember and what can be forgotten. Sleep is essential for cognition, concentration, problem solving, memory, and so many other brain functions.

Staying focused throughout the day and doing quality work have a direct correlation with the amount of sleep we get. Getting enough activity in our day can improve our ability to fall asleep and the quality of sleep we get. It is recommended that we all get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep.

Final Thought

These four areas are key when discussing brain health, cognition, focus, and overall productivity. It was five hard fought years of battling nausea that taught me how important these areas are to our health, but the lesson is true for everyone. A healthy brain and body mean we can be at our best in our home and work lives.