If you’ve found yourself having difficulty focusing, it may be more than just easily getting distracted. From lack of nutrition to hereditary science, there are likely a few reasons why your brain is having a tough time concentrating or making decisions. But there are a number of things you can do help increase your attention span, improve decision-making, and enable clear thinking.
Fuel your body
In order for your brain to work at maximum capacity, it needs adequate nourishment. There are a few foods that have been proven to help increase brainpower; essential fatty acids are one of the most noted, and can be found in items like salmon and chia seeds. Other foods that provide key nourishment to the brain include blueberries, nuts, and broccoli.
Use scent
Using scent as a stimulant is one of the easiest life hacks for improving focus. Rosemary has been used for centuries to improve memory retention, so try diffusing 10-15 drops when you need a concentration boost.
Do one thing at a time
Your best bet when it comes to breaking down your to-do list is to attack it with a strategic plan. Try to begin your day with your toughest tasks. Instinctively, you might think to do the opposite—to cross the menial tasks off first. However, your brain only has a certain amount of juice per day, thus every decision you make increasingly tires you out (read: you don’t want to use up the juiciest brainpower on scheduling meetings).
Work when it works
Are you a morning person, or more of a night owl? Some people naturally work better in the morning than they do in the evening, or the other way around. If you find yourself more creative early in the morning, do those jobs right away; similarly, if you do your best writing or brainstorming in the evening, take off from the office a little early so that you can focus later at night.
Oh, and there is nothing wrong with having that second cup of coffee.
