It's hard to concentrate

Why concentrating is so hard

Multitasking

It's especially hard to focus when there are many tasks and all of them are important. Where is the legendary multitasking when you (and all the hiring managers of this world) need it so much? And the fact is, it simply doesn't exist. Researchers have found that it's hard for the brain to concentrate on even two things at once. And when there are several important tasks in the field of attention, the body panics and releases cortisol and adrenaline — "stress hormones". Because of this, we work inattentively: we make mistakes and get tired quickly.

Dopamine

Stress hormones make sense, but it gets even more interesting. The opposite of stress — dopamine — is also involved in our inability to concentrate. It's part of the brain's reward system. What does that have to do with it? We often get distracted from the important task at hand by something more brain-pleasing. Like looking at likes on social media. That's when dopamine is released and we feel pleasure. It's a vicious circle: the more distracted you are, the more pleasure you get.

What reduces concentration?

Multitasking

How can concentration be impaired by... concentration? Any stressful situation (and a dramatically changing world in general) causes our brains to constantly "scan" the environment for danger. For example, reading the news instead of working. But being focused all the time is impossible. Concentration is a muscle, and it can fail if you don't give it a rest.

Food

"Fast carbohydrates" — sugar, white bread, sweets — deliver energy to the brain at lightning speed and help it work better. But that energy leaves as quickly as it comes in. As a result, we end up in a "carbohydrate swing": as soon as the action of "fast carbohydrates" ends, we feel tired and sleepy. And we want more fast carbs.

Gadgets

Yes, yes, this is the same situation when you have code on your laptop screen, a podcast in your headphones, and a video with funny ducks in the background on your computer. As a result, the brain tries to switch from one task to another — and simply cannot. And to return to a state of full concentration, a person needs an average of 20 minutes. So it turns out that the more time we spend in gadgets, the more time it takes to get back to work.

How to concentrate better than a goldfish (meaning longer than three seconds)

5 simple (actually not so simple) tips

Picture the sky and the clouds

Or leaves in a stream. It's all about light meditation, which helps you to calm down. Often it is the anxious thoughts about difficult tasks that prevent you from doing those difficult tasks. In such moments you can close your eyes and imagine that the clear sky is you, and the clouds are anxious thoughts. And no matter how many of them there are — the clear sky will always be somewhere out there, behind the clouds, and will not go anywhere. This exercise will help you come back to the present moment, rather than worrying about potential problems from the future.

Put on some music

But not any, and not a favorite. A favorite may be associated with strong positive emotions, which are also very distracting. A quiet, calm, moderately rhythmic one will do. You can even try to play a playlist of "white noise" or neuromusic.

Take a walk

Or even go for a run. It's better to find a park or forest: one experiment showed that contemplating nature increases concentration, while viewing cityscapes decreases it. You can combine a walk with exercise or jogging to get more oxygen to the brain and make it work better. But a simple twenty-minute walk is also a great option.

Eat well

We're not your grandmother, but this is really important. Choose foods that prevent blood sugar spikes. For example, high in fiber: vegetables, berries, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans), brown rice, whole wheat bread.

Read

Real paper books. It really helps with concentration: to read a social media post, it takes only a few minutes or even seconds. An interesting book, on the other hand, can lengthen your attention for several hours and train your directed attention in a cool way.

Can I see some pictures?