Whether it's fatigue, distractions, lack of motivation, or something else entirely, our inability to focus digs a hole in our productivity and limits our chances of success. Maintaining focus is equally about taking care of your mental space and your body, as it is grinding through work.

By eliminating distractions, investing time in maintaining physical and mental wellness, and instituting healthy habits, you can improve your productivity. Multitaskers might seem superhuman, but they pay a big price, according to a Stanford study. In a sample of Stanford students, about half identified themselves as media multitaskers.

The other half did not. The test examined attention spans, memory capacity, and ability to switch from one task to the next — and the multitaskers performed more poorly on each test.

Everything distracts them," Clifford Nass, who was a researcher for the study, said in a Stanford press release. If the saying "practice makes perfect" is true, then meditation is a sure way to enhance focus because it takes a great deal of concentration.

Scientific experiments agree. One study at the University of North Carolina, for example, revealed that students who meditated for just 20 minutes a day for four days performed better on certain cognitive tests.

Another study found that people who meditated regularly were less likely to engage in "mind-wandering" and were generally happier. The researchers of the study suggest that this was because long-term meditators exhibited a lower amount of what's called default mode network activity DMN — a function of the brain linked with attention issues, anxiety, and depression.

Exercises like running , swimming , and weight lifting aren't just good for the body. They promote brain health, too, which is important for memory capacity and concentration, according to John Ratey, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

In particular, scientists think regular exercise may help stimulate the release of a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor , which some research suggests helps rewire memory circuits to improve their functioning.

To-do lists not only help you prioritize what tasks you need to get done first, but they can also serve as a record of the loose ends. Moreover, incomplete work could eat away at your concentration. This stems from something called the Zeigarnik Effect , which is the tendency to remember incomplete tasks instead of completed ones.

Researchers explored this Zeigarnik effect in a study which found that participants who could plan their work and complete tasks one by one were more likely to stay focused than those participants who were made to go from task to task without completing them.

If you're feeling groggy, grab a cup of joe or other caffeinated substance. Studies suggest that caffeine may, in moderate doses , help to boost focus — particularly in those of us who are fatigued.

But don't get overzealous with the coffee , or you might get the caffeine jitters , which typically reduce your ability to concentrate. You can also try a cup of tea , which won't give you the quick buzz like coffee but can provide you energy for a longer period thanks to the L-theanine chemicals in it that our bodies metabolize throughout the day.

You might have heard that watching cat videos on YouTube can improve productivity. Well, that's true sort of. Whether it's watching cat videos, taking a walk , or a brief nap , it is critical to take the occasional break from work.

In one study , 84 subjects were asked to perform a simple computer task for one hour. Those who were allowed two brief breaks during that hour performed consistently for the entire time whereas those who weren't offered a break performed worse over time. Another widely-noted study analyzed the decision making process of 1, judges and found that more "favorable rulings" were made by judges during the beginning of the day and after they took periodic food breaks.

Essentially, this study explored how "decision fatigue" i. how fast and accurately we make decisions was alleviated by semi-frequent breaks.

The right background music is ultimately what works for you. Some experts argue that no music is best for productivity because it minimizes the opportunity for distractions. Whereas other studies have found that listening to background music without words offers better performance compared to white noise or silence.

And still another study found that the time spent on a certain task was longest when listening to no music. All that is to say, the type of music you listen to and the type of work you're doing at the time matters.

So be conscious of your productivity and choose what music is right for you. Your brain is a mental muscle, and some studies have found that people who are easily distracted will benefit from "brain training" exercises, like those promoted by Lumosity or Cogmed.

But which exercises work — and for how well or long their effects last — is unclear. Therefore, the purported benefits of brain training need further examination, Susanne Jaeggi — who studies the brain and memory at the University of California — told New Scientist.

The pomodoro method is a time-blocking technique that can help compartmentalize your tasks into manageable minute intervals. To use the pomodoro method work for 25 minutes, taking five minute breaks in between 25 minute intervals.

After four of these intervals, you can take a longer minute break. This method of time blocking gives you the needed break in between work sessions to help you maintain focus longer and more sustainably. Ambient noise, like cars honking or kids screaming, can stimulate the release of the stress hormone cortisol, Mark A.

Andrews, former director of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, told Scientific American. Too much cortisol can impair function and hinder focus.

And, unfortunately, the more we're exposed to ambient noise, the worse our bodies respond, according to Andrews. Many of us spend most of our waking hours staring at a digital screen, which can strain our eyes and actually make it more difficult to focus on, and therefore process, what we're looking at.

To refocus the eyes, just stare at a distant object for a few minutes. One doctor suggested the " rule" to a journalist at LifeHacker. It goes like this: Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to stare at an object at least 20 feet away.

The idea behind the rule is that the eye is a muscle and like all muscles it benefits from exercise. Just like how sitting in one spot for a long time can make your muscles feel achy and stiff, staring at one object does essentially the same to your eyes.

If you don't periodically refocus, your vision can become a little blurry or fuzzy after work. Blue light glasses, which filter out the blue light that screens emit , have become popular to help screen-exhaustion.

However, they won't help with eye strain, but could potentially help your quality of sleep. One of the main symptoms of chronic sleep loss is poor concentration. Getting a solid seven to eight hours ahead of a busy work day could be the difference between being frazzled and being laser-focused.

It is known that by decluttering your home or tidying your desk, your mind also feels more orderly, free, and able to think more clearly. Design your own work space. Whether you have full control over the design of your work space or can embellish your desk with just a few personal items, having control over our work environment can help to improve productivity.

A study compared people who completed a series of tasks in a bare and functional office space, an office decorated with plants and pictures, and an office in which the individual designed the space. People who were in a space with plants and pictures were 17 percent more productive than those in bare office, while those who designed their own spaces were 32 percent more productive than the workers at a functional desk.

Listen to Baroque classical music. Play natural sounds. If Baroque music is not your thing, playing natural sounds could also benefit concentration. Researchers revealed that playing sounds from nature in the office, such as flowing water, could enhance cognitive abilities and optimize the ability to concentrate.

Inhale rosemary aroma. Research has suggested that exposure to rosemary aroma may improve speed and accuracy of cognitive performance.

Problem-solving exercises, brain training methods, and even video games could all have a positive, negative effect, or no effect at all on concentration, depending on which study you read.

Recent research has indicated that people who often do word puzzles, such as crosswords, have better brain function later in life. Researchers found direct relationships between how often pople used word puzzles and the speed and accuracy of performance on tasks assessing reasoning, memory, and attention.

A study has emphasized that it matters what type of brain training you are doing to improve memory and attention. Participants who practiced dual n-back demonstrated a 30 percent improvement in their working memory — almost double the gains made by the complex span group.

Dual n-back is a memory sequence test wherein individuals have to remember a sequence of auditory and visual stimuli that are updated continuously. Playing video games has been shown to cause changes in many regions of the brain. Researchers discovered that video game use altered the brain regions that are responsible for visuospatial skills and attention and made them work more efficiently.

Physical activity, dietary choices, and weight are all factors that can contribute to how well you function and your concentration levels. For example, if you skip breakfast, it is unlikely that by lunchtime you will be able to perform tasks to the best of your ability due to hunger pangs.

Looking after your well-being, staying active, and eating concentration-boosting foods can all help toward improving concentration. To increase your ability to concentrate, you might want to add some walnuts, avocados, and chocolate to your dietary repertoire.

Walnuts may improve performance on tests for cognitive function, including those assessing information processing speed, memory, and concentration.

Consuming one avocado every day may help improve cognitive function due to an upsurge in lutein levels in the eye and brain. Researchers uncovered that eating an avocado daily enhanced measures of cognitive skills, including processing speed, memory, and attention. Chocolate — or specifically the cocoa bean — is rich in flavanols, which are compounds that have neuroprotective effects.

Cocoa flavanols may help to improve cognitive processing speed, working memory, and attention when ingested for between 5 days and 3 months.

Research has revealed that individuals who practice sport can perform better on cognitive tasks than those with bad physical health. When compared with a group who led a more sedentary lifestyle, the group who were in good physical condition performed better on tasks testing sustained attention.

A study of older adults also specified that exercise improved brain function. All participants who exercised for between 75 minutes and minutes per week showed elevated attention levels and an increased ability to focus.

Yoga may significantly improve energy levels and brain function. Investigators found that practicing Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation for 25 minutes per day boosted the regions of the brain associated with goal-directed behavior and allowed participants to focus more easily.

Research unearthed a connection between weight loss and improved memory and concentration. Researchers say that factors such as high blood pressure , sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes , which often result from obesity , might impair the brain.

They suggest that as people get back to a healthy weight and the associated problems disappear, their cognitive issues will vanish, too. If you have tried all the above and you are still wrestling with your inability to concentrate, grab yourself a large coffee.

Caffeine has been shown to affect the alerting and executive control networks of the brain and has clear beneficial effects on concentration and attention.

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Five ways to boost concentration. By Hannah Nichols on November 24, — Fact checked by Jasmin Collier. Share on Pinterest Concentrating can sometimes be a challenge, but steps can be taken to enhance your ability to concentrate.

Share on Pinterest Add some greenery to your office to increase concentration levels in the workplace. Take a break. Share on Pinterest Take a vacation from email, cell phone notifications, and social media to boost concentration.

Rethink your environment. Share on Pinterest Design your own work area to improve your productivity. Try brain training.