Boost your concentration

DO you get distracted often? Try these tips to boost your concentration.

Know yourself

We all have times of day that are our “best thinking” times. Don’t be misled by thinking you think best at night because it’s quiet; ask yourself when do you feel most energetic. If you don’t know, mark your activities on an hourly pattern for a week. Once you settle on your best time, set that aside for work that needs concentration.

Don’t think outside the den If you want to go for a run while you’re thinking, that’s terrific. Just don’t confuse places where you should be relaxing, like on the bed, with places where you should be working.

Try the five-more rule

The idea is that when you want to quit, you’ve probably got a bit more in you, so try to get the most out of yourself by saying, “I’ll just do five minutes, examples, pages, sentences...” If five is too much, then try three.

Make a brain den

Music is not what makes a good study place; nor is being able to watch the TV. If you can, pick a place away from noise. If you can’t, get earphones that block out sound.

Eat well

Food is your body’s fuel so make sure you tank up properly. An easy rule of thumb is to eat six colours of fruits and vegetables a day to make sure you get a range of vitamins.