Learn How to Concentrate: It’s a Skill You Can Master

Last updated August 14, 2023.
Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

Better concentration makes work more productive and life easier, and anyone can boost their focus. Use these simple but practical tips and techniques.

A clear-cut goal like this makes it easier to start, stick with, and ultimately finish any project.

There’s a biological reason why breaking any large project into small chunks can keep you motivated.

Each time you complete a task, even a small one, you get a surge of dopamine, a brain chemical that helps keep attention, productivity, and motivation high.

Clear your work area of clutter.

Brain scans show conclusively that clutter affects the ability to concentrate and process information. 

Silence or Sound?

Few things can affect concentration as much as unwelcome sound.

You may need complete silence or find that you concentrate better in the buzz of your favorite coffee shop.

If you concentrate best in total silence, get a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

If you like to listen to music to help you concentrate, there are a few rules for getting maximum benefits.

Ideally, you should listen to music that you enjoy and have personally chosen, and music that is instrumental so as to avoid distracting lyrics. 

You can choose curated music or music created specifically to help concentration.

The music streaming service Spotify has a category of playlists called “Focus,” compiled to help improve concentration and focus.

Work With Your Biorhythm

If you have to do a task that requires your utmost concentration, don’t make it harder by going against your natural biorhythm.

Do this kind of task when you are most alert.

Scientists have found that there is a best time to do most things and that includes work that requires concentrating.

While everyone is different, most adults do their best thinking in the late morning when concentration and alertness reach their peak.

Then, from noon until about 4 pm, most people become more easily distracted once again. 

Unsurprisingly, the latest research confirms that people are least productive and most prone to make mistakes on Friday afternoons. 

Eliminate Distractions

Paying attention to one thing at a time may seem like obvious advice for increasing focus, yet few people actually do this.

It’s not easy to concentrate when social media, emails, texts, and thousands of ads per day compete for your attention. 

Put Your Electronics Away

If your electronic devices are ruining your ability to concentrate, take back control.

Shut off notifications, uninstall apps you find addictive, and enable grayscale mode (like the screen on the right in the image below).

There are also numerous apps that block distractions such as Cold Turkey, Freedom, and SelfControl.

But the easiest step you can take when you want to concentrate is to simply put your phone out of sight.

Having your smartphone nearby, even if it’s silent, can compromise your ability to concentrate.

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NUTRITION FOR YOUR MIND

It’s almost impossible to live a lifestyle that provides all the nutrients needed for good brain health and performance. The reason? All of us confront multiple nutrient thieves — stress, poor diet, insomnia, pharmaceuticals, pollution, and more — that steal nutrients that the brain needs to thrive.

Taking quality nutritional supplements:

• Provides the building blocks to create new brain cells and brain chemicals
• Helps increase resilience to stress to avoid mental burnout
• Supplies the brain with the fuel it needs for mental energy

A foundational principle of mental health and cognitive performance is to supply the brain with the best nutrition possible. Now, when you buy a 3-month supply of any Performance Lab supplement, you get an extra month free. This 25% discount includes free shipping worldwide. See why I recommend Performance Lab.

Dr. Pat

Stop Multitasking

One of the greatest distractions is one you inflict on yourself — multitasking.

You may think that multitasking makes you more efficient and productive, but it doesn’t.

Multitasking requires your brain to quickly toggle back and forth between tasks, wasting up to 40% of your productive time. 

It takes 23 minutes to fully regain focus after you’ve switched tasks. 

Overcome Boredom

Let’s face it, some tasks are just boring.

And when you’re bored, your ability to concentrate takes a nosedive.

Here are some tips to help boost your concentration when you’re just not that into the task at hand.

Chew Gum, Pop a Mint

Yes, chewing gum actually increases your ability to concentrate.

Chewing gum augments the flow of oxygen to regions of the brain responsible for attention. 

Eating mints has an effect similar to gum chewing since just a whiff of peppermint improves concentration, memory, and attention span. 

Use Rosemary Essential Oil

Ancient Greek scholars wore wreaths of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) to sharpen their mental clarity.

You can also try playing with a fidget toy or stress ball.

They really can help you stay mentally alert. 

Breathe Deeply As You Work

The brain needs oxygen.

Brain cells can live only a few minutes without it.

Yet, counterproductively, many people hold their breath while concentrating.

It’s estimated that 80% of us unconsciously hold our breath when reading emails or using electronic devices. 

This habit is known as “email apnea” or “screen apnea” and it can destroy concentration and put your brain in a fog.

The antidote is to practice breathing deeply from your diaphragm, not your chest.

Train Your Brain to Concentrate

Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato.

It’s also the name of our favorite concentration and productivity hack.

The “Pomodoro Technique” was developed by an Italian graduate student as a study aid.

It works like this.

The Pomodoro Concentration Technique

Pick a task you want to concentrate on, one that needs your undivided attention.

Remove obvious distractions and get comfortable.

Tell those around you not to disturb you unless the building is on fire!

Set a timer for 25 minutes, then give your all to the task at hand.

If your mind wanders, bring yourself back to your task.

Remind yourself that you need to keep up this level of concentration for only a few more minutes.

When the 25 minutes is done, take a 5-minute break. (We’ll tell you the best ways to recharge next.)

When you’re ready, you can do another “pomodoro,” a block of 25 minutes of intense concentration.

Performance Lab
NUTRITION FOR YOUR MIND

It’s almost impossible to live a lifestyle that provides all the nutrients needed for good brain health and performance. The reason? All of us confront multiple nutrient thieves — stress, poor diet, insomnia, pharmaceuticals, pollution, and more — that steal nutrients that the brain needs to thrive.

Taking quality nutritional supplements:

• Provides the building blocks to create new brain cells and brain chemicals
• Helps increase resilience to stress to avoid mental burnout
• Supplies the brain with the fuel it needs for mental energy

A foundational principle of mental health and cognitive performance is to supply the brain with the best nutrition possible. Now, when you buy a 3-month supply of any Performance Lab supplement, you get an extra month free. This 25% discount includes free shipping worldwide. See why I recommend Performance Lab.

Dr. Pat

You’ll be surprised at how effectively this improves concentration and how much you’ll get done.

You can use a real kitchen timer or a virtual one.

Here is an ad-free online version that’s easy to use.

With each pomodoro, you are doing more than just spending 25 minutes in a state of highly productive focus.

You are actually training your brain to block out distractions and concentrate intensely for extended periods of time.

Recharge Your Brain

The brain is truly a marvel, but it isn’t a machine.

You can’t sustain maximum concentration all day.

It’s critical that you take breaks to recharge throughout the day, such as after each pomodoro.

Take a Walk

Recharge by taking a walk.

Walking is not only one of the best all-around exercises, it’s proven to clear the mind and help you think better. 

Do Some Yoga

Perform a yoga pose.

Or have a cup of coffee or tea.

A little caffeine can improve concentration, alertness, and productivity. 

But respect caffeine for what it is — a psychoactive drug — and use it judiciously.

Caffeine can ruin your sleep and be alarmingly detrimental for anyone with anxiety.

Take a Nap

Sleep expert Sara Mednick, PhD, is well aware that motivation and productivity dwindle as the day progresses.

But even she was surprised to find that the best technique for staying productive all afternoon and into the early evening is to take a 20-minute power nap.

She found that power naps worked even better than caffeine.

Know When to Stop

An important part of recharging is knowing when to say “no” to more hours and more work.

Technology allows us to easily work around the clock, and so many of us do.

Yet most of us are capable of only four hours of intense concentration per day. 

If you can work fewer hours, do it.

And finally, don’t fret when you can’t squeeze in a 5 or 20-minute break.

Even a micro-break as short as 30 seconds can help you regain focus. 

Optimize Brain Health and Fitness for Better Concentration

If you want laser-like focus, it’s essential that you treat your brain like the incredible thinking machine that it is.

Too much work and stress, too little sleep and exercise, and poor nutrition sabotage the brain’s ability to concentrate and think clearly.

We cover these topics in-depth elsewhere on our site, but here’s a quick summary of healthy lifestyle measures that can enhance your ability to concentrate.

Nourish Your Brain With Real Food

Compared to the rest of the body, the brain needs a disproportionate amount of energy and nutrients.

What you eat significantly changes how well your brain performs its many functions, including focus.

For optimal mental energy, you can’t go wrong by trading in the Standard American Diet (SAD) for the Mediterranean diet, one based on unprocessed foods.

The Mediterranean diet is widely agreed to be the healthiest eating plan for most people.

Optimize Your Dopamine Level

Do you have low energy, focus, motivation, and libido?

Do you rely on pick-me-ups like caffeine, sugar, chocolate, or other stimulants to get through the day?

If so, you may be low in dopamine, the neurotransmitter of motivation. 

A protein-rich diet is an excellent source of tyrosine, the amino acid precursor of dopamine.

Foods that promote dopamine formation include avocados, apples, bananas, beets, sea vegetables, green leafy vegetables, oatmeal, chocolate, green tea, coffee, and virtually all animal products.

Physical exercise, meditation, and setting and achieving goals also increase dopamine.

Increase Concentration With Meditation

If you’ve ever been under the gun to get an assignment done on time, you may have found that stress and its subsequent surge of adrenaline can help you concentrate better for short periods of time. 

But relying on this rush to get work done is damaging to the brain and mental well-being over the long term.

A proven technique to reduce stress and improve concentration is meditation.

Over 1,000 published studies have demonstrated the health benefits of meditation. 

Regular meditators experience better focus, memory, creativity, and sleep.

Nearly 20 million Americans practice meditation, including corporate executives at Google, Apple, Nike, HBO, and Target.

Get High-Quality Sleep

If you don’t get enough high-quality sleep, you’ll have a hard time concentrating (or even staying awake).

Lack of sleep has been found to be as bad for mental performance as being drunk.

This is because there’s a lot going on in your brain while you sleep.

During sleep, the brain is busy repairing itself and consolidating memories. 

Extensive research has confirmed that 7 to 9 hours is the ideal amount of sleep. 

Your Health Affects Your Ability to Concentrate

Mood disorders, dementia, and, of course, attention disorders can affect the ability to concentrate.

Less obvious health conditions known to impair focus include anxiety, depression, stroke, traumatic brain injury, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, substance abuse, cancer, and epilepsy. 

Also, numerous widely-used prescription drugs negatively impact the ability to concentrate.

Among the worst are prescription sleeping pills, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and drugs considered anticholinergics (i.e., those that destroy acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter of learning and memory.)

It’s easy to pick out anticholinergics because their common classifications usually start with “anti,” as in antidepressants, antihistamines, and antibiotics.

Hearing problems and vision problems can also affect concentration.

If you suspect that an undiagnosed condition or a medication you take is affecting your concentration, talk to your doctor.

Sometimes the answer can be as simple as switching medications or getting a new pair of glasses.