How To Keep Your Mind in Focus On Stressful Days
Stress is a part of life and if not attended to the weight of the world can cause issues. Focus is important when it comes to most tasks, be them ones you complete at work, home, or when out and about, being able to focus on the task at hand is essential for a healthy and happy life.
There are several ways you can help your mind stay focused. We’ve put together a list of ?? for you to try when it seems like stress is overpowering your mental energy and focusing becomes difficult.
Meditation
The first suggestion on our list is not a new discovery and most people have heard or read that meditation relieves stress somewhere before this, but there is a reason for that. It is a full-proof method that has been handed down for thousands of generations and studied by prestigious medical institutions like Harvard University.
Did you know that, when it comes to focus, meditation does much more than that? As it turns out, practicing meditation regularly can sharpen your focusing skills. It does this by strengthening your ability to turn away from distractions, giving you the skills needed to relieve stress in any situation, and easing issues associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
Aromatherapy
Essential oils are volatile compounds that enhance our health and can be helpful with ailments like pain or headaches, like these recommended by Better Mind Body Soul. Headaches are a regular occurrence for many people who deal with stress.
Some scents you can try include frankincense, rosemary, or peppermint. There are several ways essential oils that can be used. Ultrasonic diffusers are particularly popular and can fill your workspace with all of your favorite aromas.
Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Our sleeping habits affect us in more ways than we probably know. What we do know is our diet and our ability to function at everyday tasks are directly affected by the amount of sleep we have. If you tossed and turned all night long, it makes sense that you may have an issue paying attention while in the big company meeting.
Some ways to avoid a restless night is to keep to a regular sleep schedule, shut off all your devices thirty minutes before you go to bed, and try to read for a bit. If you are having trouble sleeping and nothing helps you may want to consult a professional.
DO ONE THING AT A TIME
Multitasking is the norm today. Everyone looks at their smartphones while doing most things these days. Eating, waiting for a train, and even when they are driving. We are slaves to the trend and I am no different. Yet, if you are trying to meet an important deadline it might be time to put the phone down until you are complete.
This doesn’t just go for your phone. When you are trying to focus on something important, don’t check your email, tell your assistant to take messages, and seclude yourself with nothing but what you need to focus on. Once you do, you’ll be amazed at how driven you can become.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
Meditation and mindfulness are the same in concept, yet we aren’t talking about taking ten minutes in the morning to practice your breathing. When you find that your mind starts to wander during those redundant times when working on your project take a moment and pay attention to where you are and what you are trying to do.
Mindfulness is about being in the moment, which sounds easy but for some of us, it can be rather difficult. Especially when the clock is ticking and you are running behind on a task. The reality is though, worrying about not making a deadline won’t help you reach it any faster. Take stock of where you are and how far you have come, then keep going. Your focus will return.
TAKE A BREAK
If the stress is getting to be too much for you then get up and walk away from your venture for a few minutes. Go outside and take a walk. Call a friend. Maybe read something light. The idea is to calm down your mind so that it is free to take on the rest of your assignment.
You might be a person who internally chastises yourself when you mess up. Sound familiar? Then you also need to take a break from the self-deprecation. While pushing yourself to be your best is always a great path to undertake, being too hard on yourself can have the opposite effect and leave you feeling useless and unable to finish. Self sabotagers know this all too well.
IN THE END
No one escapes stress, some people just know how to handle it better than others. Like anything else in life, gaining better control of your ability to focus during stressful times will take practice. Prepare for some trial and error but keep moving forward and never give up. Persistence and patience always win in the end.
