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The many hours we spend in front of various screens every day mean that we are increasingly unable to focus on individual tasks or topics. The abundance of visual and auditory stimuli that are constantly bombarding us from our digital devices makes it more difficult for us to focus our thoughts.
Here are 6 simple tips that can instantly boost your concentration.
Contents
Cause of concentration problemsDigital resilience through a healthy lifestyle
6 tips for more concentration and productivity
9 Neuroathletic exercises for lack of concentration, focus and stress
Conclusion
Cause of concentration problems
Instead of productive multitasking, constantly jumping back and forth between different tasks and activities means that we only do things superficially and quickly feel overwhelmed. This gives us the feeling that we can't complete anything properly. The result: digital overload. A state in which the sheer volume of information literally overwhelms us.
Digital resilience through a healthy lifestyle
However, there are a number of strategies to protect yourself against the negative influences of the digital world. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a balanced diet are a good basis for better concentration. It also helps to consciously incorporate digital breaks into your daily routine to relieve the strain on your brain and recharge your batteries with short health exercises.
6 tips for more concentration and productivity
Neurotrainer Luise Walther has put together some tips for us on how you can improve your work habits and increase your productivity:
1. Breaks as a creativity booster
Breaks for better performance? It sounds strange, but it has long been scientifically proven. Since people have a limited attention span, it is advisable to regularly plan short rest breaks during work. A useful method for implementing this is the Pomodoro technique. This involves working concentratedly for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. These set time limits help you to complete tasks more efficiently and prevent you from getting lost in one task for too long. This prevents concentration problems from occurring in the first place.
2. Small exercises in everyday stress
Sport and exercise are important for reducing stress and resting the mind. If you don't have much time and are having trouble finding motivation, you can use reaction boards to integrate simple exercises into your everyday life. The boards show you arrows pointing in different directions. This allows you to take an active break according to your individual preference and train your eyes, jaw, tongue, arms or legs, for example. There are no limits to your imagination. It's best to hang the boards in a clearly visible place at your workplace. This will remind you to do the exercises.
Training for head and legs
Stand in front of the board. When the arrow points up, go up on your tiptoes, when the arrow points down, squat, when the arrow points right, raise your right heel, and when the arrow points left, raise your left heel.
Training for eyes and neck
To mobilize your neck, make a pure head movement with your gaze fixed on the middle of the VOR board . Make the following head movements: Up right, up middle, up left, right, short stop in the middle, left, down right, down middle, down left.
3. More concentration through breathing
The way we breathe has a significant impact on our mental performance. Deep and conscious breathing allows more oxygen to reach the lungs, which is transported into the bloodstream and ultimately reaches our brain. The increased supply promotes energy production there, which reduces concentration problems. Try these two exercises for more focus:
Ladder breathing
Stand upright, knees relaxed. Place your hands on your stomach and breathe in and out deeply through your nose. Focus on breathing into your hands and into your stomach. Now place your hands on your ribcage and breathe in and out deeply through your nose into your hands and into your ribcage. Then place your hands on your chest and breathe in and out deeply through your nose into your hands and into your chest.
Sighing breathing
Breathe in as much as you can through your nose, take two more breaths, and then breathe out as much as you can through your mouth, slowly and evenly.
4. The right color
If you have difficulty tearing yourself away from your computer, colored glasses can be a good way to increase your concentration. It is believed that the different colors in the spectrum of sunlight have a unique effect on our mental state and our body. Each color is associated with different emotions and moods. For example, green is often associated with nature and serenity, which can have a calming effect and help reduce stress. Yellow, on the other hand, is perceived as an energizing color that promotes concentration and has an uplifting effect on many people.
5. Digital Detox
It is important to consciously plan technology-free times into your daily routine in order to undergo digital detox. Avoid constantly checking your emails or social networks and turn off your phone when you don't need it. If you free yourself from constant digital distraction, you will avoid concentration problems and be able to work more productively.
6. Using sound to increase focus
Another method to improve focus is to expose the ears to different sounds at a specific frequency to activate the 'gamma rhythm'. This rhythm increases attention, promotes creativity and improves cognitive processing ability.
You need bone conduction headphones for this. These do not transmit the sound through the ear, but rather through vibrations directly to the skull bones and the inner ear. Practical in the office: Since the headphones do not sit on the ears, you can still hear the noises in the environment, such as the telephone ringing.
9 Neuroathletic exercises for lack of concentration, focus and stress
Breathing relaxation
Place one hand on your belly button and the other hand on your breastbone. As you breathe in, push your hands, and thus your skin and tissue, upwards. As you breathe out, push both hands evenly downwards again. Repeat the exercise once more.
Breathing with Superband
Tie the Super Band around your rib cage. Breathe in and out evenly through your nose against the resistance of the band for at least two minutes. If breathing is comfortable, you can do this exercise for up to thirty minutes.
Breathing with the breathing belt
Fasten the breathing belt around your stomach just below the ribs with light resistance. Breathe in and out against the resistance of the breathing belt for at least two to five minutes, completely relaxed.
Eye focus
Look at a letter on the Vision Stick with both eyes. Fixate on the letter and keep your eyes on the stick. Adjust the distance so that you can see the letter clearly. When your eyes get tired, stop the exercise.
Eye spirals
Focus on a letter on the Vision Stick with both eyes and follow the spiral movement of your hand with both eyes. Choose a steady speed that is comfortable for you and keep your eyes on the letter the entire time.
Lunges with arrow board
Stand in front of the board . Follow the direction of the arrows with your lunges: Arrow pointing up means step forward. Arrow pointing down means step backward. Arrow pointing right means step right. Arrow pointing left means step left.
Gaze stabilization with VOR board
Stand in front of the VOR board . With your head still, jump with both eyes in the following directions on the VOR board: up right, top middle, top left, right, stay in the middle, left, down right, down middle, down left.
Neck mobilization - head movement with the VOR board
To mobilize your neck, make a pure head movement with your gaze fixed on the middle of the VOR board . Make the following head movements: Up to the right, up to the middle, up to the left, right, short stop in the middle, left, down to the right, down to the middle, down to the left.
Shoulder mobilization with arrow board
Stand in front of the board with your arms stretched out in front of you. Move your arms in the direction of the arrow: arrow up, both arms up. Arrow down, both arms down. Arrow right, right arm right and arrow left, left arm left.
Conclusion
The challenges of the digital world can significantly impair our ability to concentrate. But with the right strategies and exercises, you can counteract this. Neuroathletics offers you an innovative and effective way to increase both your physical and mental performance.
Integrating simple breaks, active movement exercises and conscious breathing techniques can work wonders. Use the power of colors and targeted digital detox to regain your mental clarity. Appropriate neuroathletic exercises can help you restore the balance between brain and body.
Take the step and discover the potential that lies within you – you will be surprised how easy it can be to optimize your concentration and productivity.
