You have probably heard people talk about the importance of " being present. This notion of being present is also essential for recapturing your mental focus.

Staying engaged in the here and now keeps your attention sharp and your mental resources honed in on the details that really matter at a specific point in time. It may take some time but work on learning to truly live in the moment. You cannot change the past and the future has not happened yet, but what you do today can help you avoid repeating past mistakes and pave a path for a more successful future.

Mindfulness is a hot topic right now, and for good reason. Despite the fact that people have practiced forms of mindfulness meditation for thousands of years, its many health benefits are only recently starting to be understood. In one study, researchers had human resources professionals engage in simulations of the sort of complex multitasking they engaged in each day at work.

These tasks had to be completed in 20 minutes and included answering phones, scheduling meetings, and writing memos with sources of information pouring in from multiple sources including by phone calls, emails, and text messages.

Some of the participants received 8 weeks of training in the use of mindfulness meditation , and the results found that only those who had received this training showed improvement in concentration and focus. Members of the meditation group were able to stay on task longer, switched between tasks less frequently, and performed the work more efficiently than the other groups of participants.

Practicing mindfulness can involve learning how to meditate, but it can also be as simple as trying a quick and easy deep breathing exercise. Start by taking several deep breaths while really focusing on each and every breath.

When you feel your mind naturally begin to wander, gently and uncritically guide your focus back to your deep breathing. While this might seem like a deceptively simple task, you may find that it is actually much more difficult than it appears. Fortunately, this breathing activity is something you can do anywhere and anytime.

Eventually, you will probably find that it becomes easier to disengage from intrusive thoughts and return your focus to where it belongs.

Have you ever tried to stay mentally focused on the same thing for a long period of time? After a while, your focus starts to break down and it becomes more and more difficult to devote your mental resources to the task. Not only that, but your performance ultimately suffers as a result.

Traditional explanations in psychology have suggested that this is due to attentional resources being depleted, but some researchers believe that it has more to do with the brain's tendency to ignore sources of constant stimulation. Researchers have found that even taking very brief breaks by shifting your attention elsewhere can dramatically improve mental focus.

So the next time you are working on a prolonged task, such as preparing your taxes or studying for an exam, be sure to give yourself an occasional mental break. Shift your attention to something unrelated to the task at hand, even if it is only for a few moments. These short moments of respite might mean that you are able to keep your mental focus sharp and your performance high when you really need it.

Building your mental focus is not something that will happen overnight. Even professional athletes require plenty of time and practice in order to strengthen their concentration skills.

One of the first steps is to recognize the impact that being distracted is having on your life. If you are struggling to accomplish your goals and find yourself getting sidetracked by unimportant details, it is time to start placing a higher value on your time.

By building your mental focus, you will find that you are able to accomplish more and concentrate on the things in life that truly bring you success, joy, and satisfaction.

Mental focus refers to your ability to concentrate on relevant information in your environment. This ability allows you to attend to things that require attention, complete tasks that you need to accomplish, and acquire new information.

In order to focus, the brain needs to filter out irrelevant information to concentrate on what really matters. Different types of attention can affect your ability to focus. Selective attention , for example, acts like a spotlight to highlight specific stimuli in your environment.

Sustained attention, on the other hand, allows you to stay mentally focused on something for an extended period of time. Levy D, Wobbrock J, Kaszniak A, Ostergren M. The effects of mindfulness meditation training on multitasking in a high-stress information environment.

Proceedings - Graphics Interface. Brief and rare mental breaks keep you focused: Deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements. doi: By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book.

Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Having a good work-life balance means having time for both work and play.

If you spend too much time at the office, you could deplete your energy levels and trigger an onset of burnout. Similarly, if you only focus on relaxing and having fun, very few tasks would get done. Finding a healthy balance between work and life is the key to knowing how to improve mental clarity.

Self-care practices are an extremely important aspect of life. Finding the tools, activities, spaces, and people that make you feel safe and supported will allow you to control stress levels and stay productive. Taking some time out of your week to do something purely because it brings you pleasure is really good for your mental health.

Plus, it will keep your mindset flexible and strong. Regularly moving your body is a fundamentally important aspect of good health — both mentally and physically. You can keep your mind active by sweating out toxins and stimulating the circulatory system.

Even simple movements like walking, swimming, or virtual yoga can support you in achieving mental clarity. Nutrition and mental health are closely linked, which is why a healthy diet is so important for overall health.

There are plenty of foods for mental clarity out there that can give you all the nutrients you need for cultivating mental strength. Some of the best brain foods include fatty fish, berries, dark leafy greens, and pumpkin seeds.

Drinking plenty of water will also help your brain function at its peak. But asking for help is one of the most empowering things anyone can do for themselves. The stress of experiencing mental fogginess is not uncommon.

Don't be afraid to ask for help from friends, family, or a healthcare professional. They will help you to feel recognized and understood. If someone on your team or in your family seems to be struggling with mental clarity, there are ways to help create a more conducive environment.

Mental clarity is a vital element of productivity and fulfillment both in and outside the office. We need a clear mind to problem solve and stay on top of whatever challenges are thrown our way.

So, what is mental clarity going to result in when it comes to your personal and professional goals? A clouded mind means clouded judgment. Your judgment needs to be sound if you are to make smart choices in life. It is natural to feel overwhelmed when you are running low on energy and concentration.

You can overcome stress and anxiety more easily when your mindset is at its peak. Poor mental health is something we all battle with from time to time. But with a strong mind, managing stress levels becomes a whole lot easier.

An organized mind is able to approach tasks with more efficiency and can execute them in order of priority. When your mind is functioning like a well-oiled machine, it can enable you to extract more purpose and enjoyment out of life.

This includes quality time with loved ones and the pursuit of personal growth. Mental clarity sits at the epicenter of wellness , performance, and productivity.

No matter where you find yourself in life. And your mental clarity helps to create the conditions for clarity for the people around you, at work or in life. Taking care of your brain health is an integral part of leading a happy and fulfilling lifestyle.

Request a demo with BetterUp today. Together, we can help you learn to improve mental clarity and unlock the human potential around you. Just announced! Explore the agenda for Uplift April 10—11 in SF.

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BetterUp Lead Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement. While these are just a few examples, proper treatment or management of these underlying conditions may help relieve the cognitive symptoms of brain fog.

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Justin Laube, MD. Next up video playing in 10 seconds. Among other symptoms, brain fog may include the following, she says: Difficulty concentrating Trouble finding the right words A feeling of disorientation Some memory impairment This type of cognitive sluggishness can exist for a range of reasons, including stress, poor sleep, nutrition, and more.

Take a Break, Especially After Getting Sick If you zip from task to task throughout the day, you may not be giving your brain the break it needs to function well. Get Moving, Often The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, for adults, to keep not only the heart in good shape but the brain, too.

Additionally, there are a handful of lifestyle tweaks — from observations by experts — that may help alleviate brain fog and inspire mental clarity. If you zip from task to task throughout the day, you may not be giving your brain the break it needs to function well.

For example, the aftermath of having COVID may leave you with lingering brain fog , even when you feel physically better, due to possible inflammation associated with the virus, notes Harvard Health Publishing. Prioritizing your absolute-must tasks while scheduling downtime can help support mental stability while working with the fog, she says.

For example, use the alarms on your phone, schedule reminders through a voice assistant, set up auto pay for your bills, and organize your meetings into a calendar.

This may help take away some of the stress associated with brain fog. For that reason, she recommends a low-inflammatory diet, which roughly means limiting or avoiding highly processed foods and red and processed meats, and sticking to a plant-based or Mediterranean-style of eating that emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

Brain fog may be one symptom of certain autoimmune conditions, Wilhour adds. For example, according to the Arthritis Foundation , people with rheumatoid arthritis often report feeling forgetful and unable to concentrate, and separately, anywhere from 40 to 80 percent of people with fibromyalgia and lupus may experience brain fog, per Duke Health.

One study on people with rheumatoid arthritis, and other research on people with multiple sclerosis, showed that an anti-inflammatory diet may help alleviate some of the symptoms of the diseases, including improved cognitive function. In addition, research shows evidence that a low-inflammation diet may be protective for brain health as we age, Wilhour adds.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, for adults, to keep not only the heart in good shape but the brain, too. Research also shows that physical activity induces changes in the brain, such as an increase in gray matter and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a molecule that plays a role in creating neural connections related to learning and memory, per MedlinePlus.

Memory, executive control, and attention may all get a boost when you work up a sweat. Plus, exercise is a great antidote to stress for many people, and as additional research shows , it builds up your cognitive reserves to help your brain become more resilient as you age.

Activities that stimulate and support your cognitive health include reading books, tackling crossword puzzles, playing games or instruments, and keeping updated on current events, among others.

Like physical exercise, consistency is key. To maintain a regular practice, lean in to activities you find enjoyable. Turning on some tunes can be another brain-tickling strategy. Listening to music has been shown to stimulate the brain and help with stress reduction and mood disorders, per research.

Sleep helps keep you sharp. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation can lead to a range of brain fog-like symptoms such as issues with short-term memory, attention, processing speed, and alertness, research shows.

Addressing sleep problems by improving your sleep hygiene like ditching devices before bed or creating a wind-down routine may help you beat fatigue so you can think more clearly the next day. Sleep apnea , when you experience pauses in breathing during sleep, is another concern and can create disruptions that affect sleep quality, per the CDC.

A hallmark sign of sleep apnea is appearing to get enough sleep but still feeling excessively sleepy during the day. According to Wilhour, health concerns that can contribute to brain fog include chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia , depression, diabetes, mild cognitive impairment and dementia , and autoimmune conditions, among others.

Lagging focus, lacking understanding, trouble finding words, and poor concentration are all symptoms of brain fog in multiple sclerosis, and a brain-fog feeling can sometimes be the first symptom of the disease, per to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Taking very small breaks by refocusing your attention elsewhere can dramatically improve mental concentration after that. The next time you are working on a project, take a break when you begin to feel stuck.

Move around, talk to someone, or even switch to a different type of task. You will come back with a more focused mind to keep your performance high.

Connect with nature. Research has found that even having plants in office spaces can help increase concentration and productivity, as well as workplace satisfaction and better air quality.

Finding time to take a walk in the park or appreciating the plants or flowers in your garden can boost your concentration and help you feel refreshed. Train your brain. Scientific research is starting to amass evidence on the ability of brain training activities to enhance cognitive abilities, including concentration, in adults.

Such brain training games for concentration can also help you develop your working and short-term memory, as well as your processing and problem-solving skills. Examples of such games include jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, chess, and brain-stimulating video games.

Start your day with simple exercise and get your body moving. According to the May issue of the Harvard Men's Health Watch, regular exercise releases chemicals key for memory, concentration, and mental sharpness. Other research found that exercise can boost the brain's dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels and all these will affect focus and attention.

Individuals who do some form of exercise or sports perform better on cognitive tasks when compared with those who have poor physical health. Physical movement helps relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body.

Since the body and mind are so closely linked, when your body feels better so, too, will your mind. Listen to music. Music has been shown to have therapeutic effects on our brains. Light music may help you to concentrate better, but some music may distract you.

Experts generally agree that classical music and nature sounds, such as water flowing, are good choices for concentration while music with lyrics and human voices may be distracting.

Multiple apps and services offer background music and soundscapes designed for different types of focus and work needs. Eat well. Choose foods that moderate blood sugar, maintain energy, and fuel the brain. Fruits, vegetables, and high-fiber foods can keep your blood sugar levels even.

Reduce sugary foods and drinks that cause spikes and dips in your sugar levels make you feel dizzy or drowsy. Your brain needs lots of good fat to function properly. Nuts, berries, avocados, and coconut oil are all great ways to get healthy fats into your diet and help your brain run more smoothly.

Research has found that foods like blueberries can boost concentration and memory for up to 5 hours after consumption due to an enzyme that stimulates the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain, helping with memory as well as our ability to focus and learn new information.

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach contain potassium which accelerates the connections between neurons and can make our brain more responsive.

Set a daily priority. Write down what you want to accomplish each day , ideally the night before, and identify a single priority that you commit to accomplishing.

This will help focus your brain on what matters, tackling the big jobs first and leaving the small stuff till later. Break large tasks into smaller bytes so that you will not be overwhelmed. Identifying true priorities can help relieve distracting anxiety, and achieving small daily goals can wire your brain to achieve success.

Create space for work. Create a calm dedicated space for work , if possible. Not everyone can have a well-appointed office, but desk organizers, noise-canceling headphones, an adjustable monitor, and adjustable lighting can help.

Clear clutter out of sight, make it as ergonomic and comfortable as possible, and try to keep your space neat and ventilated. Use a timer. Train your brain to hyper-focus on a task by using a timer or phone alarm. First, decide what task you want to complete. Set your timer for 20 minutes generally not more than 30 minutes and concentrate on the task.

When the alarm rings take a short break for 5 minutes. You can either take a walk and do some stretching exercise, then reset the timer and start again. This technique has shown to be effective to improve your concentration. Switch tasks. While we may want to concentrate on a particular task, sometimes we get stuck and our brain needs something fresh to focus on.

Try switching to other tasks or something you love to do. Switching tasks can help you stay alert and productive for a longer period.

Learning how to improve focus and concentration is not something you can achieve overnight. Professional athletes like golfers, sprinters, gymnasts take plenty of time to practice and usually have a coach so that they can concentrate and get the right move at the right moment to achieve excellence.

The first step to strengthen your concentration is to recognize how it is affecting your life. If you are struggling to meet commitments, constantly sidetracked by the unimportant, or not moving toward your aspirations, it is time to get help with concentration so that you can focus on what matters most to you.

Learning how to concentrate at work is essential for succeeding in your career and life. By improving your concentration, you will find that you can accomplish more of what you value and feel better doing it.

Just announced! Explore the agenda for Uplift April 10—11 in SF. EN - US English US Deutsch English GB Français. Integrations Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems. Powered by AI We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Products BetterUp Lead Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement. Solutions Sales Performance Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders. Executive Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching. Government Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

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BetterUp Briefing BetterUp Briefing The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today. Research BetterUp Labs Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

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EN - US EN - US English US Deutsch English GB Français. BetterUp Lead Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Sales Performance Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders. Case Studies See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

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Jump to section What is concentration? Factors affecting concentration Conditions related to concentration 15 Ways to improve your concentration. Here are common factors that impact, and 15 ways to improve, focus and concentration. These can include: Your bedtime routine and sleep hygiene Not getting enough sleep Not eating nutritious meals or sufficient calories throughout the day Having your phone and other electronics within your view Dependents or coworkers needing your attention Your day is structured out of sync with your ultradian rhythm You are overly stressed or burnt out You do not get enough physical activity throughout the day These are just a few examples of reasons you may not be able to concentrate.

Distraction We are bombarded by a constant flow of information, whether new or old, during the process of doing something. Insufficient sleep Scientists have found that lack of sleep can lead to lower alertness , slower thought processes, and reduced concentration.

Insufficient physical activity Have you ever noticed how vigorous exercise leaves you feeling more relaxed and energetic throughout the day? Poor eating habits What we eat contributes to how we feel , including our mental sharpness and clarity, throughout the day. Environmental factors Depending on what you are doing, the environment can affect your focus.

All of these elements can affect your concentration. Happily, they are also all addressable. Possible broader conditions include: Cognitive. Your concentration may decrease if you find yourself forgetting things easily. Your memory sometimes fails you, you misplace articles, and have difficulty remembering things that occurred a short time ago.

Another way your concentration may be cognitively impaired is if you find that your mind is overactive, constantly thinking of multiple things due to concerns or important events.

When thoughts and issues intrude into your mind, demanding attention, it prevents effective concentration.