9 Things People With Scary Levels Of Concentration Never Ever Do, According To Psychology
How to hone your focus to intense levels of concentration.
Radek Homola | Unsplash Concentration is a concept that describes where you put your attention and how effectively that attention is used. When you focus on several things or your concentration is poor, you spread your awareness more thinly, and your focus diminishes.
Deep focus and concentration are skills, and we need them to enjoy the rewards of putting sustained and channeled attention on the things that matter. Here are some ways we sabotage our attention.
Here are nine things people with scary levels of concentration never do, according to psychology:
1. Tolerate distraction
Stock 4you / Shutterstock
Many of us kid ourselves into allowing distractions into our environments because we have an emotional connection to those things: Email notifications, music, Slack messages, YouTube videos, texts, and talking to colleagues. They are all excuses, diluting your needed attention, no matter how much you rationalize allowing them in.
Research has found that higher levels of concentration make people less susceptible to distraction because of a reduced undesired processing of the background environment and a consistent locust of attention. Strategies like minimizing digital distractions and using time management techniques can be used to further enhance concentration.
2. Consume caffeine
Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock
I love caffeine; it boosts my mood, but this high comes with a cost. We may have more “energy,” but our focus takes a hit. Why?
Because caffeine puts us in a heightened state, making it harder to bring our attention to any one thing. We become twitchy and more easily distracted, thinking we’re more focused when we’re not. A calm, unstimulated mind is ideal for focus.
The effects of caffeine can vary significantly between person to person. Research argues that while caffeine intake might be beneficial for some, excessive caffeine can also disrupt our natural cortisol cycle which includes fatigue and decrease in focus.
3. Multi-task
insta_photos / Shutterstock
This one makes me chuckle because doing several things at once is the opposite of focus. Strong focus means you are doing one thing at a time, undistracted, totally present, and ideally in a flow state.
That’s focus. Not writing emails while balancing your baby and being on the phone. While some individuals might appear to multitask, the cognitive costs associated with it make it a less efficient and potentially harmful practice for overall productivity and well-being, even for those who can concentrate well.
Studies have found that the brain can't truly focus on multiple complex tasks simultaneously. What feels like multitasking is rapid switching between tasks, which is cognitively demanding.
4. Get in their head
insta_photos / Shutterstock
If, for whatever reason, you’re thinking about yourself, how you look, and what’s "wrong" with you, your performance will be minimal. Focus should reflect ease in your environment.
If you’re uncomfortable, you will be in your head — and this stinks for focus. Get comfortable and let go of self-pressure if you want to be focused.
5. Let resistance win
fizkes / Shutterstock
Author Steven Pressfield said, "The more important a call to action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel to do it." Resistance is inevitable, especially if the work is meaningful to you. So your focus relies not on your clever ability to never feel resistance but rather on being okay with this feeling and powering on regardless.
6. Be inconsistent
Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock
Focus must be thought of in general terms, not as a one-off act. We’ll always experience moments when we’re distracted — that’s human.
Habits make the difference. If you are not habitually doing the same thing over and over, you won’t reap the benefits of consistency, one major aspect of which is focus. Focused writers are consistent writers.
One study found that consistent behavior often stems from well-established routines and habits. When individuals learn to focus, they can more effectively build and stick to a consistent routine, transforming good intentions into a string of productive days.
7. Get inadequate sleep
New Africa / Shutterstock
Getting inadequate sleep is no longer trendy. You may enjoy bragging about how you can manage on less than six hours, but you will pay for the deficit in the long term. Sleep directly replenishes the mind and body, which is vital for superior focus.
Several studies support that sleep deprivation can lead to a significant decrease in cognitive performance, increased impulsivity, and difficulty in emotional regulation. Even people who are used to functioning with less sleep can eventually experience the negative effects of sleep deprivation.
8. Stay in a stressed state
Dragana Gordic / Shutterstock
The state of your body is underrated. If we’re stressed in the mind, we will be stressed in the body too. This is the least effective mode for focus. Forget your worries and understand the necessity for you to be physically relaxed.
If you sense tightness, focus on taking belly breaths for a couple of minutes or even having a goofy shake-out dance. Loosen up before expecting to concentrate well.
9. Leave projects half-finished
StockLite / Shutterstock
Having too many projects happening simultaneously is not particularly bad for focus. We all have tons of data coming in. It’s not that.
Individuals who can focus their attention effectively and minimize distractions are more likely to finish tasks and achieve their goals. A 2013 study explained that practicing mindfulness can improve attention control and reduce distractibility, while engaging in focused, uninterrupted work sessions can significantly boost productivity.
The issue is that you don’t prioritize finishing what you start. Leaving a trail of unfinished projects instills in you a lack of urgency and, subsequently, your lack of focus on any one thing becomes a self-fulfilling reality.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.
