Concentration - a hard skill to master!
Most of us need a little help to concentrate, I am using this post to combine some ideas and tips together. You will find ideas to help concentration some are behaviourally based ideas and others technologically based.
Behavioural Ideas
After reading some articles (see the list below) these are the key things we could look at to aid concentration (this is not an exhaustive list, just some ideas to get you on your way):Shut out distractions - Sort out your space. In terms of technology you could turn off your phone, stop the email notifications, close down your chat. Some people also use music (instrumental is best!) or sound like white noise to cut out possible distractions.Look after your body - Make sure you have eaten breakfast (food for the mind) and that you have plenty of water (carries the fuel to the brain).Clearing the space in your mind - Give your self a specific time to think about cares and worries and then set them aside. You could create a distraction - to - do - list. Write down points, ideas, thoughts that pop into your head. You can use your breaks to find the answers to your questions or look at the Youtube clip that you were fixating on.Prioritise - Multitasking is a myth. Machines can not do it and neither can we. Computers have algorithms to prioritise which task is most important. You should too. Take 10-15mins to decide which task is most important and how long you will spend on it. Remember your brain will get tired so do the harder tasks first, then alternate between easy and hard tasks.Don't give up - There is some research that suggests doing an extra 5mins - when you are ready to give up - builds brain "stamina". Give it a try!Stretch - Factor in some time to have a break and move around. This will make each session more focused.Sources of information:
https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/your-concentration-training-program-11-exercises-that-will-strengthen-your-attention/
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_78.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/jul/24/secret-to-improving-concentration
You could also have a go at these concentration techniques
Technological Ideas
Now for technology that can help you. I personally use Google Keep and StayFocusd, however, we all different so choose whatever works for you! Here is some more information on these tools.
StayFocused- This is an addon and allows you to block sites
Forest- For the phone and computer allows you to manage your time
Timers - Using a time limit helps you to work within parameters. This is known as the Pomodoro technique
MyStudyLife- For organising you time and projects you have
Google Keep- Creating lists and storing web links etc
Evernote - This is a great add on and can be used to collate data as well as organise your time. However, you will need to experiement with it first
Pocket - Great addon that allows you to store and retrieve websites
RescueTime - lets you know where you are spending your time. Gives you a base idea to understand where you are at the moment
Here's a couple of videos to support your journey!If you have a method that works for you SHARE! This might help someone else. Leave me a comment and I can ass it to this guide. [googleapps domain="drive" dir="file/d/1s3rt38znEy5ixmQEOpuwTGMRDq39QlnG/preview" query="" width="540" height="380" /] [googleapps domain="drive" dir="file/d/1zi7TH4NYXciELxFj0xDsbbr0LJzPA-3O/preview" query="" width="540" height="380" /]