6 Things to Try if Focusing is Difficult

We can benefit from learning how to focus better. But, unfortunately, for many, it seems impossible.

But do not fear if focusing is not your strength right now. There are many tips and tricks you can try to boost your ability to focus and finish your outstanding tasks for the day. Often, it comes down to minor changes during the day, such as the types of distractions you are allowing yourself to have or the inability to prioritize.

There have been a lot of studies on optimizing your focus. However, how to focus comes down to personal decisions that make sense for your lifestyle and the tips you can enact. So it is essential to approach enhancing your focus with an open mind and being a bit experimental with the techniques you try.

If you can find a way to hone in on your ability to focus and drown out all those unnecessary distractions—both mentally and physically—you will likely shock yourself with how much more productive and accomplished you are during the day.

This is why we have rounded out all the various strategies that you should try when it comes to focusing. From products to lifestyle changes, you can play around with these different scientific approaches that are proven to help increase focus for those who currently find it difficult.

1. Use Essential Oils

We are incredibly receptive to essential oils, both physically and mentally. There are many ways to expose yourself to essential oils that help provide clarity and focus. One of the best ways to do this is with a patch, which you can wear during the day to sharpen your mind. There is a whole range of essential oil patches that have been curated for people who want to improve their focus, with scents like lemon and cedarwood being the most popular.

2. Eliminate Multitasking

Another essential thing to do when making it easier to focus is to stop trying to multi-task. Rather than take on a million different things at once and feel overwhelmed by how much you have to do, simplify your mindset and focus on just one thing at a time. That way, you will not have to stress about the million things on your mind, but instead, put all your energy into one task at a time. As a result, it will be easier to focus on and less scary to tackle.

3. Try Meditation

While this may sound a bit silly to some, there are many scientific benefits to meditation—with enhanced focus being one of them. There is a reason that so many elite athletes find time to meditate right before the big performance. The same can go for you too. Try a free meditation app and give yourself ten minutes to calm the mind. After a quick meditation session, you will likely be super surprised by how much clarity you feel. Best of all, you can meditate anywhere—your bedroom, your office, your car.

4. Get Your Heart Pumping

Another great way to enhance your ability to focus is to get your heart pumping with an intense workout. Studies have found that you can give your body more energy and your brain more focus by going for a spirited run, swim, hike, bike, or any other physical activity that requires your heart to work hard. These studies have also found that many people perform their best work right after a hard workout. So many you will find the same applies to you too!

5. Organize a To-Do List

If you find it difficult to focus when you have multiple things to accomplish for the day, try writing yourself a to-do list. This will help you prioritize the most critical tasks for the day and just work down them one by one. There is also something psychological about the physical act of crossing something off your list. So once you cross one thing off, you will likely be motivated to travel the next item off—and thus maintain your focus and motivation for longer.

6. Give Yourself a Break

Another super important tactic is to give yourself breaks and only focus for small amounts of time. For example, rather than maintaining your focus for four hours straight, try focusing intensely for twenty minutes and giving yourself a ten-minute break. Repeat this for the next couple of hours.