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You may have heard about strategic thinking in the business world but how about a brief explanation of how it relates to day to day? Journalists talk about the importance of business, non-profits and government agencies using strategic thinking. But what is this particular form of thinking and how can it be useful to you in your personal life? In other words, why should you care?

Strategic thinking involves planning how to achieve a goal or goals. At the same time, taking into account the actions needed, the resources available, and the obstacles that may come up. It involves a lot of planning and forethought to help make attaining the goals more likely.

It should be obvious why strategic thinking is beneficial to businesses and other large organisations. Complex goals are difficult to achieve even without thorough planning. Strategic thinking is vital for a business and its management if there is any hope of reaching the goals in question.

The same is also true for your personal life. A personal goal might not be as complex as that of a multinational corporation or a university. It does not mean though, that it is not difficult to achieve. It might be much harder, in fact, given that most people do not have significant time and resources, never mind those available to even a small company!

Most people go after their goals haphazardly. They decide what they want to do and pick the first path that seems as if it will take them there. They don’t create a plan or decide how best to use their resources, much less what to do when a roadblock occurs.

The result is that most goals are abandoned long before the person gets anywhere near achieving them. Do you sometimes get frustrated when something is not working? Perhaps give up or shift your focus to something else? This happens so often for many of us, that we almost come to expect it.

Strategic thinking, when applied to personal goals, increases the odds of reaching those goals manyfold. It is first and foremost about planning and being deliberate in what you do. Not just selecting the first option that presents itself. If this sounds a bit too complicated right now, then don’t worry. Maybe you feel that brain fog would make this task too difficult. If so, then take a step back and check our article series on concentration and focus.

If on the other hand, this brief explanation of strategic thinking has got you thinking, then follow our article series this month. Apply strategic thinking to your goals and you will be better able to seek out the best option, use your resources efficiently, and plan to encounter roadblocks (and how to deal with them) before they appear.

Lifestyle factors can contribute significantly to difficulties with focus and a healthier lifestyle can lead to improved concentration. This is so even when there are other factors at play. It is a good idea to try changing your lifestyle to see if there is any improvement before assuming there is something physically wrong with you.

The biggest lifestyle factor affecting concentration is sleep, which is so important that it has already received its own article in this series. The second and third lifestyle factors that most affect concentration and focus are diet and lack of exercise.

What we eat plays a major role in how we feel from moment to moment, day to day, and week to week. A poor diet can result in major health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

Eating too much greasy, fried, or fatty food leads to digestion problems, which is a surefire way to wreck your concentration. Likewise, eating too many simple carbohydrates (which means sugar plus white bread, rice, pasta, and the like) messes up your insulin levels which impacts both your mood and concentration.

Try eating healthier for a week or two. You do not need to cut out everything you like, just reduce the worst offenders. See how your ability to focus changes. You may get a pleasant surprise.

Lack of exercise is the other lifestyle factor that can reduce your ability to concentrate. Our bodies are designed to move, and when we do not move enough, the result is physical and mental problems. Researchers have found a direct link between exercise and the ability to pay attention!

If you have not been exercising, it is a good idea to start slow and start now. You do not need to join a gym or start doing intensive aerobics every day. You need to aim for 150 minutes of exercise every week. That works out to just 21 minutes a day! If you have not been exercising much, consult your doctor before beginning to make sure that it is okay for you to do so. Then build up slowly to these recommended goals if you’re starting from couch potato level.

You can get this exercise in any form you like. It does not need to be running on a treadmill, cycling, or taking a class. In fact, you can get ample exercise in every day simply by taking a walk. Try taking a 20-minute walk each day for a week. You will probably be surprised at how much your ability to concentrate improves. I take my dog out for 30min each morning and then if my day gets too busy I know that at least I’ve done the minimum to help both my health and my concentration.

So if your focus has been slipping, try making a few changes towards a healthier lifestyle for improved concentration.

Of all the lifestyle habits that can impact your ability to concentrate, the one with the greatest impact is to get enough sleep. Sleep is not only the foundation of health but the bedrock of everything else in our lives. Not getting enough “z’s” affects everything about you, both the following day and for several days thereafter.

You can even develop something called a “sleep deficit,” which is the amount of rest you are chronically missing. You will experience the symptoms of this sleep debt until you get enough shuteye to recover. That can take weeks or months. Some people have sleep deficits that go back years!

How does lack of sleep affect your attention span and ability to focus? To begin with, your brain literally slows down when you do not get enough sleep. Your thought processes and working memory are both impaired. This wipes out your ability to reason, use logic, and to commit things to long-term memory.

You are less alert when you are tired. Your reflexes are slower. The insulin and cortisol levels in your body will be off, which makes you hungry and grumpy. Your body is trying to get you to focus on it and the fact that it needs rest. All of these things make it harder for you to concentrate and focus on daily tasks, much less anything more complicated.

One of the best things you can do to improve your concentration is to make certain you are getting enough slumber. Most people need 7-9 hours per night for optimum functioning.

Start making sleep a priority. Adjust your schedule to help you get enough shuteye. Give yourself a bedtime every night and stick to it. Do not bring your phone to bed and turn off the TV at least an hour before you go to sleep to help your brain wind down.

Avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon and evening will help you sleep better. Develop a bedtime routine you follow every night to help your brain learn that it is time to calm down for bedtime.

Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleeping well. Keep it at a reasonable temperature – not hot but not so cool that you have trouble falling asleep. Block any bright lights, and turn off any loud noises that can keep you awake.

Of course I have acupuncture point prescriptions that can help you break out of a negative cycle and get to sleep more easily if you need a little support.

Another technique you can use to extend your attention span is to give your concentration a workout. This is similar to brain training, but you are using an actual task and attempting to focus on it.

Here are some of the most common tasks used for this technique.

Focused Reading

Find a book that you would like to read and sit down to read it for 30 minutes. Whenever you find your attention wandering, gently guide it back to the book and start again. Set a timer to go off every five to ten minutes and check in to see how your concentration is faring.

Focused Eating

Pick something to eat. It can be a snack, a dessert, or an entire meal. Sit down and eat it slowly, paying attention to each bite. Taste the food, savour it in your mouth, and notice how it makes you feel. Do this until you are finished. This is a great one to try if you’re trying to lose weight as it helps you notice properly, what you’re eating.

Focused Counting/Alphabet Work

If you like math, this may be a good concentration workout for you. You can choose many options for this workout. Count down from 100 to 0. Count up to 100 but do it by 2s, 3s, 4s, or 5s. Recite part of the multiplication or division tables you learned in school. Any set of numbers that makes you concentrate will work.

If you do not like maths, you can do the same thing with the alphabet. Try doing it forwards or backward and skipping letters. You can also try coming up with a word for each letter of the alphabet. This is especially challenging if you do it backward!

Memorisation and Recitation

Memorisation requires focus, as does reciting things that you have previously memorised. Pick something that resonates with you – a poem or perhaps a limerick – and memorise it. Later, try to recite it word for word. It will take you several tries to get this workout down, and you can do it as often as you like. You will never run out of material!

Visualization

Find something interesting to look at it. Focus on it for a few minutes and try to imprint it in your mind. Then close your eyes (or turn around) and try to recreate it in your mind’s eye. When you are finished, compare your internal image with the real one. Repeat as necessary or desired with any object. Art galleries and museums are fun places to try this workout. A waiting room is less fun but helps pass the time.

Select whichever technique appeals to you most and give your concentration a workout.

If you have trouble focusing on one task for a long period, then practice short bursts of activity. Since concentration is a skill, you need to practice it to improve and be able to focus for long stretches.

One of the best ways to get to the point where you can concentrate for a long time is to practice using shorter periods. Gradually expand the time you spend concentrating until you reach the desired length. These short bursts of activity work the same way for concentration as exercise does for the body.

Would you expect someone to run a marathon their first time on a track? You shouldn’t. So why is it that we expect someone to concentrate on something for several hours when they have not mastered doing it for fifteen or twenty minutes?

If you want to try this technique, first pick a timespan that feels comfortable for you. Try one that you think you can easily meet. Most people who use this technique feel comfortable with fifteen minutes. If that is too much for you, cut it back to ten minutes or even five if you have serious attention problems.

If fifteen minutes is not a challenge, try twenty minutes and then twenty-five minutes. I don’t recommend going over half an hour when starting this technique.

Once you have selected a length of time, pick a task to work on. Set a timer and begin working. Work until the timer goes off, doing your best to concentrate solely on the task at hand. If you cannot do it, it is a good sign that you need to reduce the time for a while. You may also just be having a bad day or you may need to create a more supportive environment.

When the timer goes off, stop working and take a short break. When you set down to work again, start the timer again. As you get comfortable with the process, slowly increase the time in five-minute increments until you get close to an hour.

Experts suggest that you do not focus on one activity for more than an hour without taking a break unless you are on a deadline or in the flow state. It increases fatigue and reduces overall stamina. Once you have reached the hour point, you can take a ten-minute break to reset your mind and body before starting again.

Brain training, or cognitive training, is a way of training your brain to make it better at concentration and focus. It can improve both short- and long-term memory and processing speed. It has been used for years to help seniors avoid cognitive decline, but recent research has shown that it helps younger people improve their abilities as well.

What is cognitive training? It is doing things that require your brain to work hard for short periods of time – usually about 15 minutes at a time – multiple days a week. A typical brain training regimen is 15 minutes per day 5 days per week. You can increase the number of times per day you do brain training or increase the length of sessions as needed.

You can choose from many forms of brain training. These are the most common.

Puzzles

All kinds of puzzles are great for brain training. This includes jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, word searches, crossword puzzles, math puzzles, and more. Both digital and physical versions of puzzles help, though there is some research to suggest that physical objects help more than their digital versions.

Special Video Games/Software

There are specially designed games and software now that are meant to be used for brain training. Some of them you can purchase outright, while others require a subscription. They vary in quality and price. Some of them are intuitive and will make your games harder or easier depending on your abilities.

Strategy Games

Any game that involves strategy and planning, such as Chess, Risk, or War, is a good game for training your brain. Digital games help but again, there is some evidence that physically playing the game is better. If you need someone to play with, look for gaming groups in your local community.

Memory Games

Memory games are not just for kids! Examples include matching games, visual memorisation games, and more. You can play them digitally or buy physical versions.

Brain Training Activity Books

Just a few years ago almost no one had heard of brain training, but now it is so popular that there are dozens of brain training activity books on the market, and more are coming out all the time. These are designed to be purchased in physical editions and used with a pen or pencil. You can pick from all-around brain training, memory, focus, etc., or switch back and forth.

Pick the form of brain training that appeals to you most and improve your concentration and focus.

The first step in helping you improve your ability to concentrate is to create a supportive environment. There are three main ways your work environment may impact your ability to focus.

A Scattered or Unsuitable Workspace

What is your workspace like? Is it conducive to concentrating? Do you get enough light? Low light makes it hard to concentrate. Too much light does the same -if your desk is in front of a sunny window, the sun may make it hard to focus.

Do you have a dedicated workspace at all? If you are working at multiple desks, or at a dining room table, or on your bed, or wherever you can find room for your work materials, you may have a problem. Try setting up a dedicated space to work with a clear area, enough light, and a good chair.

Too Many Distractions

Another common issue is having too many distractions while you work. These can range from having noisy coworkers to getting texts and notifications on your phone all the time. If noise is an issue, try getting a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Turn off your phone or at least the notifications. Close out of social media on your computer. If you get distracted every time you get an email, close your email server and only check it at certain times of the day.

What about your desk itself? Do you have a lot of clutter? What about distracting objects? Clear off your desk and put any excess objects away and see how it impacts your ability to focus.

Lack of (Good) Distractions

Does this seem like the opposite of help? For many people, it is just what they need. Some people have “busy” minds, and in order to focus their attention on one task, they need something -usually noise -to occupy the other layers of their minds.

These are the people who get their best work done in noisy coffee shops or while music or a tv is blaring. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. To find out if this is your problem, try it. Put out some headphones if it will disturb others, turn on your favourite music or a show, and see what happens.

You might find that it helps your concentration tremendously. Or it could completely wreck whatever focus you have in which case you know it is not for you. You also might find it helps sometimes but not others.

So are any of the suggestions above, ones that you can use to create a supportive environment for yourself? Pick one at a time to try out and see what works for you. Give it at least a week. If it helps improve your concentration and focus then keep it going, if not, then discard it and choose another.

Difficulty focusing can come from a variety of sources but there are also some common causes of poor concentration. The most common reason someone has trouble paying attention, according to doctors and psychologists, is multitasking.

Does that sound implausible? Consider this: the number of people reporting trouble focusing has gone up consistently along with the rise in multitasking in our society. Almost everyone multitasks these days and almost everyone has trouble concentrating. Research has proven that this is a case of causation rather than correlation.

Why does this happen? When we try to multitask, we inevitably split our attention between multiple tasks at once. This means that we are not paying full attention to any one thing. This makes it difficult to narrow your focus to just one thing when something requires your full attention. The more you multitask and the longer you do it, the worse it gets.

The answer to this problem is simple: stop multitasking. Pay attention to one task at a time. Get it done and then move on to the next one on the list. It is going to require some practice, but you will get better at it with time, and the quality of your work will go up as well!

Underlying medical conditions are another major cause of attention problems. This does not just mean ADHD, either. That is a separate concern that of course should be addressed. The conditions referred to here are things such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and hearing or vision loss. Studies of brain fog following Covid (even if it was mild for you in the acute stage), show that it can last for up to two years or more. It’s just one of the reasons why I still have multiple safety precautions in clinic. The way to correct these issues is to seek medical attention and safeguard against catching Covid again.

Information overload causes a lot of attention issues as well. We have more information than ever before coming at us these days and our brains can only handle so much, and then they literally shut down as a protection mechanism. How do you fix this? Reduce the amount of information you expose yourself to.

Lifestyle and environmental issues make up the majority of other cases. Those can be adjusted for as well. A few adjustments might be all you need to improve your ability to concentrate and focus. We’ll be looking at our environment in the next article and finding ways to address some of these common causes of poor concentration.

Remember, however, that concentration is a skill, and you may just need more practice to develop it. Even if you have other issues, practicing and implementing new techniques will help improve your concentration, along with taking action in other areas.

One topic that comes up in clinic a lot, is the concept of brain fog. Many of my clients (and friends and family) feel that they’re struggling to think clearly. My February blog articles are going to give some tips to help clear the fog away, by improving concentration and focus. Before getting into ways to improve our thinking power, it is first necessary to consider what it is that we are trying to improve. Concentration and focus – what are they? Are they one and the same, or two separate concepts?

Concentration is the ability to control your attention and direct it towards a single task without being distracted by other things. It is the ability to exclude every other thought, impulse, and outside distraction that is unrelated to the task at hand. Concentration is a noun.

Focus is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to the centre of your attention – the thing that you are attempting to concentrate upon. As a verb, it refers to paying particular attention to something. In other words, to concentrate on it.

They essentially both mean paying attention to something.

No one is born with the ability to pay close attention to something for hours. Let me repeat that: no one is born with a long attention span. Your attention span is something that develops over the years as you grow up and your mind develops. It can change over the years based on things going on in your life, your stress level, and so on.

Concentrating is a learned skill. It is something that everyone learns to a greater or lesser degree as they grow up. Some people have more natural affinity for it than others, just like some people have a greater natural affinity for writing or math or sports. However, as with any other skill, you can develop or grow it further.

Anyone can learn to concentrate better and for longer periods of time. Even if you have an issue with something such as attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD) that impairs your ability to focus, you can still practice the skill and use techniques to help improve what you do have.

Because concentration is a learned skill, that means you can get better at it through practice. You can also improve your skills by learning new techniques. I’ll share some ideas and techniques throughout the month.

Finally, because concentration is a skill, like any other it is affected by lifestyle issues. Not eating right, not getting enough sleep, and other issues can all affect your attention span. So, no matter who you are or what is causing your issues, you can improve your ability to concentrate and focus!

When I’m approaching a new task, it’s helpful to see how someone else tackles it, so here are some examples of Personal Vision Statements. Please remember though, that they’re just that – personal. No two are the same and many might not even be recognisable as examples of the same thing. Some will focus more on personal issues and others more on career or spiritual issues.

The one thing they all have in common is a deep focus on creating a life of purpose for the people who hold them. Most people don’t share their personal vision statements with anyone, or only with a few trusted people such as a spouse or advisor. Not many make them public.

With that said, here are some examples of personal vision statements that people have been willing to share, both those of famous people and those of ordinary people.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” -Maya Angelou

“To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” -Oprah Winfrey

“My purpose in life is to dedicate myself solely to God and the performance of good works in His image. I want to heal the broken, feed the hungry, and bring justice out of injustice. May my every decision reflect these goals.” -Catholic Priest (anonymous)

“To have fun in my journey through life and learn from my mistakes.” -Richard Branson

“My vision is to create a company that will balance my three core principles of people, planet, and profit and leave behind a lasting legacy.” -Startup founder (anonymous)

“I shall not fear anyone on Earth. I shall fear only God. I shall not bear ill will toward anyone. I shall not submit to injustice from anyone. I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.” -Mahatma Gandhi

“My vision is to have as much fun as I can in life and make as many people smile as possible.” -Stand-up Comedian (anonymous)

I hope that these examples help and inspire you in creating your own vision statement. Your personal vision statement might be shorter or longer than these and more or less detailed. It’s up to you. It’s your personal vision statement, after all!