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!