Focus: the concentration of attention or energy on something.
Concentration: complete attention; intense mental effort; attention to selective aspects of the environment while ignoring all other things.
The definition for focus and concentration are only slightly different and for the purposes of this article we will consider them one and the same. The question we are attempting to answer is what the role of focus and concentration has on the achievement of any success in life.
No matter what the role that focus and concentration play in success they are very essential skills but also very difficult. There are a number of things that will interrupt focus that can come from either an external environment, such as noise or a distracting work situation, or it can come from internal distractions, such as negative thoughts, fear of failure, lack of self-confidence or over thinking a strategy.
Many self-improvement or self-help coaches have utilized focus with their students in order to increase their incomes, reduce their working hours and get control of their time. The use of focus and concentration will also dramatically improve relationships with family, friends and others. It is a strategy in which the student asks themselves “What should I be doing right now to generate the most success in my situation?”
Using focus and concentration develops a single-minded strategy that, once adopted, will produce great progress toward achieving one’s goals. Once an individual is able to set clear priorities, believe in themselves and communicate their goals with clarity and effectiveness, they are also able to focus and concentrate on the task at hand.
Unfortunately, finding focus and concentration is not nearly as simplistic as what’s been written here. Many people are confronted with change in their environment, during which their concentration levels drop and their ability to focus wanes. The resulting frustration can be an obstacle and a challenge but it is certainly not insurmountable.
These changes in the environment can be both those external and internal challenges which we listed before. Or, they can be as simple as a coworker interrupting your train of thought when she asks you to lunch.
When you are attempting to exert focus and concentration on a particular project there are a few simple rules that will help to eliminate your distractions and increase your risk of success. The first thing to do is to temporarily remove all excess baggage from your mind. This means that you should eliminate internal distractions and compartmentalize your work time so that you are focusing only on one problem.
Another physical way of doing this is to clear your desk or clear your work area which in turn helps to clear your mind. Having an understanding of what you need to do in a space that’s cleared and ready to work can save you time and spare you frustration.
Choose a suitable environment in which to work. Some people enjoy working with music while others want complete silence and a bright white light. Your environment will play a big part in helping you to stay disconnected from others that can act as a distraction.
Remember to take breaks during the day. You would never expect anyone to produce unwavering focus on a specific task for hours at a time so do not hold yourself to that same expectation. Understand that the average attention span is approximately 20 minutes. Allow yourself breaks every 20 to 30 minutes so that you might relax and gain the ability to refocus and re-concentrate on the project at hand.
Find a way to treat yourself when the task is completed. You might get a drink, a snack or allow yourself the time to engage in a distraction (such as e-mail).
These specific rules are incredibly helpful when dealing with tasks which require focus and concentration but they can also be expanded to help you focus on a specific larger goal that requires a greater amount of time to achieve. For instance, by breaking your goal down into achievable tasks you can focus on a smaller part of the puzzle instead of becoming overwhelmed by the entire thing-decreasing your distraction and increasing your ability to achieve success.
The act of focus and concentration are incredibly important to the successful achievement of any goal, for any person, at any time. Without the ability to focus, complete a task and integrate that task into an overall goal, there is not one person who could achieve any measure of success in relationships, business or school.
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