Have you found that your ability to concentrate is less than it used to be? Do you find yourself trying to think through things but find that you keep coming into contact with mental blocks? This can happen when stress, anxiety, and overwhelm enter the picture. While these things can be frustrating, they are typically nothing to worry about, especially if you are in a busy season of life. In fact, you may find that the following information can help you to gain focus. *However, if you find that you are losing blocks of time but cannot remember why, feel confused by things that believe you should easily be expected to know or know how to do, or find that the people closest to you are telling you that you don’t seem to be quite yourself, you may want to seek out the opinion of a physician.
Might It Be Anxiety?
If your lack of concentration and mental blocks are due to your focus being somewhere else rather than the tasks before you, such as on things that cause your worry or fear, you may be dealing with anxiety. When anxiety is the cause, feelings of irritability, frustration, and restlessness may accompany it. Should this be the cause of your mental distraction, the following tips may help:
· Confide in a trusted friend, mentor, family member, or therapist who can provide comforting support and problem-solving help.
· Write down your concerns on paper for safe keeping outside of your mind and set the paper to the side while you focus on the task that you are needing to work on.
· Take a walk, do some jumping jacks, or try another physical activity.
· Take time away from your tasks to practice sets of deep breathing where you breathe in slowly and deeply and release your breath slowly.
Helping Your Focus and Concentration During the Day
● Let your mind focus on only one task at a time.
● Find a comfortable place to do your work without external distractions.
● Take short breaks every so often to refresh before coming back to your tasks.
● Chunk your larger goals into smaller, more manageable segments.
● Save mundane tasks for times of day (such as mid-afternoon) where you may have lower energy.
● Prioritize the most important tasks first, or during the time of day when you have the most energy.
Helping Your Focus and Concentration With a Good Night
● Avoid blue light from phones and computers two hours prior to going to bed for the night for a more restful sleep.
● Stop caffeine intake at least six hours before you plan to hit the sack.
● Say comforting affirmations before bed such as, "Tomorrow's problems are for tomorrow," "Every day has enough trouble of its own," "You need and deserve your rest," and "Getting sleep is the most productive thing you can do right now."
● Develop a “wind-down” routine such as drinking hot tea, brushing your teeth, saying your prayers, and reading a book while listening to relaxing music.
● Go to sleep at the same time each night (and wake at the same time each morning).
If you are suffering from effects of anxiety, such as a lack of concentration, irritability, and restlessness, Omaha Trauma Therapy is here to help! EMDR and Brainspotting therapy techniques are our specialty. We want to provide you with a holistic approach to overcoming your trauma.