Good focus, being able to concentrate on a task for long periods of time, and therefore being able to do what you want is a talent that everyone can develop, but not everyone has at the same time. There are all kinds of reasons why a person's ability to concentrate is not as good as normal, and sometimes it can last for long periods of time.
To help you improve your ability to concentrate, I discuss what it really is and how hypnosis can help you with it.
What is concentration
Concentration ability means being able to focus on a task and also learn from performing that task. If you have good concentration while doing homework, for example, you will pick up more from this than if you do this while also doing other things, even if only in your mind.
Therefore, good concentration actually refers to the duration of focus you have for performing a particular task.
Your ability to concentrate is not always fixed. One person starts out very focused, but at the end of a task he loses his ability to concentrate while another person has the greatest concentration just during the completion of a task.
Then there are those who have a totally different concentration arc in which they have low concentration at the beginning and end, but have high concentration right in the middle of the task.
So don't be alarmed if your concentration is delayed or there earlier and it's hard to hold on. That's exactly what we're going to do something about today.
Test your ability to concentrate
Not sure whether or not you have a problem with your concentration? Then you can use the following statements to determine whether or not they are true for you.
- When I'm busy with work I often wander off in thought.
- Sometimes I have to think about what I was going to do again.
- I often have to repeat things because I lost the thread (re-read paragraph).
- If someone close to me is having a conversation while I am working I lose concentration.
- When I'm bored I can't help but think of something else.
If these statements seem familiar to you, you may have to put in a little more effort than your average peers to focus on a task. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your ability to concentrate.
Improving concentration with hypnosis
There are two mental states that have a definite impact on your ability to concentrate, calmness and enthusiasm. If you want to have good focus you should not be too calm, because then you might not do anything at all, but also not too enthusiastic. If you are very enthusiastic you often get easily distracted by small events.
Using hypnosis gives you more control over your emotions and the mental state you are in.
In the process, hypnosis is also widely used against pain and anxiety. These are two stimuli that are destructive to your ability to concentrate. After treatment with hypnotherapy, concentration levels often improve as well.
One way hypnosis improves your ability to concentrate is by helping you stay calm. For example, this is done first with breathing exercises. An emotion that does not help you with your concentration, such as anger or anxiety, is reduced by this alone.
Visualize Concentration
A hypnotic visualization of the task at hand before performing the task also helps improve your ability to concentrate. For example, if you need to write a report, visualize how you are working on it and what you are doing to maintain your concentration, such as making a cup of tea, pleasant music and nice clothes that are comfortable so you don't get distracted.
In addition to the things you do, visualize your workspace, the smells and how you feel while you are doing the task that requires concentration. Preferably an upbeat feeling, but not too enthusiastic.
You can also recall moments when your concentration was very good and hold on to that memory to recall that feeling even in moments when you need concentration.
If you find it difficult to do this on your own, a hypnotherapist can also help you with a guided visualization. Then you'll know what to do next time.
Beliefs about concentration
There are also other techniques that a hypnotherapist can use to improve your concentration, but then you have to figure out why it is apparently difficult to concentrate now. What distractions do you have and why do you get distracted by them. This all has to do with your beliefs. Based on the beliefs, other techniques can then be used to improve your concentration.
Other tips for improving your ability to concentrate
In addition to using hypnosis to improve your ability to concentrate, there are other things you can do to improve your ability to concentrate.
Eat something with honey
Certain nutrients such as sugars, especially honey, are good for your ability to concentrate. For example, honey and cane sugar contain the substance isomaltulose which, for 150 minutes after ingestion, causes you to perform math exercises better.
So ideal for something to eat with honey before an exam or an important presentation.
Turn on music
Research shows that playing music helps boost your concentration while you are working on something. When you play music you like you have a fairly constant concentration and this also increases your productivity.
It is best to play music you like, but if you have to share space and sound with colleagues, unfamiliar music is also good. Those especially improve your ability to concentrate in the long run. So if you have decreased concentration at the end of a task, this option is a good idea for you.
To get it absolutely right, it's also best to listen to music without lyrics. Text can be a temptation to understand. By listening to musical music without vocals with lyrics, you are not inadvertently distracted by it. This may also explain why classical music is also often recommended to improve your concentration.
Change the lighting in which you work
Many offices have those awful fluorescent tubes, but research shows that this may actually help your ability to concentrate. In fact, the study found that while warm white light helps improve the well-being and mood of store workers, it can actually reduce your ability to concentrate. So try out different types of light to check which version works best for your ability to concentrate.
Chew gum
In a study that required people to perform a task, two groups were compared in which one group chewed gum while performing the task, while the other group did not. The group that chewed gum performed the task better than the group that did not. Probably chewing helps you maintain concentration by keeping you "awake."
Put up a cute picture at work
Japanese research shows that looking at something cute before a task helps you do it better and with more focus. Scientists think this is because the picture can increase your enthusiasm which improves your concentration. So this is very useful when you are totally not in the mood and actually feel too calm to do anything.
Move
Put a timer on your phone and set it to go off every 40 minutes. After those 40 minutes, start moving for a while. For example, you push yourself up 10 times, you squat 5 times, you grab a cup of tea, as long as you move for a while. This will give you more energy and also help your brain to have energy for the task again. You'll see that your concentration on the task will be back much faster than if you take a break with your mail or something else that actually causes you to have lower productivity.
There is much you can do with hypnosis and the 6 tips to improve your ability to concentrate in addition.
In this article, we haven't even mentioned mindfulness and meditation for improving your ability to concentrate. Besides hypnosis and these 6 practical tips, you can look into those as well.
Just want to learn more about hypnosis and other mental techniques for improving yourself? Then come to a seminar and check out Hypnosis Institute Netherlands' training programs.
Sources:
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jnsv1973/49/3/49_3_214/_article
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1477153514532280
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Taro_Tezuka/publication/288637193_The_effect_of_music_on_the_level_of_mental_concentration_and_its_temporal_change/links/5720da4908aeaced78907065.pdf
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13760-015-0459-3/fulltext.html
