Knowing how to concentrate during confinement will help us unleash our potential. Lack of concentration, stress, and anxiety are some of the feelings and disorders that have come with this confinement, as our daily activities changed completely, and being at home can have its advantages and disadvantages.
Concentration is linked to motivation. It is the ability to channel cognitive resources into an action or stimulus, ensuring that only one object or activity has our full attention.
Furthermore, understanding the neurocognitive processes involved in attention can help us identify more effective strategies to improve it. From the perspective of neurosciences applied to education, we know that the brain responds better when the overload of stimuli is reduced and a structured environment is promoted. To delve deeper into this topic, you can read our article on emotions and their impact from neurosciences, where we explore how emotional state directly influences the capacity for concentration and learning.
What makes us lose concentration?
Several psychologists have spoken about the lack of concentration, and they agree that being directly or indirectly aware of the pandemic causes our concentration to get stuck there. So, disconnecting a bit from the news can be beneficial.
Loss of concentration can have multiple causes, many of them related to the environment and mental state. During confinement, factors such as information overload, lack of structure in daily routine, constant use of electronic devices, anxiety derived from isolation, or even the food in our kitchens, can easily disperse our attention. Furthermore, frequent interruptions at home, ambient noise, or multitasking directly affect our ability to focus. Understanding these factors is the first step to designing effective strategies that help us stay present and productive.
How to concentrate during confinement?
- Acceptance: The first thing we must do is accept the current situation and try to have a positive mindset. Good mental health is essential for good concentration.
- Workspace: If you have online education or work from home, it’s a good idea to have a specific place where you carry out these tasks, preferably with good lighting, sound, and that allows for good posture, in addition to following a schedule and taking a break when necessary.
- Exercise: Doing physical, breathing, or toning exercises, and maintaining a good diet also help us, as this way we gain energy and it helps us pay more attention to certain tasks.
- Technologies: Another good option to achieve concentration is to stay away from electronic devices when we don’t need them, such as television, computer, or cell phone. Taking a break from virtual reality is excellent.
- Varied activities: It is also encouraged to do different activities throughout the week, because although having an established routine helps, doing the same action every day can affect us. Varying things a bit stimulates our brain and helps us concentrate.
- Fresh air: Although confinement encourages staying at home, there are times when it is necessary to go out a bit. You can go for a walk, following all the indicated guidelines for our safety and that of others; this way we clear our mind and it can later be very helpful when concentrating.
In addition to establishing routines and adequate spaces, incorporating specific techniques can significantly enhance concentration. For example, the Pomodoro technique, which consists of working for 25 consecutive minutes with 5-minute breaks, helps maintain focus and prevents mental fatigue. Likewise, practicing mindfulness, such as dedicating a few minutes to conscious breathing or sensory activities, can reduce anxiety and improve mental clarity. These strategies, along with the guidelines mentioned above, are fundamental for maintaining productivity and well-being during confinement.