How To Fix A Short Attention Span & Be More Focused

Do you feel like you just can't stay focused, no matter how hard you try? Do you sit at work for hours on end, and get hardly anything done because your attention span is so short? You might ignore this problem for a while, but it can actually be very serious. Your poor attention span can end up getting you in trouble at work, and then you’ll be out of a job. It can also mean that you take twice as long to do things, which is a waste of your time. If you have a short attention span, you need to fix it. Here are a few tips that will help you get to the bottom of this issue and improve your focus.

Meditate
Meditation is the act of training your brain to be more patient and attentive. It takes a lot of willpower to sit still and breathe for ten minutes in a row.  You may struggle to make it to five minutes when you first begin but don’t give up. Increase the amount of time you meditate incrementally day by day, and your brain will start to become more focused. This will translate into the rest of your life as you’ll find it easier to stick to tasks for long periods.

Get more sleep

A lack of sleep is terrible for your attention span as well as your overall wellbeing. Instead of trying to focus on the task at hand, your mind will wander off to dreams of your bed. You start yawning, and all you can think about is how tired you are. By getting more sleep, you can rectify this problem almost instantly. The good news is that if you feel more focused after sleeping more hours every night, then you know your problem was just sleep-related.

See a doctor
Sometimes, your lack of an attention span might be due to a medical condition. Plenty of adults have grown up with undiagnosed ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Basically, this condition makes it almost impossible for you to sit still and focus for longer than a few minutes. Your doctor will run a few tests, and you’ll learn if you have it or not. If that's the case,  you can go to an adult ADHD treatment center to tackle the problem head-on. By treating your underlying condition, this will help you improve your attention span as well as sharpen your focus.

Drink more water
Being tired  is a major contributor to making you lose focus. Well, dehydration is a common cause of fatigue and tiredness. When your body lacks hydration, it starts to shut down and you get very lethargic. This makes it impossible to pay attention to whatever it is you’re doing. So make a point to drink more water regularly to keep yourself hydrated, and you’ll be more alert. 

The irony of this post is that you’ve probably not even made it to the end! If you have, then congratulations, you’ve already made one big step towards correcting your short attention span. Your lack of focus can be due to a number of factors so try all of the things mentioned above and see if they make a difference. You might find that doing one thing helps, or you may need a combination of solutions to improve your focus.

This is a contributed post.

Photo: InStyle Korea