Dealing with concentration problems
What are concentration problems?
To concentrate well, there are a few important conditions. These can be divided into three groups:
- Physical: Make sure your body is in good shape, get enough sleep, eat healthy food and drink enough water;
- Practical: Your environment also matters. Work in a quiet, clean, and well-lit space. Try to avoid distractions like noise or notifications from your phone or laptop;
- Mental: Your mind needs to be calm too. When you have a lot on your mind, it's harder to focus. You may feel stressed because too many things ask for your attention at the same time. This can make you feel tense and overwhelmed. It’s important to notice this in yourself. During stressful times, you can handle less, and your concentration may be lower. That’s normal and usually temporary.
What happens when you can't concentrate well?
Sometimes it’s hard to keep your attention on a task. You notice that you get distracted easily and that it’s difficult to work on something for a longer time. This can have different effects.
You may notice that you delay starting tasks. This is your way of avoiding the feeling that you might not finish it.
You might also notice that you drift off. Suddenly, you’re scrolling on your phone or watching YouTube, even though you wanted to work on school tasks. This happens because stronger signals - like social media - grab your attention more easily. They also hold your attention better than something like reading a long scientific article.
What can you do?
Try to create the right conditions for good concentration as much as possible.
Physical
- A good sleep pattern and sleep hygiene;
- Fatigue is the most common cause of concentration problems;
- A healthy diet and drinking enough water;
- Avoid 'sugar dips’.
Practical
- A quiet workplace, where you can work undisturbed, preferably a different place from where you also relax. With sufficient (daytime) light, to keep your brain awake;
- Sometimes noise-cancelling headphones can be useful
Mental
- Have a pen and paper nearby. As soon as you think of something that distracts you, write it down so you can work on it later;
- Breathing exercises or mindfulness can help;
- However, sometimes concentration problems have a long-term nature, and it may make sense to seek help. For example, if you have had problems concentrating all your life, you may have attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD or ADD). This diagnosis falls under developmental disorders, meaning it has been present from a young age. To diagnose it, an extensive examination is needed, often within a psychology practice or mental health institution, and for this, you need a referral letter from your general practitioner. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment usually follows, consisting of medication and coaching.