The hustle and bustle of cities, the stress and nervous tension of most professions, the various distractions and infobesity no longer spare anyone. In fact, modern man is now faced with one of the greatest psychological ills of all time: concentration difficulties. This phenomenon is so widespread that it affects all categories of people. Old people and adults, young people and children alike. And at every stage of life.

And yet it can profoundly affect the quality of your life. Both in your daily life and at work. When you lack concentration, you find it hard to be effective. This can quickly become a source of frustration. And depression. So, to avoid minor concentration problems, you need to adopt certain lifestyle habits and know how to take care of your brain.

Concentration difficulties: the causes

Concentration is defined as the ability to focus one’s full attention on the task at hand, or on a given subject (text, video, etc.). It is also the ability to exclude certain stimuli, such as surrounding noise or one’s own thoughts.

Concentration problems result in the loss of this ability to stay focused.

LACK OF CONCENTRATION IN CHILDREN
In young children, ADHD (attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity) is generally the cause of concentration difficulties. This is particularly noticeable in children aged 7 and over. A child affected by this problem is often impulsive, impatient and inattentive. However, it should be noted that this brain dysfunction has nothing to do with intellectual ability.

Among other things, a child’s concentration problems may also reflect an external preoccupation. These could be family, school or emotional problems. Indeed, because of the stress and anxiety generated by these events, the child no longer has the internal mental space available to manage his or her concentration.

CONCENTRATION DIFFICULTIES IN ADULTS
Apart from elementary factors such as a pressing need, a colleague knocking on the office door or a phone call, lack of concentration in adults can have several sources.

First of all, it can be a simple indicator of physical and nervous fatigue. In fact, after a great deal of intellectual work, daunting tasks or intense physical exertion, we often notice a drop in intellectual performance. This can lead to attention problems, making it difficult to concentrate. Personal and family problems can also lead to occasional concentration difficulties. Thoughts are scattered between the task in hand and the problem at hand, resulting in a lack of focus.

Secondly, according to specialists, concentration problems can be associated with medication. Antidepressants, sleeping pills, anxiolytics and antihistamines can clearly impair cognitive functioning. In some cases, psychological factors may be the cause: stress, fear of failure, recurrent gloomy thoughts, loss of interest, etc.

Among other things, a simple feeling of hunger or a poor-quality diet can also cause concentration difficulties. Clearly, when you’re hungry, your brain wanders because it no longer has the calories it needs to function properly. The result is reduced concentration, and sometimes even memory lapses.

Finally, concentration problems can be the consequence of more serious neurological illnesses. Such as :

Cerebrovascular problems
Cerebral degeneration
Lewy body dementia

New technologies and concentration problems

In addition to the main factors mentioned above, new technologies are now the main cause of concentration problems. Particularly at work.

Employees spend an average of almost two hours a day answering and checking e-mail every five minutes. Needless to say, it’s virtually impossible to stay focused in such an environment.

Added to this is the continuous use of the Internet, which has a truly deleterious effect on cognitive abilities. Clearly, the concentration difficulties associated with new technologies represent a real paradox. In fact, these technologies, which are supposed to make us more productive and efficient, are now the ones preventing us from remaining less and less focused. This situation has been defined as “cyber dependency”.

A Microsoft study points out that the omnipresence of screens today makes distractions more accessible: social networks, fun applications, impromptu phone calls… As a result, almost 45% of employees are often in the clouds at the office. They are easily distracted by the screens that surround them.

The most common symptoms of concentration difficulties

In children, lack of concentration is reflected in a host of easily recognizable signs:

Inability to maintain sustained attention during manual or intellectual activity
Difficulty memorizing even the simplest things
Tendency to be easily distracted and to daydream constantly
Quick to tire of an activity

While an adult may present concentration problems in the following cases:

Inability to complete long, drawn-out tasks
Systematic forgetting of information
Deconcentration at the slightest source of distraction
Foggy-headedness
Psychomotor slowdown

In short, concentration difficulties in adults can also be likened to an individual’s inability to be in the here and now. And with good reason: the mind wanders aimlessly.

How can you improve your concentration?

There’s no denying it! Concentration is an essential cognitive function for all human activity. Whether in the personal or professional sphere. As a result, concentration problems can have a variety of consequences: low self-esteem, lack of efficiency, irritability, nervous breakdowns…

So it’s only natural to wonder how to combat concentration difficulties. Here are the best techniques and tips for improving concentration.

BOOST YOUR CONCENTRATION BY BECOMING MORE ORGANIZED
When you find yourself spreading yourself too thin, don’t be surprised if you lack focus in whatever you’re doing. So avoid multitasking and concentrate on one thing at a time. The trick is to choose the time of day when you’re most productive, so you can carry out the most complex tasks. And to get better organized, make your own to-do lists. This will make sure you don’t forget anything, and that you stay on schedule.

To avoid concentration problems, create a positive work environment. Make sure the room has plenty of light, and is well ventilated and air-conditioned. Tidy up and personalize your desk: picture frame, small green plant, knick-knacks, etc. The idea is to make your workstation more pleasant and ergonomic. At the same time, eliminate anything that could distract you. Put your phone in your bag, close the window to cut out noise, lock the door to avoid any disturbance, fill your water bottle to avoid having to get up to recharge it, etc.

TACKLE CONCENTRATION DIFFICULTIES WITH GOOD LIFESTYLE HABITS
If your concentration problem is due to your lifestyle, of course, the equation will be easily solved when you start adopting new lifestyle habits. Start the day, for example, with a little morning ritual to put you in a positive frame of mind and keep the good vibes flowing throughout the day. It’s also essential to get plenty of quality sleep, so that your brain can recharge every night.

It could be that the source of your difficulty in concentrating lies in what you eat. Anticipate concentration difficulties with a good diet. Give priority to B vitamins (pulses, green vegetables, offal, egg yolks, brewer’s yeast, etc.) and magnesium (bananas, almonds, peas, dark chocolate, dates, prawns, etc.) in your meals. And, of course, don’t neglect hydration, as drinking water throughout the day can boost concentration.

As we said earlier, we concentrate less when we’re hungry. So don’t forget to eat a light but complete breakfast.

RELAX TO SPARE YOUR BRAIN
To reduce the concentration difficulties associated with fatigue and stress, take some time out for yourself. Read a book or listen to some relaxing music in the evening, plan a weekend away with your partner, go out with friends… Disconnecting from your hectic daily routine will help you recharge your batteries.

With the overload of information it analyzes every day, like a computer, the brain can experience a bug. So, if you want to boost your powers of concentration, it’s important to give your brain a break.

LIMIT YOUR CONCENTRATION DIFFICULTIES WITH SIMPLE EXERCISES
To optimize concentration, there are a number of exercises you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.

Play concentration games to give your brain a workout. Mandala coloring, sudoku, visual memory games and more. All these activities require optimum focus, which in turn will help you train your brain to stay focused.
Do mindfulness exercises for 10 minutes every day, focusing on your breathing. By doing so, you’ll learn to refocus on your senses and cut yourself off from the distractions that make it hard for you to concentrate when you need to.
Do regular meditation exercises. Since concentration is the very essence of meditation, it goes without saying that meditation will help you reduce your worries about concentrating.

Once you’ve done all this, you’ll realize that concentration problems are not inevitable, and that simple changes can help you remedy them.