How to stimulate the mind to achieve more

Concentration means keeping focused attention on a particular or specific task. One may be of either gender doing any work, but concentration is needed for any work to be done in a better way.

Saturday, March 07, 2015
Green Hills Academy student (C) with peers of Nyamata High School read a book. Reading enhances concentration. (File)

Concentration means keeping focused attention on a particular or specific task. One may be of either gender doing any work, but concentration is needed for any work to be done in a better way. This is particularly important in jobs or places where decision making is crucial like for judges, doctors, executives, e.t.c. 

Majority of educated people do some work that needs mental concentration. It is not for one-day or a week, but entire life time of doing a job, using the mind. As a person climbs up the ladder in the job, the amount of responsibility and mental work required increases.

An average person starts forgetting things due to fatigue when there is much work. This induces mental tension, which makes work stressful. Finally the work is finished, but one feels anxious about forthcoming work. Thus the mental stress becomes perpetual and results in stress related problems like peptic ulcer and hypertension.

Hence it is vital that an individual puts in more efforts to improve concentration at work. It should be such that he can work in a relaxed manner and the quality of work and results improve.

It is a healthy mind with which one can focus more on work done, retain and recall more information. Healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Good nutritious fresh food with plenty of fruits and vegetables is necessary to keep the body healthy.

Regular physical exercise also helps in this process. If possible, one should, do some physical exercise regularly. After doing so regularly for some time, one can definitely see the improvement in concentration. Avoiding intoxicating addicting substances like alcohol and smoking is a good measure to keep body as well the mind healthy in long run.

Deep breathing helps to rejuvenate the mind and relax it. This helps in better concentration. A very busy person can do deep breathing in between his work, whenever he is free for even 10 minutes. This can be done up to count of 50 to 100, only condition being, the stomach should be empty.

Whenever free, one should try to count numbers forward and backward mentally. Doing so is a very good exercise for activating and stimulating the mind. This simple exercise can be done while travelling or waiting for transport or some person at some place.

While driving or doing some other daily activity, it is useful to mentally review the work done recently and plan the work lying ahead. Thus the mind shall remain focused on the work to be done

Before sleeping, spend some minutes sitting on the bed and recollect all events of the day. This reinforces the ability of the mind to retain and recall information which is much needed for good quality of work to be done.

Try to keep cool all the time. Getting angry or excited on petty matters disturbs the mind and interferes with one’s level of concentration. Similarly it is important to avoid negative thoughts entering the mind. Negative thoughts also block the mind. Keep your mind full of positive and cheerful thoughts which will keep the mind cheerful and enthusiastic for doing more work in a focused manner.

One should use his or her leisure time to read or write something, instead of watching television or movies. When an individual reads or writes something it is an active exercise of the mind--keeping the mind stimulated to work better. It also helps in enhancing knowledge and expression skills. Whereas watching movies or electronic means of entertainment is just a passive process where one spends time, but the mind gains nothing.

Focus on the work at hand and try to do it with full concentration. Many people tend to think of some other work after starting one. They may leave the first one undone and begin doing another. While doing the other task, he starts thinking of some work which has to be done the following day. Net result is that nothing is done wholeheartedly.

Any work done in this state remains either undone or is finished poorly. This state of cluttered mind is very confusing. Unless a person works with absolute attention to a task, he should not expect successful results.

To improve concentration, a person should try to do meditation for few minutes each day. There is a misconception regarding meditation that it is something to be done by old or retired people or those seeking spiritual advancement. This is a myth. Meditation is a measure to relax the mind absolutely and make it more focused.

It is even said that with regular meditation, one can easily recall correctly events of three decades. Not only does it improve memory, but also keep the mind tranquil and disciplined.

An average human being utilizes only one fourth of the capacity of their brain. When one improves their memory, more grey cells of the brain will be stimulated providing a razor sharp memory and enhanced concentration.

Every individual desires to be successful in what they do according to their ability. If one improves mental concentration by adopting one or more suitable measures, they would be sure to achieve the desired goal.