Eight tips for “training your brain”
1) Think positive
Positive emotions enhance the brain’s function, leading to creativity and strategic thinking.
2) Focus
Know which places and particular times of the day are the most conducive for you, and designate important tasks for those moments.
3) ABC and Spider techniques
You can train your brain to automatically stop distractions from stealingyour focus. Use your brain’s brake pedal—the ABC technique. Awareness lets you pause whatever you’re doing and recognize the distraction. Breathe deeply and reflect on your options. Choose mindfully what to do with the distraction—either deal with it or dismiss it.
A spider has the ability to identify false alerts. Train your brain not to give in to existing distractions. Choose not to react when someone rushes into your room and slams the door. Ignore it or keep focused on what you’re doing.
4) “Be Here Now”
Each time your mind wanders off, say, “Be here now.” When you drift off again, say, “Be here now,” until you finally get used to doing it.
5) Prioritize challenging & important jobs
Prioritize tasks that demand your concentration and creativity. You want to accomplish them before your energy gets sapped. Do it in the morning if you can, when your brain is fresh and sharp. Process lighter tasks later in the day.
6) Set-Shifting
Set-shifting means you have to turn all your focus on a new task and leave nothing behind on the previous one. First, though, give your brain a breather. Take a break at least once every 45-minutes to an hour.
7) Rewards
Consider a reward you would like to give yourself when you accomplish a project. With the promise of an incentive once an assignment is completed, focused concentration can follow.
8) Beware of multitasking
Multitasking can be a positive work technique, but can leave you susceptible to slipups. When you multitask, you are likely to miss cues, make mistakes, and become distracted.
References:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/focus-more-to-ease-stress
http://www.k-state.edu/counseling/topics/career/concentr.html
http://www.uhv.edu/ac/study/pdf/staying.focused.reading.pdf
http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/gettingfocused.html
http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225321
Source: Examined Existence http://examinedexistence.com
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
