Increase concentration: You can do it with these focus tips from the professionals
What do Barack Obama, Tom Brady and Pablo Picasso have in common? They have all become successful with their passions such as politics, sports or art. The recipe for this consists largely of the ability to concentrate and focus . Are you now wondering how you can increase your concentration to take your sport or your professional path to the next level? With the right goal. Whether it's focusing on getting enough sleep or a balanced diet or rituals that organize your day - these are all factors that can improve your concentration. In this story we show you how Serena Williams, Mark Zuckerberg and other successful personalities focus. Become a professional in your field and get inspired! Have we sparked your interest? Then please continue reading with great concentration!
Increasing concentration equals success: That's how the best do it
Did you know that cognitive research has found that focus is crucial to success in any field ? We all need to concentrate and focus every day, but what exactly is concentration and what does focus actually mean ?
“Concentration is the ability to intentionally direct actions and control their execution” (Westhoff & Hagemeister, 2021). Concentration is a very specific action control that is connected to a specific intention, as psychology describes. Focus setting is the targeted concentration on a very specific thing. Now you may be wondering how you can achieve this intentional control of your actions and learn to focus ? Then just follow those who have made it:
Serena Williams relies on precise focusing
Dedicate yourself exclusively to one thing - one of many ways to get off to a successful start. Former world-class tennis player Serena Williams, who has mastered focusing since childhood, also knows this. Because: As soon as school was over, the focus was entirely on the sport of tennis. And what about the concentration of perhaps the best tennis player of all time? If you can continue to play tennis despite shootings on the street, that's concentration, Serena Williams once said in an interview. We have nothing to add to that.
Now the question comes to you: “ How do I focus like Serena”? Try it like this: Switch off your thoughts for a moment, using the “Be here now” mindfulness method and exclude external factors. If you find it difficult to focus because your thoughts are constantly fluttering around in your head, try having some “thought time.” In this half hour you can let your thoughts run free and then devote yourself to your task and thus increase your concentration and performance.
Tom Brady makes sure he gets enough and good sleep
Everyone knows and often feels firsthand how important sufficient sleep (preferably seven to nine hours ) is for the body and mind - especially if we need to quickly increase our concentration the next day. Tom Brady, the former American football pro and quite possibly the best quarterback in history, has used sleep to improve his alertness. In an interview, he said that sleep helped him get to where he is today as an athlete.
However, there are also exceptions: people who perform in a concentrated and focused manner with little sleep, like Angela Merkel. She caught up on the sleep she didn't get during the week at the weekend and said she had " camel-like abilities" to store certain things.
However, for both successful personalities it is clear: without sleep it doesn't work . Pay attention to your sleeping habits and you will see: your concentration increases almost on its own.
Roger Federer and Lewis Hamilton: Nutrition plays a big role
Something Tom Brady also knows: In addition to sleep and the exclusion of distracting factors , diet has a big impact on the ability to concentrate and focus . Find the right balance between what you like and what your body needs and when. Tennis professional Roger Federer, for example, has been eating pasta with a light sauce two hours before every match for 20 years. That is his tradition that no one has been able to take away from him ever since. This way he supplies himself with carbohydrates in order to be able to score points successfully in his match. And he creates a routine that gives him stability.
In order to promote concentration , the brain also needs other nutrients such as proteins, unsaturated fatty acids (nuts or avocados) and minerals. In addition, there is a need for a number of B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and a lot of water . Try Dextro Energy* ImmuneFit . The small bars provide you with vitamin B6 and B12 and taste delicious like tropical fruits.
Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton also pays close attention to his vegan diet. He said about himself that he sees nutrition as fuel and no longer just eats when he feels hungry.
Of course, you don't have to pay that much attention to your diet to promote your concentration. Just start your day with a balanced breakfast, such as a high-fiber muesli, or, if you're in a hurry, a Dextro Energy* muesli bar .
Pablo Picasso & Barack Obama: productive phases in the evening
Are you a night owl ? Then you have something in common with Pablo Picasso and Barack Obama.
Picasso divided his working hours so that he painted in the evenings . Obama describes himself as a “night owl” and used the evening after his eventful day as US President to work, think or plan.
The right time of day can be a good way to increase concentration. Try taking an example from this and plan your day according to your productive phase . Important: Nobody has to be in top shape at all times of the day. If you are more of a morning person, then complete your tasks immediately after getting up and before lunch. If you are a night owl , then you now know exactly when you can perform in a concentrated and focused manner.
Albert Einstein worked and lived in a clear, systematic routine
Routines and rules can help you increase your concentration and performance. Albert Einstein already knew this and followed a strict daily routine during his time as a professor at Princeton University.
Likewise, develop habits and routines and use them to train your concentration . Try to-do lists . They help you plan your day sensibly and complete your tasks. To-dos can be completed one after the other in an order , which gives you a routine and can at the same time increase your ability to concentrate.
Charles Dickens needed absolute silence to focus
Many people can only concentrate and perform in absolute calm . This is exactly what happened to the British writer Charles Dickens when he wrote his beautiful stories. In order to increase concentration, external factors must be excluded and disruptive factors identified . This way you can increase your performance in no time.
Mark Zuckerberg: Eliminating decisions is key
The decision-making process begins as soon as I get up: What do I wear or what do I have for breakfast? For many people, this is part of everyday life and it has no effect on their ability to concentrate. For some people, like Mark Zuckerberg, it's better if daily decisions are eliminated . He admits to owning 20 identical gray T-shirts so he doesn't have to ask himself the same question every morning. This helps him not to become tired of making decisions and to focus his attention on his company. If you only concentrate on the essentials , you will automatically increase your performance - and nothing will stand in the way of your success.
Jacinda Ardern & Meryl Streep: Movement is important
Sufficient exercise in between and regular sport are a must for physical and mental health and promote our concentration . Incorporating sporting activities into everyday life can often be a big challenge. Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, managed to incorporate exercise into her daily routine by going for walks to relieve stress . Unfortunately, after she became a mother, there was no more time for that. Since then, she has been dancing with her little daughter to keep moving - because dancing also increases your ability to concentrate .
Meryl Streep trains her concentration in a completely different way than Jacinda Ardern: she swims 55 laps several times a week. No wonder she delivers outstanding performances as an actress.
Oprah Winfrey lives by the motto “Find your Purpose”
“Find your purpose” is nothing other than your personal goal on which you focus. The American talk show host also sees it that way. In her opinion, the ultimate goal is to find out your purpose(s) . According to Oprah, once you have visualized your expectations and goals for yourself, the light will literally go on in the first step. Focusing on these goals is then the second step, whether they are long-term or short-term goals. And in the third step you can achieve your goals in a very concentrated and focused manner, whether professional, sporting or private, by approaching them in a focused manner.
Have you now collected enough tips and can you literally see your success in front of you by increasing your concentration and focus ? You now know how important sleep, focus and nutrition are. If you need very quick carbohydrates in a hurry: Dextro Energy* cubes offer you dextrose - and therefore an important nutrient for the brain. We wish you all the best on your way to your personal success – maybe you will become the next Angela Merkel or the next Tom Brady? You never know...
* contains carbohydrates
A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
SOURCES
Moran, Aidan. (2012) Concentration: Attention and Performance. In: Murphy, Shane M. The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Performance Psychology. Oxford University Press.
Westhoff Karl & Hagemeister Carmen (2021). In: Ed. Wirtz, Markus Antonius. Dorsch Lexicon for Psychology: Concentration.
PHOTO CREDITS
Header image: @iStock.com/nortonrsx
