Losing focus with age?

You try to concentrate on a task, but your mind wanders- you’re glancing out the window, browsing through Instagram, pondering what to eat for lunch, or plotting your weekend getaways. Despite a lengthy to-do list and project deadlines to meet, you can’t seem to concentrate on anything—and it’s frustrating.

Problems with concentration affect each person differently. Common signs of poor concentration include:

• Making careless mistake.
• Forgetfulness.
• Procrastination.
• Difficult to think clearly.
• Constantly zone out.
• Lack of energy

Focus is a never-ending struggle. Mild decline in memory and reasoning abilities are common as people age. However, these changes might make it more difficult to learn new things, interfere with memory and can be a source of frustration. Here are eight strategies to help you and your loved one improve brain function for better mental focus and concentration.

1. Rediscover passions. When your daily tasks don’t bring self-fulfillment and excitement, it might be tough to focus. One of the ways to improve your focus is by being motivated to do something that you are passionate about. It could be work-related, social, or simply a hobby. Trust your instinct when you wanted to attempt something new. It can be challenging yet rewarding achievement. Make a list of those things that you desire in life and begin to embrace it.[1]

2. Avoid multitasking. In most cases, multitasking may reduce your ability to focus and affect productivity. Instead, consider focusing on one activity at a time if you want to get more done in less time. It may seem contradictory, but by doing less, you will accomplish more.

3. Set realistic goals within reasonable time frame. When you are overloaded, you will become overwhelmed by stress and eventually lose focus and abandon the task at hand. Break down your biggest tasks into micro-achievements and mini goals. Concentrate on completing one micro-step per day within one mini goal until the mini goal is completed. A challenging yet achievable task is worthwhile to do, although it may produce eustress, which may lead to focused attention, emotional balance and increase performance.

4. Engage in physical activity. Incorporate fitness into your daily routine helps to improve mood, increased energy and clear your mind, which can lead to a greater ability to focus and longer attention span. Aerobic workouts such as a brief 20-minute walk helps you to concentrate and solve problems more efficiently.[2]

5. Turn off the distractions. Attention fragmentation occurs when we are unable or unwilling to focus on what we are supposed to be doing due to distractions. Try to find a quiet area when you need to focus. Remove things that often compete for your attention, such as switching off social media notifications, avoiding unnecessary chatter, and scheduling snack breaks that works for you.

6. Have a restful night’s sleep. Quality sleep becomes increasingly crucial as you grow older. Sleep deprivation impairs your brain ability to process new information effectively. According to the National Sleep Foundation Guidelines, a healthy adult should get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.[3] If you are having trouble to sleep better at night, consider adjusting your sleeping patterns, such as being consistent with your wake-up time and bedtime, avoid heavy meals two hours before bedtime and cozying up your bedroom.[4]

7. Nourish your brain. In some circumstances, a lack of focus might be associated with vitamins and dietary deficiency. Green vegetables, nuts and fruits are foods that are related to increase mental acuity. They serve up nutrients which your brain requires to function properly, such as vitamins B, C, E, and magnesium. Besides, Mackerel and salmon are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are also crucial for memory retention and focus. For some people, coffee and tea might boost short-term concentration.[5]

8. Take a short break in between. Excessive working hours or irregular shifts can contribute to fatigue and a loss of concentration. Breaking your time into smaller slots might help you stay focused for longer period. By breaking down your efforts into 30-minutes slots, you’re making a modest commitment to yourself that you’re going to only work on this task and nothing else during this period.

You can regain your focus with some proactive efforts. Just because you’re not as young as you once are doesn’t imply your brain has lost its ability to concentrate on the most important things in life. At all events, the choice is yours, either to gain or losing focus with age.