The longer the work shift, the harder it is to concentrate as the hours tick by. Certain distractions can make it hard to pay attention, whether being pulled to social media or reading about a new album release. Other times, it seems like the mind simply can’t focus on any topics.
While this happens to everyone, ongoing struggles to concentrate at work can be frustrating. After all, there’s no quick fix for boosting the mind—especially after someone has already drank their morning coffee. So, how can employees boost their mental capabilities while on the clock?
The answer comes down to addressing both mental stamina and physical strength. By covering the basics of each, the brain is in a better position to function at its highest level—even for hours-long stretches. Just follow the suggestions below to give the mind a little boost today.
Train the Brain
The brain is an organ, but it might be helpful to consider it like a muscle. In other words, it needs exercise if it will perform its best. Luckily, ‘exercising’ the brain can be as simple as trying out strategy games and puzzles, which challenge and sharpen the mind.
For example, games like blackjack are popular worldwide and will challenge the mind to strategize and consider probability. Today, online casinos have a few different variations available, such as Premium, Classic, and High Roller. These can help sharpen the brain’s decision-making and analytical skills.
The same goes for puzzles like sudokus. Sudoku games require someone to find multiple solutions before nailing down a winning combination of numbers. The player wheedles away by using multiple strategies, which teaches the brain how to solve complex problems.
Prioritize Physical Health
Above are two activities to help sharpen the mind. However, it once again pays to think of the brain as a muscle. Just like it needs exercise, it also needs rest. Covering the basics of physical wellbeing will help prep the brain for a long day of work.
The basics are simple: diet, exercise, and rest. By selecting nutritional food, the body has more resources to work with to power the body and the mind. Exercise helps the body start to build up strength, which translates to more thinking hours. And quality sleep lets the body reset to prepare for another busy day.
Remove Extra Stressors
What happens outside of work directly influences the workday, from mental stimulation to physical wellbeing. But one overlooked aspect of being able to concentrate is removing stress. Stressors, whether thinking about an upcoming visitor or the ‘check engine’ light, take up mental space.
After all, it’s hard to shake off certain worries, which take up attention and make it difficult to relax or concentrate. Taking simple steps to remove stressors can go a long way in freeing up brain space. The easiest way to do this is to stop procrastinating on small tasks—take care of them as they arise, and there’s less mental baggage to take to work.
Make Time for Relaxation
Removing smaller stressors as they arise isn’t just a way to help the brain concentrate—it’s also a helpful step in making more time for relaxation. With so many pressing matters that must be addressed at work, not many people invest the same degree of time and energy into their own pursuits.
However, making plans for a bit of spare time to unwind can go a long way in helping the mind reset. Making time for relaxation doesn’t have to be complex, either. For some, it might be as simple as finding a patch of sunshine to bask in for ten minutes. Even small-scale activities will signal to the mind and body that it’s a good time to reset.
In fact, some studies have shown that states of deep relaxation boost the brain chemicals that decrease levels of stress. In other words, taking ten or thirty minutes to calm the mind and slow down can literally make the brain more resilient to stress by teaching it (or maybe reminding it) how to relax.