Do you want to improve your confidence and mental focus? Why not determine how it is at the moment? Is it easy for you to stay alert? Do you segregate tasks as per priority? Do you set goals? Do you take a time out and then get back to work after a while, in case you are stressed? If so, then we can say you are good at focussing and are a confident person. But that may not be so, if you cannot keep out distractions, daydream a lot, and are unable to keep a track of progress. In both the cases, you can practice some good habits, which will help you pay attention better.
Below-mentioned are some of the simple ways to build your focus and confidence:
- Be in the Present
Often your past may come to haunt you, or may excessively worry about your future. But the key to happiness, or for that matter improving your confidence level and concentration, depends on how you handle your present. Are you doing enough today to get over the past, and make the future better? Anxieties over past and future are understandable, but that should not engage you in a way that it affects the current moment.
Thus, give importance to ‘today’, and live in the moment. All you can do is give your best ‘now’ so that you do not have to mull over what has happened or possibly what can happen. It may be difficult in the beginning to let go of musings and thoughts other than ones about the present, but take a step ahead once at a time, and you shall be there soon.
- Give Time to Yourself
In daily life, people often forget to de-stress and spend time on oneself. It is important to relax and entertain yourself as much as it is crucial to get work done, or give time to others. Some fun activities can actually help regain focus and boost confidence. These could be card games to play such as Poker, Solitaire, Rummy, Black Jack, etc. Or it could be an outdoor sport, such as golf, basketball, volleyball, soccer, cricket, etc.
You can even access some of these games on mobile phone, like a rummy app, which allows playing card games on android and iOS devices, or video games on a video game console. You may even take a few days off for a short vacation and gather yourself, killing the stress, and enjoying some peace of mind.
- Get Rid of Distractions and Do One Thing at a Time
Distractions could be out there plenty, and often the reasons for loss of focus and lack of confidence. It could be simply co-workers speaking with each other, or a colleague tapping on the desk often, or perhaps someone playing songs out loud in the background. You need to minimize these distractions or take your mind off those be attentive on the task at hand. For instance, you can request the co-workers to talk softly or the colleague to not to tap on the desk as it gets you distracted.
- Be Bold: Take the lead and be confident enough to make the request than letting people distract you in dire situations. You can request the person playing songs out loud to listen to the songs using earphones instead.
- Be the Change: Another way to cut out distractions is to remove oneself from its source. For instance, you are reading a book in a crowded place where the chaos is interfering in the reading activity. In such a case, you can go to a private place or a less noisy surrounding like a library.
- Introspect: Sources of distractions can be intrinsic as well, such as anxiety, worry, and disturbances that are hard to avoid. To tackle internal distractions, you need to keep a positive mindset and prepare yourself into completing the task without any distracting thoughts.
- Put Efforts: Make a conscious effort to do the needful so that you can minimize the instances of being troubled, stressed, and uncertain. By doing so, your work productivity will increase, making you more confident.
- Allocate Time: Juggling multiple tasks at once can actually pull you down, which can affect your self-esteem as well as make you lose focus on the activity. If you have a lot to do, then allocate time for each activity than trying to juggle between tasks.
- Have a Chat with Yourself
At times you may not feel confident enough or due to a reason, may lose the will to pursue a task. But do not let things pull you down. Take a moment off and have a talk with yourself. Try identity the problem or the circumstance affecting you mentally or physically and practically get a solution for the same. For instance, you had an argument with a teammate which keeps you away from interacting with him for an important task. A better way to deal with the circumstance is to talk with the person and get the problem sorted, than keep mulling over the past argument.
- Practice Mindfulness
A trending and effective way to enhance concentration and confidence is mindfulness meditation. Here, you can practice deep breathing exercises subsequently being aware of things happening around, yet stay relaxed and fulfilled. This activity has a proven track record, and known for making people work efficiently thereafter. You can engage in mindfulness meditation especially when highly uneasy and jittery. The meditation will help guide your attention back to tasks and disengage your mind from intrusive thoughts, which may otherwise, make you feel not sure about your decisions.
To Conclude
Confidence and focus are often gained over time, and people usually give up mid-way, and feel a lack of self-esteem thereof. All you have to trust yourself that you can handle any situation, and eventually you will find a way. Be proactive and a winner, keep a positive outlook in life, and you can turn any incident your way.