Pay attention to concentration

Over time, you may find it harder to concentrate, and you struggle to complete routine tasks like paying bills and doing household chores. Or you have trouble retaining information from a recent conversation or a book passage you just read. While frustrating, such episodes of poor concentration are also potentially dangerous, as they may lead to mistakes like car accidents or medication overdoses.

Decreased concentration is often a normal part of aging as the brain's ability to function efficiently gradually declines. Mental concentration is part of executive function — a set of skills processed throughout the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (part of the frontal lobe, located behind the forehead). "Executive function helps you plan, make decisions, and perhaps most important, pay attention," says Lydia Cho, a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist with Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital.

Tackling tasks

If you struggle with concentration when performing tasks, there are ways to help improve your focus. For example:

Avoid multitasking. Concentration can suffer when you take on too much at once. Do one task at a time until it's completed, then move on to the next. When faced with multiple to-do items, choose two and leave the others for another time.

Take scheduled mental breaks. Research has found that attention can begin to wane as soon as 10 minutes after beginning a task. Note the time you begin a task, and then look again when your mind has wandered. Find your optimal range of when your attention is at its peak, schedule a break after this time, and then return to the task. Repeat the cycle until the task is complete.

Another variation on this approach is the Pomodoro Technique, in which you set a 25-minute timer and work straight through, followed by a five-minute break, and then repeat. (You can adjust the work time as needed.) "This approach is also helpful for people who have difficulty initiating tasks due to concerns about poor concentration," says Cho. "Committing oneself to a firm number like 25 minutes or so can make beginning the task seem less daunting as you know it has an end point."

Remove distractions. When working on a task, switch off the TV, set up message blockers on your computer, and silence your smartphone. (If you're worried about missing an important call, you can create a list of contacts who will be allowed to reach you.) If you find that some background noise helps with concentration, turn on some soothing sounds, like bird songs or white noise. Or if you need complete silence, wear ear defenders (headphones that block surrounding sounds).

Move for 10 minutes. Regular aerobic exercise can help with brain health, but when you need a quick concentration boost, take a 10-minute walk. One study found that this brief period of exercise increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex.

Brain training

It's also possible to improve concentration with focus-training activities. "The goal is to maintain concentration for brief periods," says Cho. "Over time, you can learn to keep that focus for a longer duration." For instance, do a daily five-minute meditation — silently count your breaths in repeated sets of 10. (Breathe in slowly and deeply, followed by exhaling all the air out, and repeat.) When your mind wanders, return to the pattern of counting breaths.

Another approach is to read in silence for 10 minutes or until your attention drifts, take a break, and return to reading. Eventually, try to meditate or read for longer times. Doing simple repetitive tasks that require little time and a low effort of concentration like washing dishes or gardening can have a similar effect.

Also, engage your brain with activities that use executive function skills, says Cho. "You want something that stimulates and requires mental effort, but not so much that it overwhelms and dissuades you." Cho suggests learning a new skill with instructions and lessons, which encourages you to pay attention, such as painting, cooking, or learning an instrument or language. "These require focus, but are set up to show progress and offer encouragement."

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