How to improve focus

Focus is easier to protect than to force. These routines cut down interruptions, give your day a clear plan and look after the body and brain that do the concentrating, from water to what you drink in the evening.

13 routines that help

1. Phone distractions

   Check notifications only 3 times a day

   People felt less distracted in a week with phone alerts silenced and the phone out of sight than in a week with alerts on.

2. Forgetting what you study

   Spend 5 minutes recalling what you learned today before bed

   Practicing recall from memory helps you remember more days later than rereading for the same time.

3. Memory decline with age

   Take 5 grams of creatine daily

   Creatine improved memory in healthy people, most of all in older adults.

4. Trouble focusing at work

   Keep a water bottle on your desk

   Losing even 2% of your body's water is linked to weaker attention, slower reactions and more mistakes on routine tasks.

5. Afternoon sleepiness

   Take a 20-minute nap after a short night

   After a short night, a 10 to 20 minute nap improved alertness and performance for the rest of the afternoon.

6. Mental fatigue at work

   Set 3 daily goals the night before

   In one study, people who had to resist treats gave up on a hard puzzle after about 8 minutes, versus 21 minutes for those who didn't.

7. Money worries hurting focus

   Auto-save $50 every payday

   In one study, worrying about a costly surprise bill lowered problem-solving scores for people with less money, but not for people with more.

8. Performing under pressure

   Write for 10 minutes about what matters most to you

   A short values-writing exercise was linked to better grades for students facing negative stereotypes, though later studies found smaller effects.

9. Trouble concentrating

   Meditate for 10 minutes every morning

   Beginners who meditated 13 minutes a day for eight weeks had better attention and memory than people who listened to podcasts.

10. Alcohol and brain health

    Drink no more than 7 drinks a week

    Regular drinking is linked to less gray matter and weaker white matter, the brain tissue that processes information and connects brain regions.

11. Trouble concentrating

    Write about what's on your mind for 10 minutes

    Writing about your feelings is linked to better working memory and fewer intrusive thoughts.

12. Morning grogginess

    Put screens away 30 minutes before bed

    Young adults felt less alert the next morning after evening reading on a tablet than after reading a printed book.

13. Trouble concentrating

    Walk in nature for 30 minutes daily

    People did better on an attention and memory task after a walk in a park than after a walk along busy streets.