How to teach yourself to concentrate, get rid of "multitasking syndrome"

Any modern office workers (and even more - the entrepreneur) I have every day "to handle" multiple tasks and events. Under constant pressure information is extremely difficult to stay focused on doing any one task. The flow of calls, customers, negotiation, tasks and small distractions during the workday great distraction. As "to separate the noise" from an important and stay focused on the job? Let's face it.

I must say that the human brain is designed so that it is rather easy to "switch" to different tasks, so long to keep the focus on one and the same - not an easy taskEspecially in today's digital environment. As noted by David Rock, one of the founders NeuroLeadership Institute and author Your Brain at Work (HarperCollins, 2009), the diversion of a new task or event - a protective reaction of the human brain: the ability to be distracted - it is a signal our brain about what is happening or change of environment can be a threat, something has changed, and may have a negative impact on your health. The automatic reaction of the brain is practically not subject to "lock."

Multitasking - a great thing, but it also has "dark side." Multitasking creates an additional burden, lowers intellectual potential and even have a negative impact on IQ. Increasing the number of errors, the person is confused in his actions and in actions, reduced the number of positive results, the task is not completed, etc.

Moreover, constant distractions lead to the fact that the more we ignore the higher "emotional high" feeling a certain euphoria. But this euphoria is deceptive. To achieve positive results, quite often 20 minutes of focused work on one task without the need to respond to surrounding stimuli and sources. How can I change this?

1. Start with creative tasks. Usually we start with the fact that perform a number of small tasks that do not require special attention, and the most difficult tasks left "for later." After an hour of work, our concentration and ability to focus only on the task of substantially 1 decreases. Because it is necessary to start with tasks that require concentration and creativity, rather than with routine small and light tasks. Create to-do lists and sort the letters can be in the second half of the day.

2. Adjusts its schedule under effective blacks with and the type of person with respect to the time of day. "Owls" effective in the second half of the day, "lark" more energy and concentration are able to show in the morning. Plan your schedule so that not only take into account the features of diurnal activity of your body, but also take into account the general rule of productivity. The fact that studies show we productively working on 1 task with total concentration is not more than 6 hours per week. This simple rule can be crucial in terms of working strength to perform important tasks.

3. The brain needs a workout as much as the muscles of your body.constant multitasking without full concentration on one thing leads to the fact that your brain is "adapted", and you lose the ability to focus the work. We "accustom" their brains to a permanent state of "Defocus". Instead, necessary to practice concentration on the task 1, reduce the number of distractions, and even a sort of short "brainstorming" in work. Make a key principle of the work rule ". Less, but better" If you feel that lose concentration on this task, Should you wait for a while and just come back to it later.

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