Do you really know｜如何提高工作时的专注力？

How can I improve my concentration at work?

No matter how prepared you are heading into a normal day at the office, spending hours at your desk can get mundane and boring. Before you know it, your mind's wandering and you've lost focus.

According to a study published by Economist Intelligence Unit in October 2020, a third of working time is lost to distractions. That's equivalent to a whopping 581 active hours per employee per year. But actually it doesn't take much to get that concentration back and make some progress on your to-do list.

What are some tips for refocusing?

The first is not to skimp on breaks. If you feel like your brain is overloaded or you're floundering on a task, stop. It's better to unplug and preferably away from a computer or smartphone screen. Get some fresh air, go have a coffee and talk to your colleagues instead.

Contrary to popular belief, the brain is far from inactive during a break. It actually classifies and consolidates information during that time. So rest isn't idleness, nor is it a lost opportunity for productivity.

Do you have to focus on one task at a time to be more efficient?

Indeed, the second tip is to avoid multitasking or keep it to the bare minimum. Our brains are not actually designed to manage several things simultaneously. At best, they can juggle two tasks. That's because the cerebral cortex can be divided into two, but not three or more. So it's time to say goodbye to multitasking.

Rearranging your work environment may also help. It's been proven that surrounding yourself with green plants in the office can reduce headaches by 19% and fatigue by 30%. Furthermore, studies have shown that the productivity and well-being of employees in plant-decorated offices were significantly higher than those of workers in empty offices.

What about your internal environment?

To feel zen and focused, you also have to know how to make room for yourself. Harvard University advises focusing on mindfulness and meditation exercises to boost concentration. This helps to refocus the brain on the present moment, so that concentration is stronger on a daily basis.

One simple mindfulness exercise goes as follows. Take a few minutes each day, close your eyes and focus on your breathing, body and surroundings. If you turn these simple tips and advice into habits over time, you may be surprised at how focused you can become. There you have it.

词汇表
mundane [mʌnˈdeɪn] adj. 单调的，平凡的
wander [ˈwɒndə(r)] vi. （思绪）游离，走神，开小差
be equivalent to [ɪˈkwɪvələnt] 等同于，相当于
whopping [ˈwɒpɪŋ] adj. 巨大的，庞大的，惊人的
refocus [ˌriːˈfəʊkəs] v. 重新聚焦，重新集中注意力
skimp on [skɪmp] 吝啬，节省，舍不得（时间、金钱等）
overloaded [ˌəʊvəˈləʊdɪd] adj. 超负荷的，负担过重的
flounder [ˈflaʊndə(r)] vi. 毫无头绪，不知所措，陷入困境
unplug [ˌʌnˈplʌɡ] v. 放下手头工作；拔掉电源；脱离电子设备
preferably [ˈprefrəblɪ] adv. 可能的话，更可取地，最好
inactive [ɪnˈæktɪv] adj. 不活跃的，闲置的，未使用的
idleness [ˈaɪdlnəs] n. 虚度光阴，无所事事，懒惰
multitasking [ˌmʌltiˈtɑːskɪŋ] n. 多任务处理，一心多用
bare minimum [beə(r) ˈmɪnɪməm] 最低限度，最基本要求
simultaneously [ˌsɪmlˈteɪniəsli] adv. 同时地
juggle [ˈdʒʌɡl] vt. 兼顾，同时应付（多项事务）
cerebral cortex [ˌserəbrəl ˈkɔːteks] 大脑皮层
rearrange [ˌriːəˈreɪndʒ] vt. 重新布置，重新整理
plant-decorated [plɑːnt ˈdekəreɪtɪd] adj. 有植物装点的，绿植装饰的
zen [zen] adj. 平和的，超然的，禅意的
mindfulness [ˈmaɪndfʊlnəs] n. 正念，专注当下
meditation [ˌmedɪˈteɪʃn] n. 冥想，默想，沉思

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