Got a busy schedule? It can have its perks. You can get so much done. But one of the downsides is trying to keep it all together when you’re being pulled in several different directions. It’s like a tug-of-war going on inside your head. Check out these seven tricks to staying focused and feeling energized while keeping all the balls you’re juggling in the air.
- Sleep
How much sleep are you getting each night? If you’re like most people, you’re running on five or six hours—not nearly enough. The rule of thumb for adults is at least seven hours, eight if you can get it, but everyone’s sleep needs are a little different. Pay attention to how you feel in mind and body on different amounts of sleep. Also, adjust for sleep debt. If you’ve been running on fumes for a while, and you know you feel good with seven hours of sleep, you might need to make good in the deprivation department before seven feels right again.
- Take Breaks
At least every hour, give yourself a break from whatever you’re working on. Take 10 minutes for a brisk walk, grab some water, do a little yoga, or even read a blog or book. Just something to take your mind off the task at hand and let you re-focus.
- Hydrate
It’s a fact: Water makes you smarter. Brain cells depend on water to function, and when you’re dehydrated, your brain becomes less efficient. Water affects focus, short-term memory, and long-term memory, even math—whether you’re solving a complicated equation or simply planning for what time you need to leave to make your flight. Adults in the U.S. on average drink less than 32 ounces a day, but the average adult loses 80 ounces of water every day just by breathing, sweating, and eliminating waste. So if you’re drinking less than 80 ounces of water a day, your brain might feel a little less sharp.
- Exercise
Breaking a sweat does as much for your mind as it does your body. Every time you exercise, you feed your brain and muscles with oxygen, increasing your energy and your mental focus while releasing tension and stress. Some studies show that mental focus and IQ performance improve for a full two hours after a workout.
- Train Your Brain
If you’re not used to focusing, it can take practice. Don’t worry; you can make a comeback from attention-span atrophy. Start by doing mental tasks like reading, playing strategy games, or writing for longer and longer periods of time, the same as you would if you were training for physical endurance. Teach yourself to go longer by adding time (even if it’s just five minutes) to what you feel your limit is. Read a few more pages. Work a few more problems. Write one more paragraph. Just like an athlete, you might even get a second wind.
- Feed Your Mind
Eat high-energy foods that burn slowly, and your body and mind will help you achieve sustained energy and extended mental focus. Foods like oatmeal, trail mix, and fruit are good choices. Refined sugars and simple carbs are not. The initial sugar high will be followed by a crash as the energy quickly burns off that can leave you leave you feeling drained.
- Unwind
Meditate, relax in a bath, do a craft, read a book, shoot some hoops—do whatever allows your mind the chance to unwind. It’s a gift to your mind and your body, and it’s the thing that allows you to take on another day refreshed and energized.



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