Concentration means directing one's attention on whatever one intends. We all have a natural ability to concentrate. Have you noticed how difficult it is to get young children's attention when they are playing? Do you remember the time when you were completely engrossed in an interesting novel, a super film, an exciting match or an exhilarating piece of music? You were concentrating then. At this very moment you are reading these words, you are concentrating.



It helps to know what it is like to concentrate, so that you can get back to that state of being.



What is poor concentration?



When people say that they can't concentrate, it usually means that they cannot stay focused on one thing for as long as they would like. Most of us experience lapses in concentration every day. We are not usually concerned about it; we may not even notice these lapses in concentration. They only become a problem when we find that we cannot get things done as quickly as we would like, or when they cause us to make mistakes.



You do not concentrate when you allow your environment to distract you, and/or your thoughts and feelings to interrupt you. Your thoughts are scattered; your mind jumps from one thing to another like a monkey. It helps to learn and to practice concentration strategies, to harness your monkey mind, so that it works at your will. If you know the causes of your poor concentration, you can learn to control these factors.



Factors that may cause poor concentration



Lack of concentration is one of the frequent complaints among students mainly due to distraction. There are two types of distractions: external and internal.



External Distractions



External distractions are related to the physical environment of your study area. Once you have identified these distractions, it is often easy to deal with them. Some of the common external distractions are:



a. Noise; conversations

b. Inappropriate furniture; inadequate lighting

c. Interruption from other people; telephone

d. Television

e. Work: paid or unpaid; housework

f. The Internet; email



Internal Distractions



Internal distractions are related to you: your body, your thoughts and your emotions. Some of them can be easily dealt with once they are identified. Others can be managed with practice and/or with a little help. Some of the common internal distractions are:



a. Hunger; tiredness; illness

b. Lack of motivation; boredom; lack of interest

c. Personal worries; stress; anxiety

d. Negative thinking

e. Daydreaming

f. Lack of organization; dyslexia