Growing a business takes effort, determination, and resiliency. You need to put in the work to see results, be prepared to address whatever comes your way, and face and overcome challenges to reach your goals. Another thing that’s important as a business owner is your focus. You need to stay on top of deadlines, avoid distractions that can take up your precious time, and accomplish small tasks that will enable you to achieve bigger things.
While we’ve shared tons of focus tips here at Amaze-Yourself.com, such as one on how to stay on track when working from home, allow us now to provide you with surprising and unexpected ways you can improve your focus:
Get some sunlight
We know that sunlight benefits our health by providing vitamin D—but did you also know it can improve your focus? WebMD.com reveals that basking in the sun improves emotional well-being by boosting serotonin levels. This chemical boosts energy and helps you stay calm and focused on your tasks.
One way to get sunlight is to open the blinds or curtains to get some sun as you work in the morning. Another is to take walks or spend your breaks outdoors, especially if your work area lacks sunlight. Just remember not to bask in direct, harsh sunlight between 10 AM and 3 PM to avoid sunburn.
Improve your posture
Pain and discomfort obstruct your focus and productivity. This is why improving your posture is an unexpected habit that can benefit your focus. Not only does this prevent back pain, but it also improves your lung function, as hunching over gives your lungs less space to expand.
If doing this proves challenging, consider investing in ergonomic chairs for more support. PainFreeWorking.com explains the best ergonomic chairs have backrests that align with the natural curve of your spine, support your neck and head, and naturally pivot your shoulders and hips so they’re never in the wrong position. If you work sitting down, the right chair will prevent aches and pains while improving your focus and productivity in the long run. Consider using the Steelcase Gesture Chair, which has four recline settings to reduce fatigue during extended working hours.
Take a whiff of some spices and herbs
Spices aren’t only useful for adding flavor to your dishes. They can also improve your focus, mainly if you use cinnamon and peppermint.
NeuroScienceNews.com notes that cinnamon improves your learning and memory. This is thanks to its components—mainly cinnamic acid, eugenol, and cinnamaldehyde—positively affecting cognitive function. Knowing this, smelling cinnamon can help you when you’re aiming to learn new business techniques or trying to remember certain business functions that will help you grow. Meanwhile, peppermint increases concentration by stimulating the hippocampus, improving cognitive awareness and alertness. You can use essential oils from brands like Aroma Treasures. These can be used with humidifiers and are also available in roll-on bottles for your convenience.
Look at cute photos
If one of your hobbies is looking at cute photos of animals or babies, then you’ve already been working on your focusing abilities. Looking at cute images has powerful effects on concentration and attention by narrowing the breadth of attentional focus.
When looking at such photos, you shift your attention to focus better on the details. Doing so can train your mind to behave more deliberately and perform tasks with greater time and care. That means scrolling on your phone to ‘aww’ at animal photos isn’t such a bad thing to do in your free time. If you’re looking for some pages to check out, you head to Instagram and start with @cutepetclub to look at charming pets—or @wildlifelup to browse shots of cute yet fierce wild animals.
Focusing on your tasks and goals is essential to grow your business. Practice these unexpected tips for a more refreshing way to go about your work life as a business owner.
Article written by Rachel Janeson exclusively for Amaze Yourself.
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