What Is Concentration?

Concentration is the ability to focus the attention on one subject, object or thought and at the same time exclude from the mind every other unrelated thought, ideas, feelings and sensations. It also means taking your mind off many things and putting it on one thing at a time. During concentration, the mind focuses on the object of concentration, and only one thought occupies the mind. The whole energy of the mind becomes concentrated on this one thought.

Many people perceive that meditation is concentration or vice versa. But It is not so. In fact, Meditation helps you achieve concentration.

How to attain concentration?

Exercise and Meditation are the keys to improve concentration. There are many techniques that can help.

1. First thing first, decide what you want to concentrate on.

It has often been noticed that you reflect what you perceive. You start impersonating someone's way of talking, walking or the way they eat in a matter of a couple of minutes just by concentrating on the act.

2. Avoid Multi-tasking.

It is always good to be proficient. But there is a difference between proficiency and multi-tasking. Being proficient means giving your best to successfully complete a task. This is attainable through concentrating on one task at a time. The time you consume thereby is significantly less. Whereas when you multitask, you are distributing your attention on more than one activity and therefore you are not able to concentrate on one particular task. It definitely increases the chances of errors and the amount of time consumed is high which in turn reduces your productivity.

So, you should ensure that whatever you do you should put your full heart and mind into it.

3. Key to deep concentration - Stay calm.

Deep concentration is a matter of increasing or directing your life-force or conscious, cosmic energy. The more you have this kind of energy, the better. Scattered energy doesn't help. It must be calm, focused energy. Learn to be calmly concentrated.

Rushing into things, bumping into goaded thoughts often leads to over excitement and exertion. Your thoughts flicker, your concentration breaks. So, it is always worthy to keep your eye right at your goal and stay calm.

4. Parameterize your energy.

One such technique is Paramhansa Yogananda's Energization Exercises. Controlling your energy is an important first step toward the ability to concentrate deeply.

5. Take breaks

Take a stroll, walk on the grass, inhale the freshness of the air, the smell of the flowers, the cool breeze and relax. Make yourself do this often and you'll be able to return to your task recharged and be ready to focus more creatively.

6. Practice Concentration

How can you practice concentration? It can be done by doing some exercises.

Meditation is the most powerful of all concentration enhancement techniques. Learn a few simple meditation techniques and practice them at least five minutes daily.

Sit in a place where you can be all by yourself. Practice focusing on an object. Stare at it continuously and find its intricacies.

7. While meditating, watch your breaths

Loosen yourself. Experience the calmness of your body. Breathe in and breathe out.

Just Observe!

This teaches you to focus your mind on one thing at a time. As you observe your breath, it will slow down, along with your mind (this is scientifically well-documented), and you move into a dynamic, peaceful (but not sleepy) state of being. Your mind will become rejuvenated and creatively receptive.

8. Switch between complex and easy tasks

To not lose the track, it is always desirable to switch between tasks which demand less focus and the ones that demand high focus.

Playing call of duty requires much more attention than watching a movie. When you toggle between such tasks, you contemplate the tasks better.

Conclusion

The power of concentration is immense. It helps to retain even the trivial details. Once you attain the power of deep concentration, it will bear fruitful results for you.

Harkuni Murakami, a Japanese writer, once wrote, "The power of concentration is the most important thing. Living without this would be like opening one's eyes without seeing anything".

You become more aware, more responsive. Your productivity shoots up. Your acumen and sense of adaptation amplifies. It eventually makes you more attractive and confident.

"Attain the power of concentration, attain yourself."

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