Concentration - an essay

Do you have trouble concentrating? Maybe you are even wondering how to
control your life and take it in a direction that you prefer?

Here are some tips that might help you on your way.

1. Turn off your Computer and TV

Unless you actively want to research something for a short amount of
time or are watching a show that has a high relevance to your life,
turn the Computer and TV off. You will be surprised how much time this
little move might gain you.

2. Rest longer

Staying in bed longer than other people (or even than you initially
think you need to) is nothing to be ashamed of. Supposedly Einstein
slept very long, too. Also, do not immediately discard the possibility
that you need more sleep than you enjoy right now. There is a lot of
prejudice against long sleepers, but that should not stop you. It
might even be that you suffer from sleep deprivation in which case
you need to sleep more initially.

3. Sleep healthily

If you have trouble sleeping through, consider using earplugs. Also,
make sure that your mattress is good enough to not cause any back
pain. Place your bed in a room that is quiet.

4. Clean up your rooms

Starting with your desk, clean up your space of living. Do not feel
afraid to throw away or sell things that you no longer need. Things
that do not exist cannot distract you. Remember, you subconsciously
read and watch a lot more than you might think. 

5. Plan your day

Make notes what you plan to accomplish on each day and follow suit.
Further, question every planned activity. If you can cancel an
activity, you immediately gain time for something else. It is easy to
take scheduled activities for granted. Also, plan your walks and
drives for you might save time on a different route.

The well known motto: "Do not repeat yourself" applies here.

6. Increase your efficiency

Search for the little efficiencies that improve your
flow of work. If you have to work on the computer every now and then,
look for shortcuts, alternative programs/plugins or even things like a
different keyboard layout. Also, cleaning up and reordering things
applies here, too. Personally, I like to darken my room to get rid of
unneeded distractions when working.

Automatize your tasks as much as you can. In the
physical world, this is unfortunately very hard as there are a lot of
repetitive tasks like washing your clothes, sports, cleaning or buying
things. Other than sharing the workload with someone else, there is
not much automatization available, here.

7. Control your emotions

Try to avoid getting angry or engage in outright harmful activities.
Long gaming sessions, alcohol or other addictions come to mind. When things are getting too much, do not feel afraid to close your eyes. Remember, you have the power over your emotions and not vice versa.

8. Your environment shapes you

Remember, that your environment and your daily activities shape you as
a person. If you are unhappy with your way of life or if you want to
take your life in another direction, you need to start changing your
environment. You can only become good at an activity, if you exercise it.

As a side note, eating good and perhaps letting in fresh air might
apply here, too. Do not save money on the wrong end.

9. Search for continuity

Continuity in your life frees your mind of unneeded resources. If you
are happy, your worries take up less space. While it is important to
search for alternatives, to master an art, you need to
repeat it very often. When in doubt, stick to your current plans (but
only if there is doubt!).

10. Question yourself

Try to learn new things every day. There might still be a lot of room
for improvement. In fact, there might be room for improvement in every
single thing you can think of.
Search for your goals in life. What should be your legacy? How can you
leave a lasting impression on this world?