How to Improve Your Focus and Memory

Last Updated: July 1, 2020 References

Have you ever forgotten an important birthday? Or been too distracted to get a work project turned in on time? We all struggle with forgetting dates and focusing on important tasks, but you can actually train your brain to be stronger in these areas. Tuning out distractions, reading more, and eating broccoli are just some of the things you can do to boost your ability to focus and remember.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Focusing on a Task

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Tune out distractions. The key to focus is, rather obviously, the ability to drown out distractions. Since the average office worker is distracted once every 3 minutes, it’s important to eliminate distractions before beginning a task.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
Academic & School Counselor
Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.} Such awareness will go a long way toward gaining focus.
- Tune out distractions by removing brightly colored images out of your field of vision, such as on a computer screen. Some people find that removing the dock (the bar at the bottom of the screen) from the desktop helps with focus.^{[2]
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  Research source}
- Get comfortable before performing a task. Discomfort will draw attention away from what you’re trying to do.
- Put away your phone. If you don’t have any calls or texts scheduled for a block of time, turn it off before you start a new task.
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Limit multitasking.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source} Performing one task at a time is a sure way to hone your focusing skills. Not only that, but this one-at-a-time philosophy ensures that you move more slowly through your day, preventing careless mistakes. You can keep yourself from committing to too many tasks at once by prioritizing your tasks at the beginning of the day.

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Change your environment. If you’re in a setting with too many people or objects and you can’t get a task completed, it’s time to find a new spot. Moving off by yourself when you’re in a crowd automatically reduces the number of distractions in your vicinity. And if it’s possible, take a walk or get in the car and relocate to an entirely new place. Such movement will change your perspective and remove distractions.
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Try white noise. White noise is that fuzzy sound we hear on the radio when switching between stations. It’s a simple sound that literally drowns out noise, isolating you in pretty much any environment. Some apps and websites provide white noise generators, but you can also purchase machines that look like alarm clocks that do the same thing. In a pinch, a fan or blow dryer can accomplish the same goal.
- Research has varied results when testing white noise.^{[4]
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  Research source} Experiment with your own preferences while taking notice of your stress levels and ability to focus.
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Wear headphones. If you’re in a setting conducive to wearing headphones—an office job, the gym, public transport, etc.—putting on a set is the perfect way to focus on a task. Not only can you turn on any noise you need, it’s a signal to others that you want to be left alone.
- For example, headphones are the perfect place to turn on white noise, music, even a podcast. Just make sure your music isn’t distracting and that your podcast isn’t too interesting!

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Improving Your Mind

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Do puzzles.^{[5]
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Research source} Games create new pathways in your brain and keep it sharp, especially puzzles. Playing memory card games like we did when we were kids is a good place to start, but you might want to move on to more complicated puzzles like you can find in smartphone apps like Luminosity.
- Look for challenging individual puzzles that you can play when you have downtime. It’s especially helpful to search for puzzle apps and install them on your phone.
- Real-life games are also good for your brain. The daily crossword and Sudoku are a challenge, and traditional puzzles work too—the higher the piece count, the more the challenge!
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Read more.^{[6]
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Research source} Simply put, reading is stimulating for the mind. Adding reading into your daily routine can slow down memory loss in old age. When you read, you are triggered to imagine things outside your experience, which keeps your brain active. Reading also relaxes a busy mind because it creates something to focus on. ^{[7]
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Research source}
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Calculate math problems in your head. It‘s tempting to use a calculator for even simple math—after all, every cell phone and computer has one built in. But performing math in your head boosts your working memory, the part of your brain that stores memories for immediate use.^{[8]
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Follow a schedule. When you don’t have a schedule to follow each day, your mind struggles to balance daily tasks. You lose focus because you’re trying to remember all the things you need to accomplish, which results in forgetting your tasks. A regular schedule can eliminate this struggle.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
Academic & School Counselor
Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- Storing your to-do list on paper instead of in your head frees up space in your brain for focus and memory. Write down your schedule at the beginning of each day.
- Eat at regular intervals. If your mind can depend on specific mealtimes, you won’t be distracted by an urge to find food.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Having a Healthy Lifestyle

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Eat for your brain. Healthy eating is good, but there are actually specific foods that boost your memory. They include, not surprisingly, vegetables—green ones—as well as berries, cherries, walnuts, and foods containing omega-3 fatty acids.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
EatRight.org
Organization associated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing advice about food, health, and fitness
Go to source}
- Dark green veggies like broccoli and leafy greens have been shown to assist in memory retention. Cabbage, though lighter in color, is also on the list.
- Omega-3 fatty acids improve a host of cognitive functions such as depression, mental health, and memory. You can find them in algae and fatty fish, like salmon and sardines. They are even being studied to determine their role in reversing brain function loss due to aging.^{[11]
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  Research source}
2
Get enough sleep. Adults need 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep every night to steer clear of sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep results in loss of sharpness not only in memory, but creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking. You really do focus better if you get enough sleep!^{[12]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
Academic & School Counselor
Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
3
Establish a bedtime routine. Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday (even days off). A sleep routine regulates REM sleep, when your body does most of its repairing.^{[13]
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- Turn off the TV long before bedtime. Stimulation from a TV or computer screen keeps your mind busy instead of helping it shut down for the night.
- Take a bath before bed. A drop in body temperature triggers the need for sleep; adding aromatherapy products (candles, oils, etc.) may increase this effect.^{[14]
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- Stop reading in bed. Again, doing something that stimulates the brain right before bed does not help you get in sleep mode, especially in the space where you need your mind to switch off quickly.
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Work out. Physical exercise can actually improve memory. One study at the University of British Columbia found that different types of memory are bulked up by different types of exercise, whether weight training or aerobic.^{[15]
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Research source} You already knew exercise is good for the body overall, but now you know that if you want to improve your memory, you’ve got to get moving.
- Develop a weekly exercise routine. Start small and gradually increase both the frequency and duration of workouts.
- Join a gym and incorporate weekly visits into your schedule. Most gyms have a staff of personal trainers who can tailor a workout to your needs.
- Grab a friend to help you stay motivated. Knowing someone is waiting on you for their weekly workout will help you get out the door.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I improve my mental focus?

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Ashley Pritchard, MA

School Counselor

Expert Answer

First, get off of social media and avoid fidgeting with your phone. If you need to, place your phone or laptop in another room while you complete whatever you're focusing on. It also helps to set small goals. For example, you may decide to focus on something for 20 minutes and then take a break before returning for another 20 minutes. Over time, try extending how long you're spending focused on your task before taking your break.