20 signs of a lack of concentration

Do you have a lack of focus?

How often do you find yourself saying to someone, “Sorry, where was I?” A lack of concentration is a problem that many of us experience from time to time. We only really need to worry about it when it starts recurring too often and impacts on our daily lives, but of course these sudden moments of forgetfulness or lack of focus can be scary and unsettling.
Usually they are just a sign of stress and are hints that we should slow down and take our foot off the gas for a while.

20 signs of a lack of concentration

1. You struggle to stay focused on the job or task in hand
2. You can’t remember where you left something (car keys, wallet, purse, driving license etc.)
3. You feel disorientated and don’t know where you are
4. You lose your train of thought
5. You’re unable to articulate a thought you have had
6. General forgetfulness
7. You forget someone’s name
8. You have to keep re-reading something
9. Your mind wanders while you’re at work
10. You struggle to finish anything
11. You procrastinate a great deal
12. You struggle to get motivated
13. You can’t wake up without a cup of coffee
14. You can’t remember things that occurred a short time ago
15. You have difficulty sitting still
16. You have difficulty thinking clearly
17. You struggle to make decisions
18. You are unable to perform complicated tasks
19. You lack the physical or mental energy to concentrate
20. You keep making careless mistakes

Physical reasons for a lack of concentration

The physical reasons for a lack of concentration include:

• Hormonal changes – especially during pregnancy and the menopause
• Stroke – caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain can result in memory loss or failure to concentrate.
• Thyroid problems can change brain cell activity
• Anaemia
• Head injuries
• Dementia

What you can do about your lack of concentration

Use relaxation techniques to slow yourself down. You can try out Pilates, yoga, swimming, or you can access some meditation techniques, either online or at a class.

Consider whether you are suffering with depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, depression can lead to a lack of focus and loss of concentration. You may require medical treatment in severe cases.

Get plenty of sleep, because sleep deprivation can lead to a lack of focus. Again, you may need to consider any underlying causes of insomnia and treat those.

Ease off any stimulants or addictive substances you use. This can include alcohol or recreational drugs of course, but may also include caffeine, nicotine, sugar etc. These can mean your brain functions less than optimally. Some prescribed medication will also have this effect, so check with your doctor if this may be the cause of your concentration problems.

If most of your problems concentrating happen at work, it may be time to consider whether you need a new job. If you were interested and stimulated in the workplace, would your mind be wandering at all?

Improve your concentration

You can improve your concentration levels by trying to remain mentally sharp. Challenge yourself by doing puzzles, crosswords, learning to play an instrument or learning a new language, take part in quizzes, or even play computer games.

Try and memorise things. We used to have to do this a lot before the dawning of the computer age. You can still try and memorise phone numbers etc., but why not try poetry or short pieces of prose, or your bank account or national insurance numbers too?

Other articles

Stop procrastinating right now and do something!

Read some tips to get the challenge you're thinking about out of the way. Now is the time to do something, you can start right now. Read on to know more!

How to spot toxic behaviour

You see the word "toxic" everywhere these days, but what does it really mean? You've almost certainly come across someone who fits the description. Dealing with difficult personalities can be challenging and emotionally exhausting, to say the least.

Letting go of the past: 5 tips

Lynn Anderson told it very nicely in her song “I beg your pardon; I never promised you a rose garden”. Life isn’t all roses and everybody experiences something they would rather not once in their life.

How to beat irrational anxieties

Irrational anxieties can seem overwhelming, affecting every aspect of your life. Learn how to beat your fears and worries and take back control.

Six things we think will make us happy, but don't!

When you think about things that will make you happy, what are the images that come to mind? Wealth, beauty, a dream house, long holidays, a top of the range car? Happiness is not a constant and how happy we feel depends on the way we choose to live our lives. 

Signs of depression under the radar

It is not always obvious when someone is experiencing depression. Some people with depression mask their symptoms, hiding their feelings behind a smile to convince others they are happy.

I don't want to!

Motivation can be somewhat elusive - some days, you just can't seem to make yourself do the stuff you don't want to. But putting things off just leads to stress, frustration and a sense of guilt.

A new year, a new me

It’s such a positive thing to do and hope springs eternal, so why not commit yourself to a change this year? Here’s our tips on how to stick to your new year’s resolutions.

Feeling blue?

Feeling blue? You're not alone! We all feel sad at times; it's a normal human emotion. Sometimes, it's clear to see what has triggered our depression. Common reasons for feeling sad include bereavement, the end of a relationship, losing your job or money problems. But it's not always so clearcut.

5 Signs of narcissistic perversion

Narcissism is a term we often see these days. But what does it mean? It's used to describe a person who is full of themselves or overly vain. However, it's not really about self-love.