Many of us want to improve concentration - both for ourselves and our children. If we could concentrate on tasks regardless of how much or how little interest they held for us, our work quality would improve vastly. At the same time, our children seem to be affected by a lack of concentration as well - after all, that's nothing new; all students daydream from time to time, rather than focusing on the lesson at hand. Imagine if they didn't, though - just imaging what could be accomplished, and in how short a time! How much time is lost every year because of poor concentration? In extreme cases, of course, children (and some adults) are medicated for ADD or ADHD, conditions that impair concentration. Most of us are considered 'normal' with regard to our concentration level, though, and we know from personal experience that 'normal' still leaves a lot of room for improvement!

If you agree that the quality of your work and life, and those of your children, would be improved if you could only find a way to improve concentration, read on. The problem most of us experience with regard to concentration is that we are distracted by a million little things almost constantly. For example, problems have a way of intruding, as does physical discomfort. When you have not had enough sleep, or are distracted by a personal problem, it is amost impossible to concentrate. What can you do to improve concentration under these circumstances?

In some cases, the best thing to do might be to give in to your state of distraction, and pursue your work at a later time. When we choose the optimal time at which to do a certain job, we are 'in the zone', so to speak. Our concentration is perfect and everything goes well. Work done 'in the zone' is often of much higher quality than work that is done at other times.

This state of being can't always be called up at will, however. Sometimes, we just have to wait for it - and deal with our other problems first. The key seems to be the timing of work, and being sure to get enough rest in the meantime. When the time is right to do a certain job, it is almost guaranteed to go smoothly because your concentration is optimal. Take full advantage of this 'in the zone' feeling to get work done fast, smoothly and effectively.