Focus vs. Concentration: Understanding the Difference

No matter how you slice it, you need focus AND concentration to get through daily tasks. But what’s the difference? Well, today, The Natural Patch Co. is diving deep into concentration, focus, and what you need to know to achieve them both. 

While they definitely come together to get the same end results, focus and concentration differ slightly when it comes to specific needs and wants. The bottom line, however, is that one doesn’t work as well without the other. Getting things done every day would be really hard without them. 

Understanding what they mean is just the tip of the iceberg if you will. Once we know what they are, we need to know how to make them work for us. With everything going on in our daily lives and everything we manage for those around us, it should come as no surprise that our brains are working overtime just to get through that coffee date with your best friend. 

So on top of improving your understanding of focus and concentration, we are going to give you a few ways that the world around you is impacting your focus and concentration and what you can do to change that forever. 

What Exactly Is Focus?

Focus is much like the point on a laser, or the point we look at when our eyes feel blurry, and we need to correct it. “Focus” refers to something, some centralized point, that our attention is directed at. It means you’re able to pick something or one task and keep on it till you have seen the to-do to the end. 

What Exactly Is Concentration?

Concentration differs only slightly from focus. Concentration is the ability to keep your mind and attention on the task at hand until it is done. Basically, once you’re able to focus on a task, your mind then would need to concentrate on that task until it is complete. 

What Does This Mean?

It means that you need both, they work hand-in-hand, and no, you really can’t have one without the other. 

But it doesn’t mean that if you struggle currently with your focus and concentration, you are doomed to be in this inattentive cycle forever. The first step in this is admitting you have a problem. That’s the hard part; realizing you need help to train your brain to function better for you. 

With all the technology at our instant disposal, add to that the mindless hours we need every day to find out what’s happening on social media. Then, pile that on top of the countless hours of television we seem to do all the time. Wow, it's no wonder our brains have gone a little sideways!

Luckily for you, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading for the helpful ways you can work smarter, not harder, in no time.

If You Don’t Snooze? You Lose.

Adults and children have different sleep needs. This is because our kids are growing so quickly (no wonder they ate all the snacks out of the fridge). Sadly, most kids aren’t getting enough sleep at night, according to the Cleveland Health Clinic.

When you get down to the numbers, adults need seven to eight hours a night to have their brains fully rested and ready to tackle the day. 

When you sleep, your brain unpacks all the events of the day. It throws out what it doesn’t need and keeps the morsels of the essential information you did get.

If you aren’t getting adequate sleep, your brain will just continue to carry around the baggage from the day before, adding up every day you don’t sleep enough. Imagine at the end of the week what that looks like; then the month, then the year. 

If you’re having trouble falling asleep and staying that way restfully all night, try our SleepyPatch. It’s a delightful blend of all-natural essential oils that help your body get the green light to go to dreamland.

The best part? Our products are all-natural and stick right on your clothes—easy to apply for every unique situation. Another fantastic aspect of the SleepyPatch: You will love the smell. It’s aromatic for purpose and pleasure, and you will be delighted with the results.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Your brain needs fuel to get through the day, but the foods you put in your body greatly affect the type of fuel your body runs on. When you eat a well-balanced diet, your brain will get the proper nutrients and vitamins every single day to always perform at its best. 

While junk food and candy might be more fun, just like we know our kids can’t survive on cookies, our bodies need even more structure and restraint. The older we get, the more our brain naturally loses the ability to focus and concentrate and the length of time we can do these things. So our diets are vital to keeping our brain functioning in tip-top shape. 

If you ever need a little help curbing those junk food cravings, reach for one of our all-natural CravePatch. The amazing blend of essential oils will not only keep you from craving those salty, sweet, high-in-cholesterol, and low in everything-good-for-you snacks.

The CravePatch can also help children from snacking on the weekends when they are *absolutely dying of boredom.* 

Exercise Regularly

Physical exercise, while it might be tiring for your body, is a great way to start strengthening your brain’s ability to focus and concentrate. When you work out your body, you work out all the fidgets and wiggles that can occur and pop up when you’re trying to sit and complete something, especially things you already dread doing. 

A book report or slideshow for a boring meeting might not be your cup of tea, but they’re due anyway and aren’t getting done any faster while you complain. So go take a walk around the block and do 30 minutes of yoga.

Shed yourself of those body kinks that keep distracting you from your work. Exercise is also awesome for kids. Start a dance party in the living room during rainy evenings, or hit the trail for a hike on those warm sunny days,

Controlling Distractions

Ok, this one is easy to see why it’s so important. Just like we can’t give our full attention to all the children on the playground at once, neither can we give in to all the little notions that pop into our heads all day and night.

To keep your focus and concentration, you have to eliminate the distractions around you while completing tasks. Maybe your family’s secret weapon will be turning off the tv while your kids are doing homework or adding noise-canceling headphones to your birthday wish list.

Eliminating the outside elements that keep us from completing jobs all day is a sure-fire way to get focus and concentration where it should be. 

If you need a little help getting into a good routine, our FocusPatch is blended with all the right essential oils to help your brain zero in on the activities at hand and keep all the other stuff out. 

You’re Ready For Anything

We know these tips are the best ways to start your journey to better focus and concentration. While there are products out there that promise results with chemicals, we just don’t want those anywhere near our families.

At theThe Natural Patch Co., we know that with the boost of nature’s natural superpowers and the best scientists we have, our bodies can do amazing things. So it’s time to show the world what your best self is capable of and lead your family on the best of adventures. 

Sources:

7 Useful Tips for Improving Your Mental Focus | Very Well Mind

Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep? Here's How to Tell | Cleveland Health

Focus on concentration | Harvard Health