Skip to main content

Cornell University

The Bookshelf

Exploring EdTech and Cognitive Psychology

How To Gain More Energy And Sharper Focus At A Desk

How To Gain More Energy And Sharper Focus At A Desk

To function properly at a desk, it is important to gain more energy and sharper focus. Unfortunately, lots of people do several things that make it difficult for them to preserve their energy. Apart from struggling to be focused on your work or gaming, these things will also lower your productivity.

So, if you would like to gain more energy and sharper focus at your desk, here are the vital things you need to do:

1. Exercise regularly

When it comes to gaining more energy and sharper focus at a desk, the importance of exercise can never be overemphasized. Lots of studies have shown that exercise can improve the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine levels in the brain. As a result of this, your attention and focus will increase significantly. Other studies established that mental sharpness, memory, and concentration depend on the release of some chemicals.

As you exercise regularly, your muscles will relax. Over time, this will relieve the tension in your body; thus, ensuring that you can stay focused and energized at a desk.

2. Get a good ergonomic chair

An ergonomic chair is a chair designed to promote good posture and health. Such a chair comes with the right material, height, backrest, wheels, seat width, headrest, armrest, lumbar support, and other features that guarantee the comfort of the user. Due to its design, an ergonomic chair helps you to reduce stress. Consequently, you will be able to preserve your energy and focus at a desk.

According to research by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, workers using ergonomic chairs experience an improvement in their error rates and absenteeism. This is because the chairs assist them to focus more at work; hence, they can perform better.

However, if you are looking for an ergonomic chair, you should look for one that has the right qualities such as adjustability, customizability, lumbar support, etc. Check out this ergonomic sitting guide to learn more about how you can choose the best ergonomic chair for you.

3. Take frequent movement breaks

When working or gaming, lots of individuals are fond of forcing themselves to continue working for several hours. Unfortunately, our brain cannot focus on any tasks for an extended period. After working for some hours, we are bound to be distracted.

One of the ways to deal with this issue is to take frequent movement breaks from the desk. In other words, you should leave your desk and walk around for a few minutes. The movement will improve your blood circulation and rejuvenate your energy. Whenever you return to your desk, you will be able to focus more on accomplishing your goals. Furthermore, taking frequent movement breaks will assist you to avoid headaches, lethargy, fatigue, and other issues associated with staring at the computer screen for a long time.

4. Prioritize good nutrition

Without mincing words, our brains can only function properly when we take healthy meals. If you take junks and other unhealthy diets, you will not get the fuel needed to work optimally. Therefore, you should always prioritize good nutrition.

Make sure you eat food with lots of vegetables, fruits, and fibers. In addition to fueling your brain, these food ingredients will help in maintaining your energy level and regulating blood sugar. Berries, coconut oil, and nuts can also offer healthy fats that your brain requires to work seamlessly.

According to some studies, these food items have an enzyme that can promote blood and oxygen flow to your brain. As your brain receives more blood and oxygen flow, it will increase your concentration by several hours.

Conversely, you need to avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, sugary food, etc. This unhealthy food can make you feel drowsy and dizzy; thus, making you lose energy and reducing your ability to focus at your desk.

5. Sleep well

Due to your dedication to work or gaming, you may want to sacrifice your sleep to focus on the things you are doing. Unluckily, such action is counterproductive as it will affect your energy and focus at your desk. Also, the lack of sleep will make you feel fatigued; hence, your productivity will reduce significantly.

So, if you want to gain more energy and sharper focus at a desk, you need to sleep well. Based on an expert recommendation, every adult should sleep for at least 7 hours every night.

Get rid of anything that may want to distract you from having a good night’s rest. Turn off your phone, computer, and other devices. Don’t take caffeine.

6. Stay hydrated

One of the secrets of being focused for an extended period is staying hydrated. Besides, taking lots of water can boost your energy levels; hence, it will assist you to perform your roles better. Therefore, you shouldn’t hesitate to drink lots of water throughout the day.

Experts recommend that every adult should take at least 8 glasses of water every day. To improve the taste of your water, you can add some drops of lemons or limes to it. Nevertheless, sugary drinks, juices, etc. are not substitutes for water.

7. Organize your desk

If your desk is littered with all kinds of items, your energy and focus can be affected. This is because the things we are looking at can influence how our brains function. So, it does not come as a surprise that a messy desk can make you feel distracted.

To avoid distraction, you should think about organizing your desk. Keep varying items in different files. Get rid of objects that are no longer useful for you. These things will not only make your desk look clean and attractive but will also help you to focus on your work.

In a nutshell, you must always remember that your ability to gain more energy and sharper focus at a desk depends on what you do. Therefore, you should try to follow the methods above to train yourself to be more energized and focused.