Recently a client and I rescheduled our meeting to start a little later than usual. This is fine as I love working with my clients and working evenings works well for managing the needs of my family, however, 6:30 pm UK time is 8:30 pm for me in my current location!
My old instinct would have been to reach for the coffee or some chocolate, or maybe both! But I have paid attention to my body and now know that caffeine will keep me awake for longer than I would like, and that will then impact my focus and attention the next day, and sugar in the evening will have me waking up hungry and throw off my morning routine.
And so, to manage how I approach these sessions I have found ways of working with my body to maintain concentration late into the evening, without impacting my sleep or the way I feel the next day.
1 – Breathwork
Before any meeting I will always spend about fifteen minutes preparing my notes and setting up my laptop, during this time I incorporate some useful breathing practices that promote concentration.
You may be thinking about breathing techniques that calm you, reduce your heart rate, help you feel less stress, but the objective here is the opposite. When you are in need of focus, you are looking to induce an acute stress response, here the objective is to turn on the body’s sympathetic nervous system, this type of ‘good stress’ is known as eustress. This has a short-term effect of making you more reactive, energetic, and more productive.
I love the work of Stuart Sandeman and I use these two techniques as described in his book 'Breathe In Breathe Out'.
Alternate-Nostril Breathing
As you breathe in through your right nostril your sympathetic nervous system is activated (stress response), and through the left the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest response). Sandeman recommends doing this technique for at least four minutes. I recommend Sanderman’s book for the full technique, however, you will also find a description here - Medical News Today.
Box Breathing
Apparently, this exercise is undertaken by US Navy SEALs to induce a state of focus or flow before a challenge. Box breathing gets its name from using the visual aid of the four sides of a square.
Breathe in through your nose for four. Sandeman tells us to use the diaphragm and feel the belly rise.
Hold for four. Here we keep calm and still.
Breathe out of your nose for four. Steady and controlled.
Hold your breath for four. Here we are advised to be soft, no clamping and watch out for tension, my tip here is to say to yourself ‘relax the forehead’ and the rest seems to follow.
Repeat this pattern.
(If you find four seconds a challenge, start with three seconds and build up to four.)
2 – Exercise
The evidence is mounting that exercise is good for your brain! We all understand there are longer-term benefits to exercising regularly, however, we also experience an immediate effect on our brains when we exercise.
I love Max Lugavere’s book ‘Genius Foods’ which focuses on brain health and using diet to protect the brain from neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, but he also brilliantly discusses the benefits of exercise on brain health and function.
Lugavere discusses how the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (or noradrenaline to us Brits) is increased during a stressful event, if this becomes chronic then your heightened state of stress can negatively impact your cognitive function, however, acute release of norepinephrine can boost focus and improve productivity, and this happens when we exercise.
And so, for me, these late meetings offer a fantastic opportunity to finish up a family dinner, pop on my trainers and head outside for a brisk walk, with plenty of time to shower and prepare for my meeting.
As an added side effect, exercise also stimulates the release of the hormone dopamine, this improves my mood and sets me up well for an evening meeting. Not only that, but I am aware of the increase in my creative problem-solving as moments of inspiration develop in high definition as I walk.
“…. Studies suggest that walking is a powerful boost to creative cognition because of the particular way it entrains remote associations in the brain, in addition to the stimulus provided by nature.”
Shane O’Mara
In Praise of Walking:
The new science of how we walk and why it’s good for us.
3 – Herbs and Essential Oils
This one is a trial and error; it is about what I can source and what works for me. There is a plethora of advice online about which essential oils and herbs promote concentration and focus but these are my preferred sources.
Reed Diffuser
I use a sandalwood reed diffuser in my office (for my fellow Cyprus dweller, this one is from Jumbo of all places). Sandalwood promotes positive thinking, focus and concentration. It smells wonderful and as it greets me when I enter my office, I find I am ready to go.
Herbal Teas
I have sourced a lovely mixed tea from a beautiful botanical garden (again, for anyone living in or visiting Cyprus then head to Cyherbia). It contains a mixture of focus and memory boosting herbs including peppermint, rosemary, sage, and lemon balm, it smells and tastes great.
I am still on my trial-and-error experiment and next, if I can source it, is to use rosemary oil. You can use this as a room fragrance or by dabbing a little on the tip of your nose.
Here is another resource that might help you in finding some essential oils that best work for you in supporting your focus and concentration.
How Coaching Supports This Change
Reducing caffeine intake and improving poor dietary choices are common concerns my clients have brought to coaching. These tips are what work for me, but as a Wellness Coach I work with my clients in developing unique mindsets and actions that work best for them as individuals, to support long lasting change.
How To Start Making This Change
The first step in making this change is self-awareness; pay attention to what you are consuming and when, and then examine your thoughts around this food or drink item and the consequences of consuming or not consuming.
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