Need to focus...but can't?
Apr 13, 2023
Do you find it hard to focus at times?
One of the side effects of anxiety...or maybe it's a cause...is the inability to focus. For some people, not focusing causes delays in completing tasks, feeling behind, running late, and....as you might guess....Anxiety! For others, anxiety makes it hard to focus and concentrate on the task at hand...which increases the feeling of anxiety.
It can be a never ending cycle. YIKES!
[WARNING: I'm about to nerd out a bit in this next paragraph.]
While working through an Integrative Nutrition Mental Health Medical Provider certification, I learned about EMDR. It's a therapeutic technique used to treat trauma and PTSD. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to allow the brain to access trauma and reprocess it in the brain so that you can heal. Bilateral means taking turns on both sides. Stimulation, in EMDR, can be eye movements, tapping, or sounds. When you put it together, EMDR uses this method of either tapping, sounds, or eye movements from one side of your body to the other. This activity soothes your brain enough to reprocess negative events or emotions.
I was so fascinated, I took another course specifically to learn more about this technique. What I wondered was, if this is so great for trauma treatment...could it help with less severe symptoms???
I began experimenting with my husband (thanks, Joe π) and myself.
I want to share one of the things I learned and still use today!
There is a genre of music called binaural music. It's calming music that uses the EMDR concept of bilateral stimulation. The volume of the music fluctuates from side to side....gently.
If you put on headphones and listen to this type of music, it helps you concentrate. Whenever I'm feeling scattered and have too much to do, I will put on some Binaural music, wear my headphones (this is an important part), and go to work! It works like a charm. There has also been research to show it can help you sleep.
Perhaps it isn't solving all of the problems. BUT...if it helps you concentrate and knock a few things off of your list...I call that life-changing.
If you want to give it a try, click the link below. It will take you to the EXACT playlist I use on Spotify.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7tLh5eRPAzXjZLTVviyTCq
If you try it out, let me know what you think!
You deserve the joy and peace you desire! I'm cheering you on!
πStacey