22 typical problems for people who suffer from a lack of concentration

If you suffer with a lack of concentration, there can be a variety of causes of this. You may be suffering with stress for example, or anxiety or depression, or you may have physiological reasons for a lack of concentration. Tiredness is a major factor, as is poor diet. Hormonal changes can also be a reason why many women have trouble concentrating at key periods in their lives such as puberty, during pregnancy or approaching menopause. For most of us, concentration problems will be temporary, but that doesn’t stop us worrying about the issues here and now.

Do you suffer with a lack of concentration? Do you recognise these problems?

1. You enter a room but can’t remember what you came in for.
2. You go to the supermarket and you ‘know there was something else’ but can’t remember what it was.
3. You put your keys/purse/wallet/spectacles down and can’t find them again “I know I put them somewhere!”
4. You start something, perhaps a book or a craft project, but then you don’t finish what you were doing.
5. You’re watching a television show or a movie and your mind wanders so much you can’t follow the plot
6. You’re studying but can’t remember anything at all
7. Your mind races from one thought to the next without pausing
8. You are struggling to remember things in your short term memory
9. You have difficulty forming coherent thoughts
10. You start speaking but trail off
11. You struggle with names
12. You suffer with insomnia and your brain is too busy in the night, meaning you toss and turn
13. It’s someone’s birthday and you forget to send a card
14. You have an appointment and completely forget you’re supposed to show up
15. You’re sat at your desk and feel paralysed with the weight of what you have to do and have no idea where to start
16. You know you should keep some sort of diary or create a task list but haven’t got around to doing it
17. You’re good at procrastination
18. You’re easily distracted
19. Too much noise in your environment means you can’t think straight
20. You feel down or anxious and being low means you’re inclined to put things off, or feel ‘it isn’t worth it’.
21. You have no enthusiasm for the task in hand
22. You can’t focus on anything for very long at all.

You can improve your concentration

If you get to grips with what it is that is actually causing your concentration problems, then the chances are that you will be able to improve matters. The thing to remember is that concentration problems can range in intensity from slight, to moderate, to severe. They can come in waves, where the problem is really bad one minute but eases the next. It may be a temporary blip, a stressful period in your life. If you’re worried that it is anything more deeply rooted than this, then do take further advice.

Other articles

7 Reasons Why Your Child is Underperforming

As parents, we often worry about a poor school report as much, if not more, as our kids do! And if your child's grades are slipping, you'll be looking for reasons and if there's anything you can do to help.

I don't want to!

Motivation can be somewhat elusive - some days, you just can't seem to make yourself do the stuff you don't want to. But putting things off just leads to stress, frustration and a sense of guilt.

A new year, a new me

It’s such a positive thing to do and hope springs eternal, so why not commit yourself to a change this year? Here’s our tips on how to stick to your new year’s resolutions.

How to know when to say no

It's often difficult to say no, but some people never do! So how do you know when to say no and when to say yes?

Simple tips to not be afraid of the future

No one knows what the future holds, so don't waste time and energy worrying about it. Read our tips and find out how to stop being afraid of what might never happen.

How to prove your value

Feel like everyone takes you for granted? Whether it's working late to prepare a presentation or cooking a special birthday meal for your partner, it's nice to be appreciated when you've made an extra effort. And if it seems as if people don't notice, you might feel as if no one values you.

How to break your bad habits

Bad habits waste your energy and time. They disrupt your life, risk your health and stop you from achieving your aims. So why do we do them? And what can we do to break our bad habits?

Hiding a depression: find out if someone you know - or you yourself! - is doing this

It's not always easy to tell if someone has depression. While some signs such as sadness, pessimism and withdrawal from social interaction are easy to recognise, other symptoms may be less obvious. And some people are very good at hiding their depression - even from themselves!

Are most people good or bad?

Do you sometimes despair about humanity because it seems there are far more bad people than good? Are we primarily selfish individuals, thinking only about our own needs? Or is this cynical belief just because we spend so much time online? The truth is more complicated!

Signs of depression under the radar

It is not always obvious when someone is experiencing depression. Some people with depression mask their symptoms, hiding their feelings behind a smile to convince others they are happy.