How to Increase Mental Stamina

Co-authored by Annie Lin, MBA

Last Updated: February 2, 2023 References Approved

Though endurance is often associated with athletic activities, mentally-grueling projects also require a lot of mental concentration and stamina. Perseverance is of the utmost importance in solving a complex problem. Here are some additional tips to increase your focus and to get tough things done.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Improving Your Focus

1
Prioritize your tasks efficiently. The better you can organize tasks according to some plan or logic, the more you'll be able to focus and complete those tasks in a timely manner.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.} If you want to improve your mental stamina, improve your prioritizing skills.
- Make a list of what you need to do. Rank the tasks in order of difficulty, or in order of urgency, depending on the tasks.
- Spend five or ten minutes figuring out how much time each task should take, then draw up a quick schedule for yourself and try to stick to it as much as possible.
2
Do one thing at a time. For some people, multi-tasking can work. But if you want to really improve your focus and mental stamina, it's important to narrow in on one thing only, see it through to completion, and then take on something else.^{[2]
X
Expert Source

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.}^{[3]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- Start with the most important or the most difficult task you need to accomplish while you're fresh. Get it out of the way, so that the rest of the work you've got to do will be smoother sailing, and will require less of you.
- Do something until it's finished. It takes you a long time to go in and out of tasks, re-acclimating yourself to the job at hand. Instead of getting up and doing something else for a while, finish. Then take a break. Then start something new.
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3
Eliminate distractions. If you're focusing on doing math problems, or reading a complicated text, you shouldn't be also trying to eat a sandwich, watch television, or carry on a conversation. Eliminate the noise, put your phone away, and just do the thing you're doing.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.}
- Find a quiet space when you want to focus. If you have trouble finding one where you are, get some noise-canceling headphones and just leave them on silent.
- Lots of people think that the radio on in the background is a good way to study, or that they can watch TV while grading papers. This is partially true.^{[5]
  X
  Research source} Only listen to music if you've heard it before, and you like it. Don't try to focus on watching a show you've never seen before.
4
Think positively. Self-confidence is one of the most important characteristics to focus and success in a given task.^{[6]
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Research source} If you go into something that requires great focus, assume that you're going to do well. Assume that you have the skills and the know-how to finish it properly. Assume that you'll succeed.
- Positive thinking is good, but you also have to put the work in. Don't just assume that good vibes will carry you through a tough test. You've still got to study and think hard during the test itself.
- Take deep breaths if you get nervous performing difficult tasks. Focusing on your breathing and calming your nerves will help you perform.
5
Try visualizing. One technique commonly used by athletes involves actually closing your eyes (yes, do this) and picturing what you want to happen in your mind. If you're struggling hard with a test, then picture yourself going through confidently and answering all the questions correctly.^{[7]
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Research source} Picture your teacher giving you back your tests with the grade you want.
- Do this just before the task itself, and try to stay in that confident head-space. That's where you want to be.
6
Do mental exercises. Playing games that involve your focus and attention can have a positive impact on your ability to focus in the long-term. The ability to assemble lots of different information and come to a conclusion is what focus is all about. Difficult games and mental exercises require you to do just that. Try playing the following types of focus-building games:
- Chess
- Sudoku
- Crossword puzzles
- Turn-based strategy games
7
Try to learn new words. Vocabulary building may not seem tied to focus necessarily, but the ability to absorb new information regularly is an important part of overall focus and mental stamina. Make a habit of trying to learn a few new words every month, and keep them rotating in your usage. Be a student of words.
- Learn a new language, if you're feeling really ambitious. Taking on an entirely different vocabulary can open up your mind in exciting ways.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Improving Your Attention Span

1
Read more. A recent study revealed that people who read novels regularly are able to empathize more easily, and have an easier time paying attention for longer.^{[8]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source} Head to your local library and pick up some books you're interested in.
- Read everything. You don't have to read heavy classic novels to get the most out of this. Read Westerns or Romance novels. Read the newspaper. Read magazines you like. Read it all.
2
Schedule regular breaks. A recent study revealed that taking regular quick breaks, less than five minutes every hour, is better than taking a single long break in the middle of a difficult task. So, let yourself stop doing what you're doing at least once an hour. Get up, walk around, and turn your mind off for a minute.
- It's usually easier to remember to take one big break, usually for eating, but set a timer to go off every 50 minutes or so, to remind yourself to give yourself a break and do nothing. You need that time.
3
Limit your Internet usage. A Pew Study recently linked the increased availability of high-speed Internet services with a diminished attention capacity in American teenagers.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
Pew Research Center
Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends
Go to source} If you're feeling tempted to slap a TLDR on every Facebook post longer than a couple of lines, maybe it's time to give it a break for a while.
- You can also use Internet blockers to help you out if you find the lure of messing around too strong when you're trying to work on your computer.
- Delete unnecessary apps from your phone. You'll spend less time clicking around on Facebook and other social media if you can't do it in transit.
4
Invest in detailed games and stories. Entertainment isn't all equal. Some stuff is difficult to sit through, but learning to appreciate the fun in a long game of chess, or the story told in Anna Karenina can help your attention span improve in other parts of your life. Decide to enjoy something that's slow and quiet, instead of looking for flash-bang fun.
- Watch fewer YouTube clips and short little .gif sites. If you want to sit down and invest in something, watch an engaging movie, documentary, or long-form show that you're interested in.
- You can have fun to, and you don't have to actually like reading Anna Karenina. Mental stamina isn't just an excuse to be pretentious. Form an opinion, but focus and pay attention enough to form that opinion.
5
Don't beat yourself up for slips. Everybody has trouble concentrating sometimes...Even Einstein did! Try not to get too discouraged about your mental stamina, or you risk making it worse. If you're stressed and anxious, your ability to concentrate for a longer period of time with be diminished significantly. Try to relax as much as possible and think positively.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Changing Your Habits

1
Get more sleep. Sleep gives your brain and body time to recover and rejuvenate. If you want to get the most out of your mind, give it plenty of time to turn off at the end of the day with good-quality rest.
- While most doctors and sleep scientists agree that humans require around 8 hours of sleep per night, individuals differ widely. You know your body best-if waking up in the morning feels like the end of the world, then you're likely not getting enough.
- Don't eat, or drink any caffeine, alcohol, or sugary beverages shortly before bed. When your body's working to digest, your sleep suffers in quality.
2
Change your diet. What you put into your body affects the way your mind works. If you've got a day of heavy lifting in the brain department, make sure you eat a diet rich in protein, slow-digesting carbohydrates, and fresh fruits and vegetables to get your brain firing on all cylinders.
- Oatmeal, fruit, cereal, toast, and yogurt are all great breakfast choices if you've got to do some heavy thinking over the course of a day. Of course, if you're a coffee drinker, it's fine to have a cup-but stop after one.
- Avoid heavy saturated fats, sugary foods, and high caffeine levels. Over-doing the caffeine will almost certainly cause you to crash, and the first thing to suffer will be your mental stamina. Cut back on caffeine if you're a regular user.
3
Drink plenty of water. 70% of your body is water and your body requires lots of it to function. Try to drink as much as two liters of water a day, to make sure that your body and its organs are being replenished and rejuvenated.
4
Do physical exercise as well as mental. Get your body moving to help get your mind clear. There are direct connections between exercise and mood, and exercise releases positive mood hormones in your brain that helps you stay positive and upbeat, an essential part of focus.
- Use exercise as a break, or as a way to meditate. Just going on a short brisk walk after meals can be a great way of getting a little exercise.^{[10]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Psychological Association
  Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
  Go to source}
5
De-stress regularly. Your mind needs both exercise and an occasional break. If you tend toward the obsessive, or have trouble shutting your brain off, it can make it very challenging to focus. You don't have to be on all the time. Give yourself permission to relax your mind and calm your stress.
- Try progressive muscle relaxation regularly, especially if you're in the middle of something tough. It only takes fifteen minutes, and involves nothing more than slowly tensing and releasing your muscles.
- Consider meditation. Yoga, deep breathing, and other types of simple relaxation techniques can also be quite effective.
6
Talk to your doctor if you struggle to pay attention. If you think that your peers are consistently outperforming you in mental stamina, focus, and concentration and that it is a problem in your life, consider talking to your doctor about testing for learning disabilities or ADHD. You might be eligible for a prescription to a stimulant medication to help you concentrate.
- Psychostimulants don't work for everyone, and side effects can vary depending on the person. It may take a while to get used to the drug.