2. Stress and Anger
When you’re tense, you get a rush of brain chemicals, like norepinephrine and cortisol, that cause you to hyperfocus “like a deer in the headlights,” says psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino. Thousands of years ago, this was a survival aid — your anxiety-induced focus helped you steer clear of potential predators. But today — when stress might feel life-threatening but usually isn’t — this only means that you have a harder time focusing on work when your mind is on your visiting in-laws or a speech you have to give. Anger has the same effect. When you’re irritated by something, your stress hormones rise and your concentration levels decrease.

How to Regain Your Focus

Start moving. A quick burst of aerobic exercise relieves stress and improves concentration by flooding the brain with oxygen and activating brain chemicals such as dopamine.

Recent studies have shown that people who engage in aerobic exercise — anything from ice-skating to taking a brisk walk — at least two days a week have better concentration levels than do nonexercisers. If you’ve been stuck at your desk all day and a quick walk around the block isn’t an option, just stand up. This simple act tells your brain it’s time to be awake and act alert, says Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D.

Think happy thoughts. “Thinking of things that promote warmth, connection, and happiness reduces the hormones associated with stress, fear, and anger that can impede concentration,” says author Edward Hallowell.

3. Age and Genetics
Age and genetics, in addition to lifestyle, can influence brain functioning. “While symptoms of ADHD have been found to increase with age, there is no evidence that a normal attention span decreases with age,” says Nadeau. And while many aspects of the brain are influenced by genetics, which means you may be predisposed to a problem with attention, you can have a huge effect on your brain’s functioning through how you live your daily life. It is well-known that people can literally grow areas of the brain through repetitive, effortful practice, says Nadeau.

How to Regain Your Focus

Exercise your brain. Exercising your mental “muscles” will help preserve your ability to concentrate. Do crossword and sudoku puzzles, read challenging novels, or log on to Happy-neuron.com, a website where you can play games specifically developed to improve brain functioning. A study of the 32 games on Happy-neuron.com, funded by the Centers for Disease Control, showed that people who played the games three times a week showed significant improvement in cognitive function.

Helloooo! Welcome back. Try this exercise to regain focus. Put your elbows on a table with your forearms pointing up. On the count of one, squeeze your right hand into a fist and bend your left hand at the wrist so that it’s pointing toward your right hand. On the count of two, switch hands: The left hand squeezes into a fist; the right hand points toward the left. Count to 20, increasing the speed of the movements as you go.