Focus--trying to concentrate

A famous athlete once said: It is not necessarily the amount of time you spent of practice that accounts, it's what you put into the practice. So we can spend our time, studying, or practicing, or doing whatever, but if we aren't able to focus, the quality isn't there. And the time can easily get wasted. So, assuming that you are awake, but you just don't seem to be able to focus well, what do you do to shift gears? What do you do to make a difference? Sure, just relaxing and goofing around may be a good idea once in a while, like taking a break. But what helps us to focus? When you really need to get some work done, and you need to be able to concentrate, what do you do? Do you have kids, or teach kids? If you do, you know that they have plenty of energy and a short attention span. Combining these two things and focusing is a big, big challenge. So, how do you help the kids? Carry a stick? Bribe them with candy? Do you have any good strategies you can share? When it comes to the focusing for the self, or trying to help others focus, it's a challenge.

Talk about it:

Do you spend your time wisely? What practice or study methods do you use? Do you lose your concentration easily? Or, can you stay focused? How often do you take breaks? What do you do when you breaks? After you take a break, do you have a difficult time going back to work? How do you motivate yourself to work, study, or practice harder? Is there a certain time of day when you find easiest to focus? What kind of environment helps you to concentrate the most? Do you find that you can concentrate better in a quiet setting? What type of noises or sounds do you find extracting?