Warmer weather has finally arrived.  And for many so has Spring Fever.  Staring out the window, thinking of something other than work is a universal theme in offices around the country this time of year.  You may not be the only professional day-dreaming about playing hooky from work. But now more than ever is the time to get focused and concentrate on the tasks at hand.

So how do you free your mind of the clutter?  Dr. Oz suggests 4 quick ways to reenergize your brain and get back to business.

1. Sleep.  First and foremost, getting enough rest is one way to improve your overall mental well-being.  Sleep needs vary by age and life style. But according to the Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs at least 7 hours of sleep to feel rested.  If you are skimping on your sleep, make a point to get to bed a little earlier and start catching those much needed zzzz’s.
2. Exercise.  Exercise is a great way to increase blood flow and burn energy.  A good run or walk around the office can release tension and allow you to focus at work.  Plus, you can tire yourself out and sleep like a baby tonight.
3. Watch what you eat and drink.  Eating healthy and avoiding too many simulants like caffeine and energy drinks will also give your brain the chance to concentrate on the most important priorities.
4. Finally, mediate.  Using this ancient approach to clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts and finding an inner calm, will further help you gain control of your personal concentration.

In addition to the Dr. Oz’s ideas, I would suggest a few other things to keep in mind:

• Lists.  Sometimes there are often too many projects, opportunities and client needs to attend to in a given day.  At Creative Choice for example, my team and I prioritize our list of things to do throughout the work week.  Having a specific and tangible list of objectives and goals for the day or week helps our team stay on task.
• Brain games.  I have mentioned that my teams operate in Texas and sunny Florida.  Getting distracted is an occupational hazard in the sun-belt.  So, one trick we use to keep focused is to use brain games.  A quick game of SODUKO, a crossword puzzle or an online game of Solitaire gives you time to declutter all your other priorities and focus on a specific task.
• Take a break.  Our Etech Global Solutions team employees thousands of associates.  We schedule a break for all our team members. The ability to “take 5” and refresh  your thoughts, is a great way to keep our employees energy level up and stay focused on meeting our customer needs.

They say that the average brain has over 70,000 thoughts in a day.  That is a lot of thinking.  Using the techniques above can help clear a path to enhanced concentration and overall greater productivity.  Harness the greatness of your mind!