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The added stress and anxiety many of us feel during the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the unprecedented number of distractions we face today is affecting our collective attention spans, and not in a good way. Although the brain is adept at responding to short bursts of stress, it's not as good at handling low-grade, ongoing stresses like what many of us feel during these unusual and often difficult times. Whether it's constantly checking smartphones, stressing about tomorrow's work and childcare calendar, spending hours bouncing around the internet or watching the ever-increasing advertisements during television or streaming programs, our daily digital doses are unknowingly adding to our concentration woes and leaving many of us in an all-too-familiar brain fog.

According to a TIME article, there are many ways to improve your focus and help manage stress during the ongoing pandemic. For those who find themselves having trouble concentrating, or even for those who just want a quick concentration tune-up, use the tips below to help improve your concentration:

• First and foremost, lean on basics like sleep, healthy eating and exercise. Although many gyms are limited or closed, the great outdoors are a perfect place to get some exercise during the pandemic, reconnect with nature and work off some of the stress and anxiety you may be feeling.
  
  
• Cut back on the amount of television you or your children watch.
  
  

• Try not to spend time in front of a screen for the last hour of the day before bedtime. That includes avoiding your phone, television or computer.

• Get enough sleep. The CDC recommends seven to nine hours of sleep for teens and adults, 10 to 11 hours for school kids and even more for preschoolers and toddlers.

• Avoid drinks that contain stimulants. Although caffeine or nicotine can give you a quick boost, it lasts only a short time.

• Pay attention to what you eat. A high-fat meal can leave you feeling sluggish. This is not because the body needs the extra blood to help digest the food. Research has shown that you feel sleepy after eating a meal high in fat or refined sugar because these foods change the makeup of the amino acids entering the brain.

• Try to stay calm and relaxed. Take a short break of a few seconds to a minute every hour or so at work to break the tension cycle. Just taking a moment to breathe deeply and slowly can help you re-center yourself.

• Practice mindfulness - close your eyes for a moment and focus on yourself and your breathing in the present moment.