Having difficulty with focusing is a problem that far too many people struggle with. Whether it's difficult homework, a tedious hobby or something more, we have all had times where we have actively struggled with our focus and concentration. The worst aspect of this particular problem is that there doesn't seem to be a simple fix. In fact, improving your focus and concentration is something that often takes self-discipline and consistency to improve on, however, using sensory putty may be an easy way for you to build on your focus and concentration skills without even realising it. 

Let's take a moment to think about what sensory putty is and how to use it before we delve into the ways in which it can aid in improving focus and concentration. Using sensory putty requires engaging your hands and fingers in repetitive motions by squeezing, stretching and moulding the putty over and over. This can help to improve a multitude of things, such as cognitive function, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and, of course, focus and concentration. 

Now that we know how to use sensory putty, we can explore some of the techniques in which it can be used to improve our focus and concentration!

Use putty during breaks: It's imperative to take breaks when you're hard at work, especially when you're consistently looking at screens or papers. However, if you're rather prone to procrastination or you find that you easily lose track of time when using your phone or other devices, give sensory putty a try. This is a great way to relax your mind and give yourself a break, but it also allows you to remained focus on your task instead of getting distracted with something else. 

Use it to stop fidgeting: When we find it hard to focus, the majority of us will tend to fidget, which can quickly impact our ability to focus. Instead of fidgeting with something that may draw your focus away from something important, try using sensory putty. Stretching and squeezing the putty keeps your hands busy, which can easily stop you from getting distracted and keep your brain engaged on the task at hand. 

Try out different textures: While consistent use of sensory putty can help to engage concentration and focus, repetitive use may become boring for some with short attention spans. Trying different textures with putty can help with this issue. To achieve different textures, experiment with adding different items into your putty, such as floam beads, bingsu beads, sprinkles, etc. 

Combine with other activities: Obviously using sensory putty is not the ultimate answer to solving concentration problems, however pairing it with other activities may further improve it's usefulness and make other focus-boosting activities more exciting. Try using sensory putty alongside meditation or even gentle exercise to boost your focus even further. 

Overall, focus and concentration can be difficult skills to harness and it takes a significant amount of self-discipline to remain good at it, however sensory putty can be an extremely powerful tool in aiding this challenge. Incorporating the use of sensory putty into your routine is simple, but creates significant results in the way it engages cognitive stimulation and relaxation. So, next time you're finding it particularly hard to focus on a given task, give one of our sensory putties a try!