There are many things that can affect our ability to focus. We can be distracted by sounds, people, thoughts or stress. Fatigue can make it hard to keep our eyes open or concentrate on what’s in front of us. Our body might need to move to release some pent up energy or lay down to recuperate and rest. The level of interest we have in something can also make it easier or harder to pay attention. The capacity we have mentally to engage if we haven’t taken a brain break can be diminished. Our nervous system can be dysregulated which makes it hard for our brain or our body to maintain balance or control.
That’s where this month’s exercise comes in handy. We’re going to work with the nerve that tells our eyes to move into focus towards the center. This nerve, the oculomotor nerve can help to strengthen the muscles if you have a lazy eye. I have an astigmatism and I notice strength building when I do what’s called pencil pushups which I’ll walk you through in the video. We first want to test our range of motion, so don’t forget this step. We always want to know where we’re starting to see if our method of intervention (the exercise) has any effect.
I recommend starting your work day with this or using it after lunch. Anytime you need to get in the zone or ground yourself. You don’t need any special tools or props, just a little space and your thumb. Having a long spine will put you in optimal alignment, so if you missed my series on posture, check it out here.