Need more focus & concentration in your life?

You and I both!

Actually, I think the majority of people want to be a bit more on top of things throughout the day.

Luckily we have access to a variety of natural concentration aids today.

Some are stimulating – herbs like Gotu Kola, caffeinated drinks like Yerba Mate and amphetamines like Adderall jolt the mind into activity by stimulating the nervous system.

Other focus promoters are a bit more gentle -like meditation and aromatherapy. They invoke focused and concentrated states by calming and re-centering the mind. They’re also more sustainable for use in the long term since they don’t cause us to crash like uppers do.

While my number one recommendation for improving focus and concentration is to develop a meditation practice, my number two is to create the right environment for single-minded attentiveness.

I’ve found that aromatherapy is a great way to help set tone when creating a productive space. What’s even better – smells are portable. So while you can’t always be in a super productive environment, you can bring your favorite uplifting smells with you on the go. A great way to do this is to carry a pocketable essential oil inhaler in your pocket or purse.

Two quick aromatherapy tips:

Aromatherapy isn’t always effective for everyone. I find that people who are sensitive and not overburdened by stimuli are able to benefit the most from inhaling essential oils.

But there are a couple strategies that will help you get the most out of using essential oils for focus on concentration.

Number #1: Use the right oils!

If you think this is obvious, well it is.

But I feel compelled to address it.

Many people simply assume that when creating a blend of concentration it’s okay to choose an essential oil that has an agreeable smell.

The reality is that scents that affect our neural hardwiring in specific – and very consistent – ways. And some are more likely to create more focused and concentrated states than others.

This is because over thousands of years of contact with plants used in aromatherapy humans have developed specific relationships to those smells.

Some smells meant safety and made our ancestors relax, while others signaled opportunity and excitement.

To learn more about the oils you should be using, stick around ; )

Number #2: Build scent associations

Here’s another important thing to keep in mind – humans build strong relationships and connections with scents and smells.

For example: say you visited India as a child.

You no doubt would have a variety of memories and associations with that experience. And some of those associations would include scents that you encountered.

Maybe you visited a lot of spiritual sites and there was a predominant smell of sandalwood wafting through the air. And that smell brought you calm and helped you feel connected with life.

Now let’s assume you didn’t come in contact with the smell of sandalwood again until you were in your twenties.

Then one day, all of a sudden, you walk by an incense store and the gentle scent of sandalwood floats by and into your nose.

Woah! Next thing you know you are thrust back to India, back to childhood. And a soothing calm flows over you. No matter what you were stressed and upset a moment before – you are now pacified and at peace.

This is what we want to do when we introduce new scents into our lives. We want to build an experience around each scent or mixture of scents and allow it to be replicated over and over.

So be sure to keep this in mind when you are building a relationship with your focus and concentration boosting essential oils.

Soon enough just a whiff of these oils should be enough to put you into a productive mindset.

5 EO Blends to Try Out for Improved Concentration and Focus

Okay, now let’s get into the recipes.

Below you’ll find five different blends. Each blend contains essential oils that are known to boost awareness, focus, and concentration for many people.

Feel free to play around with these mixes as well. In other posts on this website, it’s more important that you stick to specific directions (in the case of physical conditions, for example). But in this instance it’s okay to tamper with the suggestions : )

1.) Smooth Sailing Focus Blend

Ingredients:

• 8 drops grapefruit EO
• 5 drops basil EO
• 5 drops bergamot EO
• 2 drops lavender EO

Directions:

• Mix together in a small dropper bottle (5 ml)

Applications:

• 6 drops to a bath
• 3 drops on a wet washcloth, rub all over your body while showering
• Deep inhalations from a tissue/cloth or pocket square
• Added to an essential oil diffuser to fill your room

2.) Calm and Concentrated Blend

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp lavender EO
• 1/2 tsp bergamot EO
• 1/2 tsp geranium EO
• 40 drops sandalwood or cedarwood EO
• 10 drops chamomile EO

Directions:

• Combine oils in a small dropper bottle (15 ml, 30 ml)

Applications:

Massage

• In a small non-reactive bowl add 2 oz of your favorite massage oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)
• Next, add 4-6 drops of your calm and concentrated blend
• Mix well.
• Massage all over your body

In the bath: Add 4-6 drops to your bath

Inhalation: Add 4-6 drops to a cloth, tissue or fill a pocket EO inhaler with the mixture, inhale deeply

Diffusion: Fill your aromatherapy diffuser with as much of the mixture as you’d like

3.) Alert and Aware Blends

I know the title of this article says 5 blends, but this sub-section has some small variants. : )

These blends are recommended for diffusion.

Alert and Aware blend #1

• 14 drops Juniper EO
• 8 Drops Pine EO
• 8 Drops Rosemary EO

Alert and Aware blend #2

• 10 drops grapefruit
• 10 drops Lime
• 5 drops black pepper
• 5 drops peppermint

For blend #1 and #2 either apply to a diffuser or dilute with a base oil and add to a 1 oz glass dropper bottle. It can then be used as a stimulating massage oil.

Alert and Aware blend #3

This blend is meant to only be used in a diffuser

• 15 drops eucalyptus
• 5 drops peppermint
• 5 drops basil

4.) Bold and Assertive Blends

Bold and Assertive Blend #1

• 15 drops cedarwood
• 10 drops lime
• 5 drops cypress

Bold and Assertive Blend #2

• 10 drops frankincense
• 10 drops bergamot
• 10 drops patchouli

Bold and Assertive Blend #3

• 10 drops litsea cubeba
• 6 drops jasmine
• 2 drops cistus

5.) Pure Concentration Blends

Pure Concentration Blend #1

• 20 drops lemon
• 6 drops basil
• 2 drops rosemary

Pure Concentration Blend #2

• 10 drops cardamon
• 10 drops litsea cubeba
• 10 drops lemon

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve found some of these mixtures appealing.

If you decide to put them to use, let us know how it goes for you!

Additionally, if you have any comments, questions or know of additional blends that have worked for you, let us know below in the comments.