Two questions about concentration What helps you concentrate? A quiet place, the right lighting, and an organized desk are essential to help me concentrate and keep focused on what I am doing. A cup of coffee before starting some activity is also a good idea. What stops you from concentrating? I could come up with a huge list of things that disturb and interrupt my concentration, but I would say that background noises are the worst thing for me when I need to stay concentrate. In addition a messy desk or room in unacceptable when we need to stay focused.