How Nootropics Can Help You Focus And What Ingredients to Look For
In today’s world, it’s become in vogue to say that time is the most important currency we have. But this isn’t true. Time only matters if we’re able to make the most of it.
To maximize our precious time, we need focus, concentration, and attention. These are the most valuable currencies we have.
We all have the same 24 hours, but what we don’t all have is the ability to truly be present and focused for even a few of those hours.
This is most obvious in our workplace. Most creatives, entrepreneurs, and probably you yourself can affirm that your productivity isn’t about how many hours you work. Rather, it’s about the quality of your focus during those hours.
As New York Times bestselling author and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss said in a recent podcast…
“If you can single-task for a few hours a day without any interruption, you will have a huge competitive advantage over the majority of knowledge workers.”
What we need isn’t more time, rather, we need more time in that precious zone we call “flow state.”
This term, popularized by psychologists Mihaly Csitkszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura describe flow state as “a focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other.”
Can a Nootropic Supplement Help Us Focus and Enter This Precious Flow State?
The short answer is yes. The nuanced answer is it depends.
First, we have to talk about what exactly a nootropic is.
What Is a Nootropic?
“Nootropic,” is a bit of a buzzword these days, but it broadly applies to dietary supplements designed to improve your cognitive function.
However, within the category of nootropic, there’s a ton of variation.
If you browse the internet for nootropics, you’ll see drastic differences in ingredients and doses.
First, you may see substances that are prescription medications, like modafinil, adderall, and others thrown into this category of “nootropic.” Those are drugs intended to be prescribed by doctors, so in a completely different category than dietary supplement nootropics. As with most dietary supplement categories, there are many quality, effective nootropics out there, and many that are, well, not as effective.
When looking for a nootropic to help you dial in your focus, support your productivity, and sharpen your attention, you have to look at the ingredients.
Nootropic Ingredients That Support Focus
Here are popular nootropic ingredients that can improve your focus.*
Alpha GPC
Alpha GPC is a preferred source of choline, one of the most important brain nutrients in the body. It’s able to cross the blood-brain barrier. It helps the release of acetylcholine, the brain’s “learning neurotransmitter.” Literally, it helps us transport our brain’s messaging chemical, which can support enhanced cognitive function.
In our nootropic, Kaged Mindset, we use AlphaSize®, a patented form that’s standardized to contain 50% Alpha GPC, so you get an effective dose.
Ginseng
Ginseng, in particular American ginseng, can improve attention, reduce mental fatigue, and encourage relaxation. This makes it an ideal ingredient to encourage that “flow state” where you can be your most productive.
In Kaged Mindset, we use Cereboost® American Ginseng Extract which ensures purity and quality.
Huperzine A
Huperzine A has a long reputation as a cognitive enhancer. It helps prevent the loss of acetylcholine, the learning neurotransmitter. This means more acetylcholine to keep your brain performing at its best.
L-Tyrosine
L-Tyrosine is an amino acid involved in the process of producing catecholamines. It stimulates the neurotransmitters associated with motivation and our “fight or flight” response. This helps enhance cognition under stressful situations.* In other words, it helps you stay focused during important tasks.*
In Kaged Mindset, we use 100% plant-based, fermented l-tyrosine.
In our view the ideal nootropic should do more than just support your focus. The ingredients in Kaged Mindset can also improve working memory and give you a boost of energy.*
This can make the right nootropic valuable for study sessions, work sessions, and creative sessions alike.
Nootropic Ingredients for Cognitive Endurance
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is an amino acid that plays an important role in fat metabolism and central nervous system function. Acetyl-L-Carnitine is a form that can cross the blood-brain barrier, which means it can help support brain energy metabolism.
Caffeine
We all know about the power of caffeine. In Michael Pollan’s book Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World, he examines how our very industrial work complex evolved around caffeine. He writes, “caffeine equips us to cope with the world caffeine helped us to create.”
The simple substance is so powerful that employers would give it to their workers for free and allow them to rest to do so because they knew it increased their productivity in the afternoon. With this idea, the “coffee break” was born.
In Kaged Mindset + Caffeine, we included two types of caffeine to give you sustained energy.
First, we use PurCaf® organic caffeine from green coffee beans, not synthetic sources. Then, for up to 5-6 hours, you’ll get an extended hit of energy from zümXR®, a patented extended-release form of caffeine. This form slowly releases caffeine into your bloodstream for sustained energy without the typical crash that even Pollan warns of.
Every scoop of Kaged Mindset + Caffeine contains 150mg of caffeine. Both forms of caffeine come from green coffee beans.
This two-pronged approach to caffeine means you can stay in your energized work flow for up to 5-6 hours.*
For the caffeine-sensitive, the original version of Kaged Mindset is caffeine-free.
Other Tips to Eliminate Distraction
Of course, a nootropic isn’t everything when it comes to focus. In fact, if you take a high-quality nootropic like Kaged Mindset, and do everything else wrong, you’re still not going to get very far.
Put Your Phone on Do Not Disturb
One of the most available distractions today is our smartphone. We all know about the addictive potential of our phones, and the always-available instant gratification that it provides.
Cal Newport in his productivity book Digital Minimalism said that social media tycoons are “just tobacco farmers in t-shirts… checking your ‘likes’ is the new smoking.”
To take this even further, during your work session keep your phone out of your reach. This way, you’re not tempted to check your notifications or open Instagram for the 19th time.
“Time Block” Your Flow Session
Second, block off the time you’re planning on dedicating to these focus-intensive tasks. If you know you’re planning on sitting down for 4-5 hours, and plan your day around it, then you’re much less likely to move on to something else at the first opportunity.
This is called “time blocking.” You must treat your workflow sessions like they’re an appointment you can’t break.
Plan Your Flow Session In The First Part of Your Day
Taking this one step further, physiologically we’re at a greater advantage if we make these periods early in the day.
Thanks to our circadian rhythm, hormones that help us stay alert and awake, like cortisol, naturally rise in the morning and then decrease in the evening. We can take advantage of these natural ebbs and flow of energy by planning our work session in the first half of our waking day. For example, if you wake up at six and go to bed at ten, then the first half of your day is from six am to two pm.
If you can accomplish all of this, and use a nootropic like Kaged Mindset to help you focus, that’s when you can see huge improvements in your productivity and creativity.
FAQ
Does a Nootropic Need to be Caffeinated to Improve Focus?
No. However, caffeine gives you an extra burst of energy, and the two forms of caffeine in Kaged Mindset™ can give you sustained energy for up to 5-6 hours.*
Should I Take Kaged Mindset or Kaged Mindset with Caffeine?
It depends on your goals as well as your caffeine tolerance. Every scoop of Kaged Mindset + Caffeine contains 150mg of caffeine, which is a bit more than the average cup of coffee.
Can Nootropics Help Me Focus At Night?
Yes. However, watch your caffeine intake if you’re concerned about sleep. Caffeine intake in the evening may impact your sleep.
For this reason, we recommend the original Kaged Mindset, which is caffeine-free, if you’re a night-owl worker.
