If the idea that a scent can help you check off your to-do list elicits an eye roll, you’d be right to feel incredulous; the research in this area is scant. But when you consider that the brain region governing our ability to concentrate—known as the prefrontal cortex—can be affected by scent, it’s not so far-fetched, says Pamela Dalton, co-chair of the postdoctoral training programme at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, which researches taste and smell. ‘The prefrontal cortex helps us prioritise to reduce impulsiveness and integrates information from the olfactory cortex and other brain regions.

— Read more in Can using the right scent improve your concentration? at Harper's Bazaar India.