It must be one of humanity's greatest challenges; stay focused in the fast-paced, technology-driven world we live in. Being overloaded by the large amounts of information, or overloaded by the amount of work, often drastically reduces focus.
But staying focused may be the best way to get things done and move forward with our lives and work. So how do we keep our eyes focused on the most important task without constantly switching between tasks?
Concentrate and focus on one thing
He who chases two rabbits catches none.
Confucius
Wise words from a wise man. But most of us are more likely to feel like we have a lot more tasks to follow with some escalations or things going completely wrong in between.
But if we want to follow the wise words of Confucius, we will get more done and achieve our goals faster if we focus our attention on 1 task.
When we work on more than one thing at the same time, valuable time is wasted. When we switch from one task to another, our brains take time to readjust and focus on the second task, and precious time is wasted switching. The reality is that multitasking as we know it from computers is a true productivity nightmare for humans.
Remove known distractions
A so-called “detox” of information can help us see that the amount of information we typically process is not needed at all. Such a detox also helps us to relax and recharge, an essential part of focus and concentration. If you have to work with focus, disconnect from technology. Turn off all notifications, reminders from emails, chat messages and social media. Take control of all communication and your social media and only get started when you actually have the time. It is not good to receive continuous notifications in plain sight - people are not strong enough to ignore these stimuli.
Clean up your environment
Tidying up is another way to eliminate distractions, if your desk, office, and head are clear, you minimize the potential for distraction. For example, it can be very useful to start cleaning your office every week, where everything that has been left over the past week must be dealt with first, so that you know that you have not forgotten or undone anything.
If you make it a habit to clean up or put in the mess weekly GTD ("Getting Things Done" by David Allen(more on that later) a weekly review - then you can start the week relaxed, focused and ready for the action!
Calm your mind
Of course, many of us think that social media like Facebook are the biggest distractions, but it's our own thoughts that race through our minds and distract us when we're trying to get something done.
These cheeky thoughts often lure us away from the work to be done, or they annoyingly and repeatedly inform while we work on Task A that Tasks B, C and D are also far from finished. Don't listen, take control of your thoughts and direct them to the task that is most important to you.
A great way to calm the mind is meditation. It can help silence the constant noise we all experience in our heads from time to time. It can be a great help to concentrate better and get more focus.
Sport and movement
We all know that exercise creates energy. It's also a powerful way to reduce stress, as endorphins are released by the pituitary gland to block feelings of pain or stress.
Serotonin, another chemical released during exercise, improves our mood and our sense of happiness. Exercise is also responsible for the production of new neurons in the brain that make it easier for us to process and store information.
Set clear goals
Being clear about our goals and objectives allows us to focus and stay on track. It motivates us to keep going and persevere when we miss the inspiration.
If your goal is to tidy up your home and be more organized, your goal here may be to reduce stress and create tranquility. For someone else, the goal may be to put their house up for sale and make the house look good and attractive.
It's important to clarify your goals in order to keep the motivation for yourself and make sure that what you're working on brings you closer to that goal.
Plan tasks around your ultradian rhythm
Your ability to focus fluctuates throughout the day and week. There will be times when you can quickly write that email or finish that project, and other times when it feels so unnatural and challenging to sit down and get the work done. While you can't (and shouldn't) eliminate the less productive times of your day, there is a way to recognize when you're likely to be at your best and optimize it.
We all run on a 24-hour internal 'clock', also known as our circadian rhythm. This determines when we go to sleep, wake up and experience peak levels of energy. Within that 24-hour day, we cycle through 90-minute blocks of productivity and heightened focus, known as our “ultradian” rhythm.
To understand your own ultradian rhythm, you need to record your concentration levels, enthusiasm, and energy at the same time every day at hourly intervals. Make sure to include a note describing any changes to your daily routine (for example, when taking an afternoon walk). After a week or two of data collection, you will start to see a pattern. You can determine when your focus and energy are highest and lowest, and then adjust your tasks accordingly.
For example, save your most creative, strategic projects for when you feel most focused. Then work on the more standard, management-like tasks when you have less energy and are more easily distracted.
Take short breaks
We tend to lose focus over time. Studies show that our concentration starts to decrease after about 90 minutes of concentrated work. By building in short restorative breaks during your working day or by working with the so-called Pomodoro technique, you improve your overall performance. It gives your brain a chance to rest and recharge. A five-minute walk, meditation or conversation with a friend is all it often takes to refuel.
Make it easier
The more we simplify our lives and work, the more work we get done. But we don't just want to get work done, we want to get the important tasks done, the tasks that make a difference to the big picture.
Many of us are busy with tasks that are unnecessary and waste time on things that do not add value to our life or work.
If you can simplify and eliminate the unnecessary from your life, you will have more time to focus on what is important, and it will also be a lot easier to maintain this focus.
What other methods do you use to stay focused? Let us know in the comments!
Sources including Evernote (link), Entrepreneur (link), Lifehack (link)
