Note: This article is by Ben Fishel, who provides five ways to increase your focus at work.
Studies at the University of California indicate that our ability to concentrate has decreased significantly over the past decade, especially at work, and technology is the main reason for this. But do we need studies to tell us we are suffering from a lack of focus? Not for me, as I have suffered from a lack of focus for a long time.
Being a millennial and a freelance writer gave me all the time to achieve my goals. However, I was constantly distracted and faced with a deluge of entertainment that kept me from finishing my tasks sooner.
I was quickly sidetracked, allowing four hours of work to become eight easily. Also, I realized that I always needed to catch up on my projects and stayed up late trying to finish tasks that could have been completed before lunchtime.
However, I decided to stop living this way; I'm not sure why or when exactly I made this decision. Perhaps because I read something like this and tried hard enough to follow the tips. Eventually, I dramatically increased my focus in a matter of months through trial and error.
I've conquered this issue, and you can too—training yourself to apply what you've learned about focus is simple. Two things improved my focus: routine organization to minimize sensory distractions and concentration enhancement to minimize emotional distractions.
The main obstacles that keep us from focusing are sensory distractions like Facebook notifications while we're working and emotional distractions like anxiety, fear, stress, or anger.
Five Ways to Help Increase Your Ability to Focus at Work
1. Remind Yourself of the Rewards and Consequences
Returning to the fundamentals of motivation and considering rewards and consequences is helpful. However, most of us forget the purpose behind what we do daily, leaving our minds easily sidetracked.
Focusing on the purpose (reward) of your work, such as reaching a larger objective, providing for your family, gaining a promotion at work, or taking a trip at the end of the year, will keep your motivation high enough to keep you from being influenced by minor diversions.
Also, negative reinforcement, such as remembering the consequences, can be more effective in many cases.
What happens if you don't complete the task by the deadline? Will you be unable to spend quality time with your family? Will it negate your prospects of being promoted? Will you be forced to stop hanging out with your friends?
Make separate lists of the consequences and rewards and place them on opposite sides of your desk.
2. Set Specific Times for Checking Email, Text Messages, and Social Media
The biggest time wasters in your life are these three tools, which, unfortunately, can all be used right from your computer. Setting aside specific times to use them is necessary to be productive at work. Checking email is most effective when done in the morning, say between 9:30 and 10:00 am, and in the afternoon, between 4 and 4:30 pm.
Additionally, You should limit your daily social media and messaging usage to no more than 20 minutes. Take a well-deserved break during that period. Aside from that, turn off notifications, shut down your social media accounts, and put your phone in airplane mode.
3. Use Web Apps to Keep You on Track
Many web applications are available to boost productivity and change your habits significantly.
Seek out these three types:
- Apps that block websites for a specific period, such as Self-Control or Focus.
- Time management apps based on the Pomodoro method, such as Marinara Timer.
- Document synchronization applications, such as Evernote.
4. Exercise to Improve Focus
Meditation is the fastest way to enhance your ability to focus. Studies indicate that observable results can be attained in less than eight weeks. However, there are additional strategies to sharpen your focus, as listed below:
- Mindfulness throughout the day.
- Memorize facts or quotes.
- Work out or extend your body.
- Read complex books.
Remember that this gradual process takes time, like building muscle. Therefore, don't strain yourself. The goal is to increase mental flexibility.
5. Listen to the Appropriate Music
It has been demonstrated that listening to music at work greatly boosts productivity. However, it is imperative to make clear that we are not discussing any genre of music. While some musical genres are better for creativity, others are better for energy or focus.
You need upbeat, rhythmic music for repetitive tasks that don't require much thought. Also, avoid listening to songs with lyrics to increase your creativity because your mind will automatically try to understand them, which takes extra energy. For focus, you want something repetitive without many changes in rhythm.
In Conclusion
The ability to focus will become a more valuable professional skill because technology makes it easy for your attention to be scattered.
Furthermore, focus does not require a genius but someone willing to concentrate on routine and consistent practices. Therefore, apply the methods above, and you will gradually notice an increase in your level of focus at work.
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