I wonder how many people have liked my post yet? Staying focused is the superpower of the 21st century. When you are focused you allow yourself to get work done, revise for those exams and be creative. Now, with so many things distracting you, from your phone to your friends it can be almost impossible to reach this zen like state of concentration. Here are the best 6 ways to improve your focus.
Deadlines
Have you ever pulled an all nighter to revise for an exam? How did you do it? Because previously you couldn’t concentrate at all, but the threat of an imminent deadline forced you to be concentrated. Setting your own deadlines can force you to get a task done.
A task will expand the time you give to do it. If you give yourself 3 weeks to do something, it will take 3 weeks to do. But if you give yourself 3 days, it will take no more than 3 days. So, if you make your own deadlines for yourself, tasks will fall off your to-do list.
To-do lists
Speaking of to-do lists, everyone seems to do them, but have you ever asked what is the best way? Your daily to-do list should be done no later than the night before. This way when it actually comes time to work, you will be actually spending that time working. Instead, of the multitude of thoughts flying through your head, telling you to do various other things that require your attention.
Also, put something you like to do on your to-do list. Whether that be going for a walk with a friend or watching your favourite show on Netflix, your to-do list should be a tool to help you to do what is most important to you. Sometimes that is being productive, sometimes it is socialising.
Pen and paper
So, you’re starting to realise how being focused will help you to achieve your goals, but how on earth do you stay focused. Simple, write down what distracts you. Whilst you’re working, have a pen paper next to you so that if something distracts like a thought, an errand, or a notification you can note it down. Then after a little time doing this you can see what distracts you most and then take steps to remove that distraction from your environment.
For many people, their phone may be a constant source of distraction. A great way to deal with this is to turn your phone off and put it in a drawer, out of sight. Although it is simple, it is a great way to stop you checking your phone or even being pulled by the attractions of scrolling through TikTok.
Exercise
A wave of new research is increasingly showing the link between the body and the mind. By exercising you help your brain in so many ways. One study showed that school students who spaced their study with regular exercise got better at ignoring distractions and recalling and manipulating information in their minds. So next time you want to go be productive, first go for a walk or dance to your favourite song. Your brain will thank you.
Breaks
If your mind is like a muscle, you need to let it rest. Taking regular breaks is essential for long term concentration and productivity. It allows you to be at your best whether you 5 minutes or 5 hours into working. I suggest the Pomodoro method as a great place to start. It involves working for 25 minutes, then having a 5 minute break and repeating. This is also a great tool in your toolbox against procrastination. Taking the time to not be focused is a great way to stay focused over longer periods of time.
Mindfulness
If you want to improve your concentration, so you can get more things done, then it would be great to actually practise it. A mindful practise is anything where you’re purposefully keeping your attention on one thing (this is usually your breath but can be anything). You could use an app like Headspace or there also many guided meditations on YouTube. By actually devoting time to practise your focus, when you “have to” focus on your work you will be a lot better at it.
Conclusion and final advice
Well done! If you have got this far it means you have probably been focusing on this article. So your focus is already really good. By choosing just one of the suggestions mentioned above and implementing it in your life you will see your focus and therefore results increase. Take action now. If you’re not exactly sure where to start, I would suggest you make your to-do list for tomorrow now. Therefore, tomorrow you will be more productive and more focused.