Increasing focus can make you a better student or employee and also make you a happier and more organized person. If you want to increase focus, you need to learn to avoid distractions and prepare yourself with a plan filled with focus before you start working on a task. If you want to know how to focus like a laser, follow these steps!
Step
Part 1 of 4: Improve Your Focus
Step 1. Build your focus stamina
Everyone can start with some “focused stamina” but it is certain that this is something that can be improved over time. To build your stamina for focus, take time -- say, 30 minutes -- to do just one thing. As time passes, notice how long you can keep working on it before you actually stop, whether it's just another five minutes or another half hour.
If you repeat this process, you will find that you can focus on just one thing more than you think. Keep doing it until you feel you need to stop, and try to focus longer the next day
Step 2. Meditate
Not only is meditation a great way to relax, but if you meditate for 10 to 20 minutes every day, you will gradually increase your focus. When you meditate, you will focus on clearing your mind and concentrating on your body and breath. You can easily use this ability to clear your mind and focus on the work in front of you. You can meditate when you wake up or to unwind before going to bed, or even during both times.
- Look for an environment that is quiet enough that you won't be disturbed by noise.
- Find a comfortable seat and place your hands on your knees or in your lap.
- Try to relax your body, one part at a time, until all parts of your body relax.
Step 3. Read more
Reading is a great way to build your focus. Try reading something without stopping for only thirty minutes, and slowly build up your stamina to read for an hour or even two hours with only short breaks. Whether you're reading a romantic novel or a biography, the ability to focus on what's in front of you will help you learn to focus on your work.
- As you read, ask yourself questions every few pages to make sure you understand what you are reading and that you are focusing all your concentration and energy on the material.
- Reading in the morning is a great way to wake your mind, and reading in bed is a great way to unwind before bed.
- Make it a goal to read for thirty minutes every day, and watch television for less than thirty minutes. The concentration you build from reading can be undermined by the concentration you may lose from watching television shows that feature a lot of advertisements.
- Try to block out all distractions while reading. Turn off your cell phone and if you want, tell your family members not to disturb you while you read. This will not only build your concentration and focus but will also help you absorb the words written on the page you are reading.
Step 4. Reduce Duplicate Tasks
While many people think that Double Tasks are a great way to get to your goals faster and to get two or three things done at once, Dual Tasks is actually dangerous for your concentration. When you are doing a lot of work at once, you may think that you are getting more work done, but you are not focusing all your focus and energy on any one task, which is actually harmful to your concentration.
- Work on getting things done one at a time and you'll find that you can get them done much faster.
- Chatting online with your friends while getting work done is one of the worst forms of Multiple Tasks. Chatting with friends can slow your productivity by half.
- If you work from home, avoid the temptation to do homework while you are working or studying. Your kitchen furniture may have been washed, but you will be slowing yourself down considerably.
Part 2 of 4: Preparation
Step 1. Self-reflection
Have you ever spent a day “working” and then you wondered how you achieved almost nothing? If this has ever happened to you, then you should reflect on the experience before you step into another unproductive day. Before you start work, you should write down all the things that did and didn't work during your study or work sessions to ensure you have a better experience.
- Are you supposed to be studying, but instead you spend all your time gossiping with your study buddies? Then you better study on your own next time.
- Do you work in your office, but actually you spend all day helping your coworkers instead of doing your own work? So next time, don't be too helpful and be more selfish.
- Do you spend all day reading random articles people point out on Facebook, chatting on g-chat with your friends, or texting your friends about what you're going to do that night? It's a good idea to do these things "after" the day's work is done.
- Before you start your day job, write down anything that previously held you back from achieving your goals, so that you are less likely to make the same mistakes.
Step 2. Have a solid pre-work routine
Whether you're heading to the library or heading to your office for eight hours of work, it's important to have a solid routine before you start work so that your day starts off on the right foot and you're motivated to get it all done.
- Enough sleep. Wake up and go to bed at approximately the same time every day, so your body is alert and refreshed when you wake up, not nervous and tired.
- Eat a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is really the most important meal of the day, so you should eat enough to have energy before starting work, but not so much that it makes you feel sluggish or stifled. Eat healthy carbohydrates like oatmeal or whole grain cereals, protein like eggs or lean chicken, and some fruit or vegetables to start your day.
- Try to exercise briefly. Just 15 to 20 minutes of walking, light aerobics, or crunches and abdominal exercises will get your blood pumping without tiring you out.
- Watch your caffeine intake. While coffee can keep you awake, try not to drink more than one cup each day, or you'll be screwed in the afternoon. Instead, switch to low-fat teas, or even quit caffeine completely, if you really want a productive day.
Step 3. Choose the right time and place
While you may not be able to choose when to start and end your job if you work in a regular office, if you have some flexibility, then you should start working when you feel most alert, and choose an environment that can help you work.
- Remember that everyone's productive time is different. Some people are most productive when they just wake up, while others need some time to get comfortable before they become fully alert. Pick a time when your body is most ready to say "Come on!" and not, "Let's take a nap."
- It is important to find the right work environment for you. Some people work best from home because they feel very comfortable there, while others feel motivated when they're in a coffee shop or library where everyone is doing something.
Step 4. Anticipate your needs
If you want to be as focused and productive as possible, then you must anticipate your needs before you start studying, or your mind will start wandering if your body wants to do something other than work.
- Be prepared with healthy snacks like nuts, apples, bananas and carrot chunks to keep you going instead of heading out to the vending machine.
- Stay hydrated. Wherever you go, carry a bottle of water with you to keep your body fresh.
- Bring or wear several layers of clothing. If the room you are working in is too hot or too cold, you should be prepared to take off some clothes or put on a scarf or sweater. You don't want to lose focus because you're sweating or shivering and can't do anything about it.
Part 3 of 4: Getting Organized
Step 1. Make a to-do list
If you want your focus to be better, you need to create a daily agenda so that you have a viewable list to tick off when you get things done, and feel more focused on achieving your goals. You'll have a list of goals in front of you instead of just sitting around aimlessly and feeling proud when you've accomplished them.
- Write down at least three things you need to do that day, three things you need to do the next day, and three things you need to do that week. First do the things you need to do that day, and feel a sense of accomplishment if you have time to start and do other work.
- Reward yourself with time off. Give yourself a short break every time you tick a job on your to-do list.
- Try to do all the easy tasks, like buying groceries, as early as possible. This will reduce your list and ensure you do the smaller tasks first. Don't be lazy and put off all those little jobs!
Step 2. Prioritize your work
Remember to do the most creative and difficult work in the morning, when you are full of energy and motivation. Save easier things, like scheduling meetings, filing old documents, or cleaning your workplace, for the afternoons, when you have less energy.
Don't put off a tough job until the end of the day, or you might put it off until the next day
Step 3. Keep your workspace tidy
Keeping your workspace tidy is the key to being able to focus. Focusing will be easier if you know exactly where everything is in your office, on the library desk, in your backpack, or in your workspace in general. Having an organized space will save you time when you need to find something, and it will keep you motivated to get work done.
- Remove anything unrelated to work from your workspace. Apart from a few photos in your office, everything you keep should be work related, be it paper, staples, or a set of pens.
- Keep your phone away unless you really need it for work. You can check it every hour or two, but don't place it on your desk, or you'll be tempted to look at it all the time.
- Have an organized filing system. Knowing exactly where all your documents are stored will save you time throughout the day.
Step 4. Manage your time
Timing is an important part of focus. When you start a new work day and write your to-do list, write down how long you think it will take to complete each, so you'll have an idea of your day. Try to do work that takes a lot of time first so you can remove it from your list.
- Set reasonable expectations for each job. You shouldn't set yourself up for twenty minutes to do something that should take an hour. Otherwise, you will feel disappointed when you do not achieve your goals.
- If you finish a job faster, use that time to take a break. This will motivate you to get more work done.
Step 5. Include breaks in your schedule
Rest is as important as continuing to do work. If you plan to include a burst of productivity followed by a short break, then you'll be more focused than if you just spent the whole day "sort of" working without actually taking any breaks.
- Give yourself at least 10 to 20 minutes to rest every hour from work. You can use this time to make a quick phone call, respond to an email from a friend, or step outside for a cup of tea.
- Reward yourself with rest. Use breaks as your motivation to get work done. If you're thinking, “I can have a nice juice after working on this paperwork,” then you'll be more motivated than nothing positive waiting ahead.
- Use one of the breaks to do light exercise. Taking a short 15-minute walk or climbing five stairs and then descending back will get your blood pumping and will make you feel more alert and energized.
- Take a break to get some fresh air. Don't spend all day in your office or home. Walk outside for some fresh air, get a morning breeze, or let the sun hit your face and you'll feel more focused and ready to get back to work.
Part 4 of 4: Avoiding Distractions
Step 1. Avoid online distractions
The internet may contain interesting and important information, but when it comes to getting work done, it can take up a lot of time. If you really want to get work done, then you need to avoid Facebook and chatting with your friends during work time, and check your email only a few times a day if you really need to.
- If you find an article interesting, let yourself know that you can read it during your scheduled break-but not immediately.
- Avoid sending personal emails during work. This will distract you and will usually take longer than you think.
- If you really don't need the Internet to work, then disconnect your wireless connection completely. You can reconnect every hour or two to check again.
- Avoiding online distractions completely takes time. If you check Facebook and email every fifteen minutes, start by checking every 30 minutes, and see if you can work until you check back only two or three times a day, or avoid Facebook entirely.
- If you do need the Internet for work, try not to have more than five tabs open at the same time. Focus on what you need to read and move on. If you have too many pages open at the same time, your mind will be in Dual Task mode.
Step 2. Don't be distracted by other people
Other people are the biggest distractions, whether you're working in the office or at the library. Don't let them hold you back from achieving your goals. While socializing may seem tempting when you should be working, it will slow you down and make you work longer hours.
- Let everyone around you know how important it is to get your work done, whether you work near your family or coworkers. They are less likely to interfere if they see your commitment.
- Don't accept private phone calls or text messages unless you can't avoid them. Tell your friends and family to call you while you're at work if it's really important, and you'll get fewer messages.
- If you have a study buddy or study group, make sure everyone does the work. You can even clap once every time someone avoids a task as a reminder of how important it is to stay focused.
Step 3. Don't be distracted by your surroundings
Any kind of work environment can be a distraction if you let it. But if you have the right mindset, then you can use almost any work environment to your advantage. Here are things to do:
- If you work in public and it's noisy, use noise-canceling headphones or listen to music without lyrics to stay focused.
- If you're sitting next to someone on the phone, or two friends chatting loudly, stay away from them, even if you're already comfortable where you are.
- If you work with the television on, don't look at the television more than once an hour, or you'll get caught up in it.
Step 4. Stay motivated
If you want to avoid distractions and focus more, the best way is to stay motivated to complete your tasks. You should write down why you are motivated to get work done, and look at these reasons several times a day, to remind you why it is so important to focus and not be tempted by distractions.
- Consider the importance of your own work. Tell yourself that if you're grading a paper, it's important to provide feedback to your students. If you complete a project, then it is critical to the success of your company.
- Consider yourself. What personal benefits will you get from getting the job done? If you study for the test, then you will be able to get good grades and boost your GPA. If you close an important deal with a client, you may get a promotion.
- Consider the pleasant things that await you after the job is done. Remind yourself of fun things you can do after work is done, whether it's taking an evening yoga class, catching up with an old friend over ice cream, or enjoying a delicious, relaxing meal with the person you care about. While doing math, listen to a quiet, slow song as it will keep your mind fresh and you'll enjoy your lesson.
Tips
- Exercising can usually help improve focus. Jogging for 20 minutes doesn't take long and can work wonders.
- Try to keep your mind as relaxed as possible so that you don't think too much or get tensed about something or someone.
- Long attention spans can also help. To ensure that your attention span is not short, don't spend too much time on activities that distract you every few seconds. This kind of activity trains your brain to only focus on a task for a short period of time, which makes it difficult to focus. Some examples of this activity are messaging in chat rooms, and video games. All of this is scientifically backed up.
