3 Habits That Improve Focus
Unless you’re a Buddhist monk, you encounter distractions from time to time that minimizes your effectiveness in getting your work done.
The internet is especially disrupting with email, messages, status updates, and more. But distractions also include co-workers, family, and our own wandering minds. It seems that many times we dawdle our lives away five minutes at a time.
The big question is how to defeat this tendency. How can you make use of the Internet constructively without falling victim to its distractive qualities?
Try turning these strategies into daily habits that help you become more efficient and effective:
Use time limits. When we set a time limit, we improve our ability to focus. It almost becomes a game of ‘beat the clock. Ideally, you should use a timer and limit your work periods to around 25 or 55 minutes – with a 5-15 minute break in between tasks. If a task is going to take longer than 55 minutes, you will probably want to break it down into smaller chunks.
Having a time limit also forces you to do the most important parts of any work. If you only have 50 minutes to make major progress, you’re going to have to decide what’s most important. This is much better than deciding to simply work on something until it’s done. Decide how long it should take, and then set the timer.
If you have any sort of attention challenge, using a timer can increase your ability to keep your mind on the task at hand. The time flies by, and you’ll get more done. You’re likely to even find it relaxing since you’ll be focused on what you’re doing instead of thinking about 20 other things.
Research has shown that one of the most productive schedules for most people is:
50 minutes of work
10-minute break
50 more minutes of work
20-30 minute break (You might not be able to get away with a 30-minute break at work, but it’s a good time to get up, walk around, and get a drink.)
Repeat
Time your breaks too. If you decide to check your email or do one of those other tasks that seem to magically go from 5 minutes to 30 minutes or more, using a timer will serve as a reminder. It will also force you to only check on the most important things.
Close everything that can be closed. Everything on your computer that isn’t necessary for the task at hand should be closed down. If you don’t need the internet, shut it off. That includes all your email, notifications, games, and blogs. Close your door and unplug the phone, if possible. At the least, make the inner determination to not be disturbed. Make your distractions a short reward after an hour or two of focused work.
Nothing is going anywhere – it will all still be there when you’re done. One of the keys to being more effective in eliminating the things that make us less effective.
Insert a pause, as needed. When you first implement these habits, there will be times that you will have an incredible urge to check your email, Facebook, or Twitter.
Before you succumb to the urge, take 10 seconds and pause. Take a long, deep breath and ask yourself if you really want to waste your time on something that is largely meaningless, or if you’d rather accomplish something worthwhile. Procrastinate on that urge and tell yourself you will do it later.
The ability to focus has been largely lost for many of us. However, these easy habits, which anyone can do, can go a long way toward improving your focus and effectiveness at any task.
It’s likely to be challenging at first, but you can do it. You can get more done, in less time, by learning to improve your focus, do concentrated chunks of work, and avoiding the things that waste your precious time.
Put these three habits into play starting today. You’ll be impressed by how much more you can get done!
Joe Mitchell, Esquire is a High-Performance Coach and EFT (Tapping) Practitioner, who has logged over 35 years of in-depth study of personal and spiritual development. In his studies, he has done hundreds of self-development courses, spiritual retreats, and health-related workshops. Coach Joe is a certified yoga teacher, meditation teacher, NLP Practitioner, and a graduate of three coaching academies. Two years after he graduated from Harvard Law School, he became a monk for five years. In 2016, after over 20 years as a solo criminal and personal injury attorney, he decided to turn his heart's passion into a career as a Success Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Trainer. For information on Coach Joe’s programs, high-performance videos and to apply for a Free High-Performance Session click the following link http://www.activateyourgreatness.com/free-session