Focused people get the right things done. And we all want to get the right things done. Here, ten easy ways to increase focus.
- Turn notifications off on your computer and smartphone. New emails are more likely to be distractions than urgent matters.
- Clear off your desk. You are less likely to be distracted by what you can’t see.
- Do a brain dump of to do items. If you have multiple lists, combine them into one master list. Cluttered lists equal a cluttered mind.
- Use a timer and for a set period of time, focus on only the task at hand until you hear the ding.
- Talk to yourself out loud to remind yourself to stay focused on the one task. “I will not multitask. I will not meander from this task to random web pages,” etc.
- Drink a big glass of water – minor dehydration can show up as fatigue. Fatigue kills focus. Unless you are focusing on being fatigued. In which case you’re probably doing a bang up job of maintaining focus on that.
- Go for a five minute walk – fresh air (if possible) and physical movement will give you a brain boost.
- If you really are dog tired from a rough week or sleepless night, take a quick (10-20 minute) nap.
- If it’s not a task that requires a computer, turn away from the screen or close it if you use a laptop.
- Slow down in order to speed up. Step back to assess where you need to focus. Once you know what you are focusing on you can work as quickly as you like. Think triage.