How to Get Your Brain to Focus and Generate More Ideas
A recent study found that 50% of people regularly experience difficulty focusing and concentrating. Without the skill to focus, we can’t master the ability to brainstorm ideas that can and will, positively affect our future. Although there are many ways to increase your focus, some of which you might already know, we fail to do them when the time comes. In this article, I’ll give you what you need to know to get yourself to focus and increase the amount of ideas you accumulate.
Avoid Having Your Phone Near You
We all attempt to get rid of our phones but never actually can’t. Admit it. You are addicted. We all are. And that’s why you need to avoid the biggest distraction of them all, your phone.
When trying to complete a task or pursue a goal, our phones get in the way. By having your phone right next to you, you’re essentially giving yourself a distraction. Every minute you check your phone for a notification. Every minute you start scrolling on social media. A minute turns into an hour, and you have just wasted an hour of your day on useless information and videos.
Without any distractions, without any way to push you away from your goals, you generate your best ideas. No distractions force your brain to be alone with itself, leading to thought and boredom. You think about numerous possibilities of certain situations and expand your mind far beyond your device. I recommend putting your phone in another room so there’s no possible way you could use it.
If you can manage to experience boredom, you will seek ways to cure it. Many people like to try new hobbies or engage in various opportunities, which is great. But the process of sitting down with your own thoughts is one of the best powers someone can have. It gives you time to reflect on personal experiences, review your aspirations, and make you a better human as time goes on. Our brains crave distraction. Neglect it and focus on what’s important.
Carry a Notepad With You at All Times
You may think that this suggestion is not fit for our generation, but it truly is. When you accumulate thoughts, you generally forget them shortly. The best solution is writing things down.
Simply carry a small notebook with you, and I promise all of your ideas will come to life. Whether you’re at school, in your bedroom, or getting a massage, writing down the ideas you have will pay off.
Also, when you have a notebook with you, the opportunity to expand further from ideas is possible. Start with an idea and expand upon it. Here’s an example:
If you start with one small idea, you can generate infinitely more. The possibilities are endless if you just carry a notebook with you. One simple statement can turn into a variety of solutions that can help you achieve what you originally said.
Focus on Being Alone More Often
If you’re an extremely social individual, this one will be difficult for you. If you’re not social you’re in luck. One of the best ways to get your brain to focus is to be alone.
To thrive as a species, we need to master the tolerance of being alone. It may be hard to begin but pays out in the future.
Can you recall what you did on that Friday night a year ago? I don’t think so. These short dopamine hits, like going out, have no positive effect on your future. But if you focus on being alone with your thoughts, you will build discipline that will help you over time.
We need more space to ponder. Think about it this way: traffic on a highway. Once an accident happens, all the cars begin to stockpile. They can’t move unless they have space to do so. Similar to us, our progress stalls if we don’t give ourselves space to grow. If we constantly neglect our health while trying to improve it, there’s no room for progress. By creating space in our routines, we open doors to new ideas and endless opportunities that shape our future.
Overstimulation is the Enemy of Focus
We are in a hyperstimulated state bouncing between different screens in our lives. Phones, tablets, computers, and smartwatches are very stimulating to our minds. Focus on living a simpler lifestyle. Below is a two-week challenge for you to try and disconnect your mind from the distractions in our world.
- Limit screentime
- Disconnection ritual per day
- Rediscover boredom
Notice how over 50% of those tie to devices. It’s insane how society has become so accustomed to using our devices on a day-to-day basis that we need to incorporate a challenge into our lives to disconnect from them. But this challenge allows you to appreciate the finer things in life and drastically improve yourself. By limiting screen time, you’re going to rediscover boredom. Find new ways to live your life, and you may just find that this is what you need.
If you want to go above and beyond, try not using your phone at all. Get rid of it. Although you’re missing out on news and social media, you will be alone with yourself. And as I mentioned earlier, the state of being alone with yourself allows you to generate ideas. Sure, there may be some valuable tips and information on the internet, but gaining natural intelligence from your brain allows you to connect deeper with your thoughts.
In a busy world, getting highly skilled at focusing is extremely beneficial if we want to perform our best. It means taking a break from all the screens and noise, spending time alone, and appreciating simple things like using pen and paper. When we disconnect from all the distractions, we can think better and come up with vastly important ideas that can change our lives. While we try to focus, it’s good to remember that in the middle of all the craziness, some of the best ideas come when we take quiet time to think and reflect without any interruptions.
