Think of focus like a muscle.
In this digital age, we find our focus muscles deteriorating. The constant distraction of social media, and the ability to remain constantly connected can be seen as both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that any and all information we need is directly at our fingertips. A curse in that we can barely keep our attention on something for a substantial amount of time, before being pulled away by yet another distraction.
This study by Microsoft has shown that humans now have shorter attention spans than that of goldfish, thanks to the advent of smartphones. The results showed that the average human attention span has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000 (around the time the mobile revolution began), to eight seconds in 2015. Eight seconds — compared to goldfish, which are believed to have an attention span of nine seconds.
Rather than let time be our biggest barrier, we should learn to control and master it so we can get as much done each day as we possibly can.
Below are 8 tips to gain focus and multiply the amount of stuff you get done each day.
Meditate and remain present throughout the day
One of the habits that has most greatly contributed to allowing me to remain focused is meditation. In meditation, what you typically do is remain focused on one object for an extended period of time without any distraction. In mindfulness meditation, this object is typically your breath or a mantra.
As you practice meditation each day, your concentration gradually builds. In the beginning, it is common to find that you may only sit for about 5 minutes before you start getting restless.
But each day as you get used to it, you can expand on the time you’d spent sitting comfortably. You start to notice your mind drift off less frequently. Remaining focused on your breath becomes easier.
This translates to your daily life as well.
When you get off-task while working, you catch yourself — like you catch yourself thinking about other things when meditating. And then as soon as you do, you get right back to what you were doing.
Figure out what matters the most with an 80/20 analysis
What this essentially means is “80% of the results come from 20% of the effort”. Instead of working on meaningless tasks, put the most important ones in priority. A good rule of thumb: the tasks that give you the most anxiety are typically the ones that you need to get done first.
Which brings us to the next step…
Write down three of your main tasks each morning
This has been an absolutely powerful tool in keeping me focused on the things that do matter. As Steve Jobs has said; “if today were the last day of your life, would I do what I am about to do today”?
In order to be productive, you have to remove meaningless work from your day. You have to do the right things — the tasks that will give the most reward.
When you start the day, write on a post-it note, journal, or anywhere visible — three of the things you most want to accomplish on this day.
These tasks should be so important, that regardless of all the other small things you have to do, the accomplishment of these three things will provide the most bang for your buck.
Think of it like the first domino in a sequence. When you accomplish this task, will other smaller tasks be automatically eliminated from the row lined up before you?
Pomodoro Technique: take breaks and reward yourself
Another really useful tool for productivity is the pomodoro technique.
The pomodoro technique is essentially a technique for time management. Its main premise is to work in blocks of time, usually 25 minute sessions, with a 5 minute break after each session. The catch: that 25 minute session is completely focused on the task at hand, while your break is completely focused on relaxing. When in your 25 minutes, put the phone away — and in your 5 minutes, put the work away. What this does is allow you to stay fresh throughout the work day, and stay motivated to work continually due to the short breaks in between sessions.
I use this app for the Mac to time my pomodoro sessions and breaks.
Put your phone away!
My phone has always been the biggest distraction for when I’m trying to do work.
Try phone fasting each day whenever you have a lot of work to do. Put your phone away, in a place that is not visible to you for a few hours.
Rather than constantly get distracted by the latest notification or the various social media, this will allow you to stay fully focused on whatever task you have at hand.
Take nootropics for focus
One of the most common nootropics in the world is coffee, which is consumed by 54% of Americans over the age of 18.
Coffee is absolutely wonderful as a nootropic, especially combined with l-theanine, the main ingredient found in green tea. Together the combination results in a smooth and focused energy that is far better than caffeine alone.
There are also a wide variety of other nootropics you can take, whether you’re trying to improve your memory, increase energy, or reduce anxiety. You can check out some of the nootropics I take by reading my blog here.
Keep your work environment clean
Keeping a tidy workspace is conducive for productivity.
Just simply looking at a messy, unkempt workplace can raise your stress levels. When you want to get stuff done, it’s important that you limit distractions, and an unorganized environment can be a rather glaring one.
Banish multitasking from your life
Multitasking is the bane of productivity. You cannot be productive while multitasking.
Although you may think you’re doing more at once by multitasking, it is actually counter-intuitive.
Instead zone in on one specific task at a time. This is because it often takes 25 minutes to get back into a task after a distraction.
Bouncing back and forth from task to task also keeps you from getting into flow state, otherwise known as “the zone”. In this state, you feel as if everything is going well, and you are fully immersed in the activity at hand.
“Who you are, what you think, feel, and do, what you love — is the sum of what you focus on.”
— Winifred Gallagher
These practices really can allow you to more effectively manage your time. Stop spending most of your time going off-task or using your phone aimlessly. Instead, strengthen those focus muscles to get the right things done each day.
