How To Find Focus In The Age Of Information Overload
Discover how to overcome procrastination and become laser-focused on achieving your goals
Click. Click. I often hear that noise as I switch between tabs on my internet browser all day. Working online for a living means it has formed the soundtrack to my daily routine; knowing that its reassuring beat means I am doing something, anything that is helping towards my goals or general self-improvement.
Whether learning, reading, writing or just searching for inspiring images, there is always something to be searching for. What that thing is could vary by the minute — when it comes to the internet, we’re only limited by our time and imaginations.
However, is the endless search for more information only serving to be counterproductive and preventing us from moving forward towards our actual goals?
Our ancestors could never have imagined the tremendous amount of information available at our fingertips at the simple press of a button. We live in abundance when it comes to finding new knowledge that can help us to learn or grow as people.
There has never been an easier time to learn how to become a Life Coach, Bestselling Author or study the inner workings and psychology of the human mind, for example.
I turn to my email inbox, and I’m swamped with messages from well-meaning marketers trying to get me to buy their next course or join their next live event. The opportunities for creating new ways of income or building connections with like-minded people worldwide have never been more abundant!
And yet, why can I not focus on the one task I know will help me take that next step towards my goals?
I’ve often heard it referred to as ‘shiny object syndrome’, where our focus flits from one exciting prospect to the next. In the information age, it’s easy to get distracted and move on to the next topic that excites us. For example, the latest data shows that Google processes over 99,000 searches every single second! Most people rely on the internet as their go-to resource for learning new information, believing it to be factually correct.
While the internet and modern technology have opened the doorway for new opportunities to become abundant people — finding new jobs, making new friends, learning new ways of income or simply having fun — it has also staggered our connection to ourselves and our actual goals that would help us to feel happy and empowered in the long-term.
Momentary satisfaction, long-term unhappiness
Research shows that people who delay gratification tend to be happier overall. By focusing on tasks that may feel challenging or arduous, we build more self-control and discipline towards our goals.
As with anything in life, the more challenging a task is, the more rewarding it becomes when we overcome it and prove that, yes, we can do it!
Learning self-control can apply to anything in life, from taking better care of your finances to improving your love life or deepening relationships, or finally writing that book — focusing on the long-term goal is beneficial for helping you to better understand your needs and emotional desires, along with what real-life structures you can bring into your world that will help you to focus in on creating them.
That’s why I want to share with you my favourite ways to improve self-focus so that achieving your goals is as easy as clicking a button…
1.Time Yourself — This is the best way to make focusing on a task super fun! I use apps such as Flow Timer for my computer desktop or Forest for my phone to stay focused, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. The best time to be productive is around 25 minutes of focused work and then a 5-minute break. This is known as the Pomodoro technique and is a simple productivity hack that you can use to get yourself feeling super-focused!
2. Block out apps or websites — If you find yourself constantly being distracted, many apps or extensions can block out websites for extended periods so you can focus on one task at a time. Some of these are paid apps, but there are also fantastic free ones, such as LeechBlock NG (Next Generation), that work on most browsers. You can make lists of sites to block and even set up rules to limit your time on websites or apps that are too distracting. For example, you can spend 20 minutes on YouTube or Twitter and even build this into your hourly routine if you like.
3. Unsubscribe From Irrelevant Email Lists — A cluttered inbox feels chaotic, so it’s essential to unsubscribe from emails that are no longer relevant to you. Unroll.me is one option to mass unsubscribe from email lists, yet another is Clean Email, which is highly recommended for bulk unsubscribes. Gmail also has a default unsubscribe button at the top of email messages now, so you can automatically unroll if you feel called to. Waking up to an inbox filled with emails that are important to you is the first step towards being clear about your day ahead and ready to focus on the most important tasks towards your goals.
4. Get an Accountability Partner — People held accountable are more likely to follow through towards achieving their goals. Accountability partners can keep you motivated and break down your goals into easy-to-achieve steps. Accountability meetings work best when you have a specific purpose and the session is kept short and super focused on that target. Meeting weekly, bi-monthly or monthly with your accountability partner will help you stay on track wherever you are in that process. Be sure to choose someone you trust, who has self-awareness and may have similar intentions as yourself.
4. Reward Yourself — If you have a goal you’re working towards, you may feel more motivated to achieve it if there’s a reward at the end. For example, when writing a book, you might have the target of having the first draft written or sent off to an agent. You might have a bigger reward for yourself at the end of this process such as going on holiday or buying yourself an expensive computer. On a smaller level, you might decide only to eat a chocolate treat when you have finished writing a chapter of your book or some other tangible goal. In this way, you can reward your sense of self-discipline and train yourself to build healthier, more productive habits in your daily routine.
Do any of these suggestions resonate with you? I hope they help clarify how you can increase your focus and productivity. Given enough practice with these tips, you can begin to cut through the distractions and finally start achieving your life goals.
