In today’s world of constant distractions, it can be a real struggle to focus.
Your phone, the environment around you, and even your own wandering mind can make it feel impossible to stay on task.
However, you can implement some simple yet powerful strategies to take control of your situation and make it easier to focus on your work.
From timing your work sessions to reducing distractions, we’ll go over 6 techniques to help you lock in your concentration and get more done.
If you are looking to make the most of your time and complete your tasks more efficiently, you are at the perfect place.
Let’s get started then!
1. Set A Schedule
Following a schedule with a specific list of tasks written down can tremendously help you stay focused and on track.
You can make a schedule the good old-fashioned way by simply writing down your tasks on a sheet of paper. Otherwise, you could type out your list on your phone or computer.
However, if you are someone who will easily get distracted as soon as you pick up your phone, then I would advise against jotting down your schedule on your electronic device.
Either way, I highly recommend utilizing a planner with daily sheets. Each day, you can write down what things you need to accomplish by the end of the day.
If you want to take things one step further and fine-tune your schedule, you can plan your day by the hour.
By setting a specific time of day to start each task and designating a time-slot to complete them, you can really minimize distractions since you know that you have a limited, set amount of time to complete each task.
A schedule also helps you prioritize tasks, so you can focus on the most important things first.
On top of that, you can schedule your tasks to coincide with the times of the day that you have the highest energy levels.
That way, you can ensure that you will actually be able to stay focused while completing your tasks.
By diligently following your schedule, you can direct your focus towards your tasks in a more precise and timely manner.
2. Use The Pomodoro Technique
Fun fact: Pomodoro is Italian for tomato, and this technique is named after the timers that resemble a tomato.
This method of working is pretty simple, but it can work wonders for keeping your mind fresh and focused.
Here’s how it works:
1) Identify a task that you want to complete.
2) Set a timer for 25 minutes and work until the timer ends.
3) Take a 5 minute break in which you clear your mind, relax, and do anything but work.
4) After the break, repeat the above steps up to 4 more times.
After 4 rounds of working, you are given a longer break of 15-30 mins.
This is a super easy yet very effective technique that can change the game when it comes to staying focused while working.
By working in smaller bursts, you can put 100 percent of your concentration towards the task at hand without any distractions.
In addition to that, you will likely stay motivated to finish your task because you know that the mandatory break is very near and will come before you know it.
Don’t fall under the impression that the frequent breaks are catered to lazy people. They are super important to help you recharge and prevent burnout.
After all, your brain needs those little breaks after working so hard!
3. Keep Your Phone Away
Too often, you might find yourself distracted on your phone and getting little to no work done throughout the time that you should have been productive.
Yup, I’ve been there, done that, and once the damage has been done, there’s little you could do to recover in terms of lost time.
Sometimes, the only solution is to keep your phone physically out of reach until you finish your work.
If you need your phone, try putting it on “Do Not Disturb” mode to prevent any notifications from disturbing your focus.
If you are into psychological tricks to prevent you from reaching for your phone every so often, try this method: change your phone display to grayscale mode.
This mode essentially turns your color display into one that shows everything in black and white.
But how does this hack work to reduce your screen time, do you ask?
Simply put, having your screen displayed in grayscale makes the screen less fun and engaging.
Since the colors on your phone stimulate your brain and grab your attention, you want to remove the stimulus, aka the fun and vibrant colors that app icons usually have.
You take the color away, and now your screen looks boring, dull, and less enticing to look at.
Some people may find themselves no longer tempted to go on social media, or even turn on their phone screen.
This may be a fun little experiment for you to try if you haven’t already. For iOS users, simply go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Display & Text Size -> Color Filters (on) -> Grayscale.
Try this hack and see if you find yourself more focused on doing your work and less distracted by your phone.
At the very least, keep your phone away from you while you are working. As the saying goes…out of sight, out of mind!
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4. Take Controlled Breaks
Part of staying focused while working is to give your mind a break every so often.
By taking short breaks, you are allowing yourself to refresh your mind and recharge before you resume your work.
However, one important detail that often gets overlooked is that you have to be mindful of what you actually do during your break.
As tempting as it may seem, steer clear of browsing through social media during this time.
In my experience, if I hop onto social media during my break, the time passes by too quickly, and my mind doesn’t feel rested or refreshed by the end of the break.
To get the most out of your break, the key is to try doing something that does not require too much thinking.
Here are a few ways to recharge during your break:
-Walk around and do some stretches
-Open the window and breathe in some fresh air
-Light a scented candle and enjoy its aroma
-Eat a healthy snack and hydrate yourself
-Play with your pet (if you’re at home)
These are just a few ideas that can help you renew your state of mind and prepare you to shift back into working mode.
One of the key ways to increase your focus while you’re working is to make sure that your mind has a proper rest while you’re not working!
5. Identify Distractions
You may find your mind constantly wandering off…distracted by the sound of a ticking clock, a piece of artwork on the wall, or the sights and sounds coming from the window near you.
There are many ways that you can get distracted, which not only takes away your focus but also wastes your precious time.
It is crucial to identify the little distractions that you may not even register without giving it a thought.
After figuring out the things that are always diverting your attention from your work, you need to find a solution to counter those distractions.
For example, if the ticking sound of your wall clock is a nuisance, then consider replacing it with one that is silent.
Of course depending on your situation, you may not have the power to enact such changes, like in a shared office setting or a public place.
Even if this is the case, it is still important to identify the things that distract you, since you can still work on improving your focus.
As an example, let’s say you work from home, but your family is being disruptive in the house. Even if you sit in a separate room from the others, it may be difficult to focus on your work.
The first solution would be to try to talk to your family members and see if they can respect your boundaries and stay quiet during your working hours.
If that doesn’t work, then maybe you could try using noise-canceling headphones while listening to a playlist of ambient sounds to help block out the noise from your surroundings.
As an alternative solution, if your working hours are flexible, you could shift them to be early in the morning or later in the night when your family is asleep.
Maybe you could also try working remotely in a public place, like a cafe.
As you can see, once you identify the distraction, you could come up with a few solutions to work around it and minimize its effects. Some might be less ideal than others, but it’s the effort to stay focused that counts.
6. Organize Your Work Area
Having a neat and tidy workspace can really help with maintaining your focus as you are doing your work.
If your desk is not organized, you may find yourself fumbling around your desk area to look for the things you need, which will take your focus away from completing your work.
Having a designated place for everything can save you time and energy looking for your things. This can help you stay in rhythm and stay productive.
On top of that, an organized work area reduces visual and mental clutter. This can reduce stress and clear your head to focus on the task at hand.
Here is a quick checklist to keep your desk area organized:
1) Remove any non-essential items from your desk
2) Create designated areas or storage solutions for your supplies, i.e. drawers or shelves
3) Organize your paperwork into folders or binders
4) Use a cup to hold your pens, pencils, and highlighters
5) Minimize cords by using a cord organizer, such as a cord tray under your desk
6) Dust the surface of your desk every week to keep it clean
Be sure to assess your workspace and see if there are any ways you can improve its organization, as even a small change may help you with staying focused.
Final Thoughts
It’s very important to figure out the main things that are causing you to lose your focus while working.
Then, you can pick and choose the strategies that would work best based on your situation.
Let’s say that you struggle to get your tasks done on time and you have no system to hold yourself accountable for completing them.
Your #1 strategy would be to create a schedule with all your tasks incorporated into it.
And if you find yourself overworked while completing your tasks, then make sure to have meaningful breaks to give your mind a rest.
Whether you plan to use a couple or all 6 strategies, be sure to try at least one and see if you are able to stay focused and get your work done!
