Whether you are faced with an unending list of activities on your to-do list, you are trying to accomplish set goals, or just trying to get a specific task done, you need to be able to focus. With the advancement in technology and digitization of almost all the work structures and systems all across the globe, focus and concentration seem to be getting harder and unachievable. Our brains are becoming wired to look out for the next big thing, our attention spans are dwindling on a regular basis and distractions are almost inevitable. There is therefore a need for mental space management and deliberate effort to stay focused.
When a paradigm becomes generally accepted, it’s very possible to just accept a particular statement of fact without questioning or making any effort to make an exception. A lot of people have settled with the belief that it is impossible to stay focused, this paradigm will only impede creativity and responsibility towards discipline, self-management, and improvement, this has a very negative influence on our ability to innovate, create and accomplish credible goals. Don’t just move with the flow and settle for less. Great achievers always challenge themselves beyond the norm and stand out. One of the reasons for this article is to challenge you to change your paradigms and change the narrative. It’s to help you leverage and apply a combination of a positive mindset and relevant tools to focus and increase personal productivity.
Here are a few tips on how you can improve your focus;
Goal segmentation - it's good to have a big goal, but sometimes it is necessary to devise smaller and more realistic goals that directly promote your bigger goals. This can increase your ability to focus in a very credible well. You take it one step at a time and progressively move towards the big picture. Having your mind encumbered with so many things to do can make a process look so ambiguous and more demanding. It slows down processes and makes you mentally disorganized, this is not so good for the brain and can easily wear you out both physically and intellectually. So take out time to organize your mental space and follow through. This is the starting point of focus.
Train your mind - There are some games and exercises that can help improve your cognitive abilities in turn improve your focus ability. Engaging in such activities will subsequently train your brain and sensory nerves to learn to focus in the direction of your attention. challenging games such as scrabble, chess, WordPress among others can help improve your focus.
Take breaks and get some sleep when necessary - There is a popular saying that ‘you can’t cheat nature’ our bodies have been wired to work in certain ways and rest is very important for proper functioning, so do not deprive yourself of rest when your body calls for it. Take time to relax, take a stroll or get some quality sleep when needed. Doing so will help you recuperate and gather momentum for the next task ahead. It’ll help you focus and engage your mental strength for maximal productivity.
Play music - Experts have proven that music helps you focus, look for good music to relax your nerves. It’s even better to play the music that consists of just instrumentals without lyrics. this might not work for a lot of people, but find out what works for you and apply it. If music works for you, choose the right genre of music that soothes you and use it to stay focused.
Avoid distractions - Be deliberate about organizing your workspace in a way that you eliminate distractions as much as possible, switch off your mobile phones, find a quiet place that no one can easily interrupt. Disable pop-ups on your computer for the time you have dedicated to your work and let everything in sight be things the can boost or point your attention to your work. And if you do not have a workspace, get a quiet and peaceful place and let everyone around be aware that you are at work and need no distractions.
Our minds are powerful tools for productivity, innovation, and creativity. We must be intentional about the well-being of our minds and apply the necessary tools to maximize it to full capacity.