Focus is the key
- gaya burg
- Jan 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 21
Whether you are a student, full-time employee, or somewhere in the middle, getting things done with less effort and in less time is something we all desire. When we learn how to get better at creating focusing environments, reset our nerves system, we are achieving higher state concentration for longer periods of time, it is easier to accomplish every multi-phase goal.
What does focus really mean?
Let's start with the definition:
Focus is the ability to direct our attention, ignoring everything else.
Distraction is when we have pulled our attention away from a task or thought, and our attention is shifted elsewhere.
So, our goal is to discover how to get better at directing our attention.
We can lower distractions and increase our focus and ability to come back to focus state.
For most people, most awake hours we are overwhelmed with distractions. Most of us live in big cities where the hustle and bustle are our everyday reality.
For example, John wakes up in the morning, checks his phone, makes coffee and toast and leaves the house. On his way to work, he listens to the last podcast, while three people argue about random games from last year. He starts his working days by speaking with a few colleagues in the office and checking emails. There is music from the room next to him. Then he starts his actual working day with meetings and phone calls. Now, if we think about that, He could be expose to more than 100 people voices and opnions even before 11:00 a.m.
This is a lot, and most of that information isn't valid, because it's simply not useful for anything in john life, it just the decision-making process function slower.
What do I mean by that?
There is a limit to how much decision we can make before we start to feel tired and fatigued, and every signal that our brain receives, he reacts.
Every voice he heard, or Instagram photo creates brain activity and therefore the brain already did a lot of processing, sorting and cataloging, so decisions have been made and the efficiency getting lower.
If we lower the number of distractions from our daily habits, our brain will need to make less decisions and could be more efficient at accomplishing our goals. So, simplify, exposure is something we can control to an extent, we don't need to hear or see everything especially when we have an important goal to achieve.
Reduce distraction
Clean work environment, whether you are working at home, office or a public place, this is basic to have minimal physical distraction as possible. The trick here is finding out what is necessary for your work and everything else needs to be out of reach.
To apply it, use only necessary software, minimum windows open, necessary physical tools like laptop and charger, maybe things to block sounds or use headphones to create your microenvironment if you are in a public space.
Basic important to mention, phone that doesn't used for work, needs out of reach. It is literally the most connected device; you don't need the million possibilities while you are working.
Improve focus
Block your senses
In yoga, the asana practice is the physical practice that teach us how to bring awarness to every breath and movement, so we will be able to focus on those aspects only. We can learn from that, once we know how it feels, we can strive to achieve this state of being also off the mat.
Mindfulness
There are different tools to bring awareness to the present moment. Sounds, tapping, humming, journaling, somatic experiences and meditation can help you bring attention to your body at the moment. From this stillness you can move on to creating and doing with more sense of presence, achieving less reactive mind would encourage you to focus on your mission.
Diet
When you don't have balanced diet, it could reduce your ability to focus. Your nerves system connected to the gut, that's why your gut called also the second brain, therefore it's important to pay attention to your diet as well.
References
The Gut-Brain Connection – IIN
Daniel Amen, MD
Recommend in this subject:
Deep work - Cal Newport
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