We are busier than ever before. We think technology has streamlined many tasks, but instead we are given more tools that give us more and more to do with less time to do it. We are stressed and overwhelmed. The phrase “time management” has become taboo, since it implies there are different ways to cram even more into our already overflowing lives. We have been led to believe that if we don’t multitask every minute of our day we will not be productive. This can’t be farther from the truth. Successful people have long realized that focus is the key to being productive.
Increasing your focus means you should get up each day, looking forward to what you can achieve. Being focused means you are making progress towards what is most important to you. You will feel a greater sense of productivity and fulfillment. Learn why focus is important in both your personal and professional life in the following pages. You’ll learn tips and strategies on gaining and keeping your focus so you can be productive in everything you do. Multitasking is one of the most overrated skills people claim to have. In this report you’ll find out why you shouldn’t be multitasking, and what to do instead. Let’s get started. Why focus is important Why is being focused so important in today’s world? What results happen when you are focused? Does being focused make you less stress? Happier? If it’s so important, why don’t people focus more? Being focused on one thing for a certain period of time allows you to do a better quality of work, more work gets done quicker, and your creative ideas flow easier. Being focused on one task at a time is less stressful on your mind. And being less stressed allows you be happier. It’s difficult for people to remain focused on one task for a variety of reasons. For one, we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with TV, radio, cell phones, Internet social media, as well as a much larger population that lives closer together than ever before. It’s difficult to get completely away from all these distractions. One way is to go to a room where you can shut your door and turn off your phone and email notifications.
Multitasking is overrated If you’re like many people you spend most days multitasking. You’re probably so used to multitasking that you don’t even realize when you’re doing it. After all, it’s a skill many employers look for in their employees. Many people believe multitasking saves them time. There are many reasons why multitasking is bad. It’s better to focus instead though. Focusing lets you concentrate on one task or thought at a time, helping you create a better result for each task. Many people like to multitask because they become bored working on one task at a time. Why is multitasking bad? You have to switch from task to task. This takes time for your mind to change into the right mindset for the new task. You have to take the time to remember where you left off.
Tips to improve focus Maybe you want to focus on a single task but find yourself easily distracted. You find it difficult to focus on what you are doing because you find your mind wandering, you’re worrying about everything or maybe you just have way too many things you need to do to make a choice of just one task to start with. Here are some valuable tips on how to improve focus. Meditate Try to allocate at least 30 minutes each day to meditate. If you can’t dedicate that much time you can still do a short breathing exercise. Focus on your breathing, really focusing on the air, how it touches your nostrils and enters your lips. How does it feel as it escapes? Your mind may wander, filling with endless amount of thoughts. When this happens bring your thoughts back to focusing on your breathing. Continue this process for several minutes. Regulating your breathing relaxes your circulatory system and brings you a sense of peace. Listen Listen to music to help improve your focus. Really concentrate on the music. Try to focus on a single instrument. Cut goals into small targets. Having an end goal in mind while working on the tasks to achieve it can frustrate you because you target goal might be too big or difficult. Your results won’t be quick, and it may seem like you aren’t getting any closer to the end. Instead of working toward the ultimate end goal, break it down into smaller, more achievable goals you can reach within a few days. Then cross each smaller goal off your list as you achieve it. Time clock. Work within your body’s most comfortable time period. Maybe you work best early in the morning before sunrise. Or late at night. Work when you are most productive. For example, many authors get up early to do their writing, while artists often do their best work late at night. Light meals. Have you ever eaten a big meal for lunch when working only to feel lethargic and weighed down all afternoon? Eating a heavy meal slows you down and makes you sleepy. If you need or want to, you can go on a small juice fast on a regular basis. It will keep you alert and help keep your body in good physical condition. Exercise Exercise your mind and body every day. Do crossword puzzles. Engage in lively discussions. Build something that’s creative. A simple 30 minute walk every day is all you need to keep your body healthy. Force yourself. You may need to push yourself some when you’re feeling lazy. If you are hitting a mental roadblock, though, take some time away from the task. Do something else until you can regain your focus on the original task. Learning to improve you focus will take time but it is worth it. Begin by implementing one or two of these tips into your day to begin changing how well you can become focused. Strategies to Improve Focus You’d be surprised by how many people lose track of where their time goes. They might think they are focused on a single task, but are they really? One way to find out is to keep track of how you spend your time for a week. You might find out you’ve been wasting time on little things like checking Facebook once an hour. Here are some strategies for improving your focus and increasing your productivity:
Exercises to Improve Focus When TV newscaster Diane Sawyer was asked the secret to her success, she said, "I think the one lesson I've learned is there is no substitute for paying attention." Did you know improving your focus can be done with different types of simple exercises? It’s true. Something as simple as getting exercise on a daily basis or chewing gum can improve your brain function, which leads to better focus. Most of the time, focus exercises take less than ten minutes to do. Check out these to get you started:
Here are some Concentration exercises taken from the Success Consciousness website. Exercise 1 Count the words in any paragraph from a book. Count them again. Repeat until it’s easy. Now count the words in two paragraphs. Repeat until it becomes easy. Finally count all the words on the page. Count mentally and with your eyes only. Don’t use your finger to point to each word. Exercise 2 Count from one hundred backwards to one. Exercise 3 Count backwards from one hundred, by threes, for example 100, 97, 94 and so on. Exercise 4 Pick an inspiring word or simple sound. Repeat it silently for five minutes. When this becomes easy, try doing it for ten minutes continually. Exercise 5 Hold a piece of fruit in your hands. Examine it, keeping your entire attention focused on the fruit. Just focus on the fruit, ignoring other thoughts. Examine its shape, the smell of it, how it’s texture when you touch it and how it taste. Exercise 6 Visualize a piece of fruit. First examine a piece of fruit for 2 minutes. Then close your eyes and visualize how it feels, looks and smells. Try to visualize a clear image. If the image gets blurry, look at the fruit again for a few seconds then close your eyes and try to visualize it again. It’s never been harder to stay focused than at this time in history. We are distracted by technology and everything happening around us. You can regain focus though by doing different exercises that can help you build your concentration. How to deal with focus issues You probably already know how hard it is to focus on something. Focus issues are often the result of different things like boredom, lack of interest or even fatigue. Concentration can often be attributed by how motivated and interested we are in the task. Here are some ways to deal with focus issues.
Applied Focus You can increase your productivity and accomplish more in less time by using a technique called applied focus. Applied focus can help you avoid the little distractions that can derail your efforts at productivity. So, how does applied focus increases productivity? Applied focus is a strategy that helps you multiply your productivity. Each session is 45-minutes long, with a 15-minute shift in focus. Or you can do 90 minutes followed by 30-minute shift in focus. In other words, you stop focusing intentionally on your task and do something completely different in the shift focus period. During the focused session, though, you don’t allow anything to distract you (except a dire emergency). Phone calls are out, email is off, texting and Facebook are off limits. Here are some guidelines (be sure to adjust them as necessary to fit your individual situation):
What’s next? Learning how to focus on one task at a time takes time and commitment. In our busy lives we are pulled in many directions at one time. It’s best to begin your journey on a more focused life gradually by implementing the tips and strategies found within this report. Focus is such an important part of how productive you are. If you can focus on one task for a set amount of time you will be more productive in a shorter amount of time than you have been. Putting aside your tendency to multitask will improve your productivity as well, since you will be able to finish one task before you move on. Removing distractions can help you focus as well. Create an environment that you feel comfortable in, and that fits with how you work. If you’re a morning person, then focus on your work tasks, and vice versa for night owls. Eat healthy and nutritious foods to keep your brain strong and able to concentrate. Exercise daily, meditate daily and take time to enjoy nature and your family.
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AuthorHerb is a public speaking coach, retired college professor, author, and retired Army Reserve chaplain living in South Florida with his wife of more than 50 years. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Copyright © 2024, Herbert Sennett. You're welcome to post this article on your website or blog provided the content, including the author’s name, is not altered in any way, and that this copyright and licensing statement, complete with working links, appear with the article. Any other use is a violation of U.S. and International copyright law. For permission to use the article in other ways, please email me. Thanks. posts
October 2024
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