If you have trouble staying on task or paying attention to the details, eliminating distractions like your phone or trying techniques like Pomodoro timers or SMART goals may help.
Everyone can have trouble focusing. Some contributing factors may include:
- being hungry
- being tired or having poor-quality sleep
- being stressed
- feeling worried or anxious
- being distracted by something in your environment
With these factors in mind, the following strategies may also help you approach your tasks.
While it is unrealistic to eliminate all distractions, you can make an effort to reduce or remove as many distractions as possible.
Consider starting by:
- moving to a quiet area
- silencing notifications on your phone or turning your phone off altogether
- closing the door to your office
- telling those around you not to distract you for a period of time
- closing out of programs or apps that aren’t essential on your computer
- playing calming ambient music or white noise
- declutter your work space
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The key to taking advantage of caffeine’s cognitive-enhancing properties is to consume it in moderation. If you drink too much, you may feel anxious or nervous, which can reduce your ability to stay focused.
Try to limit your consumption to 400 milligrams (mg) or less.
The Pomodoro technique helps you train your brain to stay on task for short periods. Here’s how it works:
- Set your timer for 25 minutes and get to work.
- When the buzzer sounds, take a 5-minute break.
- Set the timer again and get back to work.
- Once you’ve done four rounds of this, you can take a longer break, approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
If you are frequently checking social media throughout the workday, you may want to consider an app, browser extension, or setting that blocks access to these apps.
In addition to social media, some apps also allow you to block online games as well as sites like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Twitter, text messages, and even email.
Your phone may also have a built-in setting that allows you to block certain apps and messages from certain people when activated.
Being hungry can impair focus.
When making meals and snacks, try to prioritize:
Additionally, be sure to keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water.
Not getting enough sleep most nights of the week can negatively impact your short and long-term memory, as well as your ability to concentrate.
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To improve your sleep,
- avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large meals in the evening
- turn off screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime
- keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a cool temperature
- go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends
If your lack of focus results from feeling overwhelmed by a complex project, try breaking it down into smaller parts and plugging the smaller steps into the SMART formula.
SMART stands for:
- Specific. What exactly needs to be done?
- Measurable. How will you track your progress?
- Achievable. Is it realistic? Can it be done by the deadline?
- Relevant. How does it fit with the overall plan or bigger goal?
- Timely. When does it need to be done?
When you take a large, complex project and break it down into smaller, bite-sized tasks, you create goals you feel like you can accomplish. This sense of accomplishment can keep you motivated to complete the entire task.
Practicing mindfulness means maintaining moment-to-moment awareness of where you are and what you’re doing — which is great news when trying to stay focused. By being mindful and recognizing when your attention starts to drift, you can quickly bring your focus back to where it needs to be.
You can train your brain to be more mindful by practicing breathing techniques, meditation, and mindful movement, such as yoga.
Practicing mindfulness
- improve relaxation
- improve self-esteem
- manage stress
- manage symptoms of anxiety and depression
- cope with serious illness
- reduce blood pressure
- reduce pain in some instances
- improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia
- manage weight and eating behaviors
Writing down your tasks can free up room in your brain, which can help you get things done and decrease anxiety.
After you make your list, choose two or three key tasks and put them at the top. Then rank the rest of the items in order of importance. This allows you to tackle urgent tasks first. Anything you cannot accomplish by the end of the day can be rolled over to the list for the next day.
You may consider making separate lists for different types of tasks, such as one for work and one for chores.
Working on multiple tasks simultaneously comes with a cost — whether a reduction in performance accuracy or speed.
A 2019 study notes that the human brain’s structure is not capable of multitasking and works much better while focusing on a single task at a time.
Pick similar tasks, group them together, and do one at a time. This makes transitions smoother, and you may get a lot more done by not jumping from one type of task to another.
Knowing how to zone in on what needs to be done can help you stay on track with your most important daily tasks. Strategies like getting enough sleep, eating regular meals, and making lists can help improve focus.