Menu
The Age of Distractions
Distraction is not a recent phenomenon, humans have been dealing with it since eternities, but the addiction and distraction caused by digital technology is unprecedented. Though human brain also got evolved to some extent in order to perceive, record and deal with more complex information, but the immeasurable volume of information that we get exposed to is still beyond imagination.
Research proved that the brain is not quite coping with the amount of information we receive, and our ability to disconnect from the outside and be present in the moment is actually decreasing, according to Adam Gazzaley, a renowned cognitive neuroscientist.
Focus is more important than intelligence.
In the world wherein your attention is a rare commodity and the tech giants are competing for your attention. In the era of manipulative algorithms, it is not easy to do something meaningful unless we maintain focus. Good leaders not only achieve greater focus but also equip team members with focus-boosting and productivity tools.
Don’t let coming months and years go by with broken focus and try to bring focus back by understanding and implementing the below tips.
“Where focus goes, energy flows.” – Tony Robbins
Schedule your time and energy
Scheduling is the art of planning your activities so that you can achieve your goals and priorities in the time you have available.
What gets scheduled gets done effectively. Set a regular time to do your scheduling – at the start of every week or month.
If a task requires your full attention, then schedule it for a time of day when you have enough energy needed to focus.
Almost every productivity strategy is obsessed with the theme of managing your time better, but time is useless if you don’t have the energy you need to complete the task you are working on.
Get into isolation
If you have worked on something urgent in a flight, you would know the increase productivity levels when there is no one to disturb you.
You can replicate this on the ground by closing your office door or wearing headphones to signal to teammates when you’re in deep work. You may even express to co-workers or your boss that you need a few hours of uninterrupted time to complete something important.
Go offline whenever needed
Since our smartphone is biggest distraction, it is impossible to even imagine to focus in some activity without managing that.
Turn off the notifications and be available to take only the important calls. In case you don’t have the mental strength to overcome pop-ups on your own, you can use certain tools to help. You can also delete nonessential apps and set screen time controls for social media apps required for work
To win the battle on focus, you must know how to deal with the technology.
Reduce the room temperature
Some studies have proved that the people in little cooler rooms can focus better as compared to others who work in rooms with warmer temperature.
Cooler rooms improve concentration. Though Optimal temperature varies for person to person, so you can try different settings to find what works best for you.
Get the right posture
Don’t get so comfortable that you’ll fall asleep and don’t get into too uncomfortable posture so that there is no focus.
When you’re uncomfortable, you’re distracted. Find a comfortable posture. This doesn’t mean lying in bed. Don’t get so comfortable that you’ll fall asleep. Find out what works for you.
Listen to music that aids concentration
Researchers at Stanford University studied the effect of music on the brain and found that it engaged areas of the brain involved in paying attention, making predictions, and updating memory.
One can use it to their advantage as long as it is not disturbing others and not becoming noise for you.
Observe the effect of food on your capacity to focus
For some people, coffee help with focus. Whilst others may feel jittery after the consumption of caffeine. Since our body reacts differently to caffeine and other food products, we need to pay attention to how your body reacts to what we consume.
Set small goals and work towards achieving timelines
Small goals are projects you can accomplish in a designated amount of time.
For example, I set a mini-goal to write a 1000-word blog post in 45 minutes several mornings per week. And I use a timer on my desktop. I know my average is 70 minutes per blog post, therefore setting a 45-minute timer helps me stay focused in my race against the clock.
Identify potential mini-goals and allocate less time than you think you need.
Take frequent breaks
Breaks are equally helpful like deadlines.
Breaks can be taken in many forms. It can be a walk, an afternoon nap, or a cup of coffee or talking to a colleague. Whatever you do, clear your mind for a few minutes and you’ll feel almost immediate benefits in terms of boost in productivity.
Distractions are everywhere. Without deliberate actions, you will fall prey to them again and again.
“Only through focus can you do world-class things, no matter how capable you are“- Bill Gates