Staying focused can help you accomplish a variety of professional and personal tasks, from studying for a test to finishing your work an hour early.There are a number of practical steps you can take to help you focus and not check your phone every fifteen minutes.Don't give in to distraction, make a to-do list which has built-in breaks, and resist the temptation to multi-task to stay focused on the task at hand.
Step 1: You should organize your workspace.
It is possible to focus and get your work done with much more concentration if you have a clean space.Anything that can distract you from your work is not relevant to the task.Leaving a few photos or souvenirs at your desk will help you relax a bit.You will be able to maintain your new organized lifestyle if you only clean your space at the end of every day.Put your phone away for a few hours if you don't need it.Don't let it get in the way of your life.
Step 2: Make a list.
It is possible to make a to-do list at the beginning of every day or week.If you make a list of all the things you have to do, no matter how small, you will feel more accomplished when you check those items off your list and move on to the next task.It will keep you focused on one task at a time.You should prioritize your tasks.The most important tasks should be put first.It's better to save the more manageable tasks for the end of the day when you're tired and less motivated to complete the hardest tasks.If you put off the hard tasks until the last minute, you'll get them done all day.A to-do list could say: "Call mom".There is a kid's birthday.Call the doctor again.The post office is open at 2 pm.
Step 3: Give yourself a time limit.
Managing your time and making a to-do list go hand in hand.Write how long it will take you to accomplish each task next to each item on the list.You should be realistic about this estimate.Try to complete each task within the time limit.It will make you less likely to slack off or text your friend for an hour.Shorter, easier tasks can be used to break up more time- consuming tasks.You don't want to be overwhelmed by too many tough tasks in a row.The shorter tasks can be seen as mini-rewards.You could say, "Make coffee: 5 minutes."15 minutes to answer emails.The meeting is 1 hour.30 minutes is the type of meeting notes.The reports have been edited for 2 hours.
Step 4: Break during the day.
This form of organization will help you stay focused, even though it may sound counter-intuitive.You should take a break for at least 5 minutes for every hour of work.This will help you get more motivated to finish the task, give you a break to rest your eyes, and allow you some time to think about the next task.If you set a timer to go off after every half hour or hour of work, you should take a break.Don't make it a habit to skip one of the breaks if you're really in the zone.Pomodoro is an app that can be used to schedule your workday with built-in breaks.
Step 5: There is a place where you won't be distracted.
If you're still checking work emails, the break won't help you relax.Get up during your breaks.If you want to get your blood pumping, look out the window, take a short walk outside, or walk up five flights of stairs.You will be more motivated to return to work after these short breaks.You can set a goal to read for 30 minutes.You will be more motivated to finish your tasks if you take a break and finish the chapter of the book.
Step 6: Improve your focus.
Even though you think you'll be easily distracted, anyone can improve his or her focus with a little motivation.Pick a task, give yourself 30 minutes to work on it, and don't get up.If you keep going, you can build up your focus stamina.If you're good at focusing for 30 minutes, you might be able to extend it by 5 or 10 minutes.Learning to focus for longer will make it easier for you to complete the tasks ahead, even if you don't take a break every hour.
Step 7: Do not put off completing tasks that you need to complete.
If you want to avoid delays, leave things to be done for tomorrow, next week, or next month.Have them done now and move on to the next project.If you know you need to call a difficult client this week, don't put it off until Friday afternoon.It won't hang over your head for the rest of the week if you make the call on Monday or Tuesday.Procrastination will ruin your focus and decrease your productivity.
Step 8: You can use less to enhance your focus.
Multi-tasking allows you to accomplish a variety of tasks at the same time.Multi-tasking confuses your brain and slows you down, keeping you from being fully engaged in any one task.When you switch back and forth between two tasks, you will have to reset your mind, which will slow you down.You will be more motivated to finish your tasks if you have a to-do list.
Step 9: Don't use online distraction.
Concentration is all but impossible because of distraction.If you want to be able to concentrate fully, you have to know how to avoid distraction.You will need to train yourself to avoid distraction.If you want to avoid online distraction, aim to have as few Internet tabs open as possible.The more tabs you have open, the more you'll be able to do multiple things at the same time.Give yourself five minutes every two hours to check your email, Facebook, or any other social networking sites that you can't live without.Stay off the sites until the next two hours have passed.
Step 10: Don't get distracted by physical things.
Don't get distracted by other people, whether you're working in an office, a library, or at your own home.Don't let others throw you off task, whether they're people in your study group, your colleagues, or a friend who is always asking for favors.You will be able to enjoy personal engagements more if you put the personal stuff off until after you get your work done.Don't get distracted by your surroundings.If you're in a loud environment, listen to calming music or buy noise-cancelling headphones.If you want to stay focused, you should only look up every 10 minutes or so.A coffee shop or library is a good place to work.It is possible to focus on your own productivity if you see others being productive.You can improve your focus by listening to nature sounds through headphones.It's a good idea to avoid music with lyrics.
Step 11: Take a few deep breaths to calm your mind.
Shut your eyes if you feel stressed or over-stimulated while working.Take deep, full breaths.The increase in oxygen will make it easier to focus on the task at hand.3 to 5 breaths can be turned into a longer breathing session if you have time.For 15 minutes over your lunch break, sit or lay down and focus on deep breathing.Accept the task at hand.Resisting a task will make it harder.
Step 12: You should chew a piece of gum.
Studies show that chewing a piece of gum increases focus.Your brain gets more oxygen when you chew gum, which in turn helps you focus.If you don't like gum, you can eat a snack that has the same effect.You can eat nuts or carrot sticks.
Step 13: Don't drink too much coffee.
If you have too much coffee or tea, it can make you jittery or sleepy after a few hours, even if you only have one cup a day.Don't pour yourself a full cup of coffee if you need help focusing.It's better to stay hydrated and drink just one cup of tea a day than to fill your system with so much caffeine that you feel too jumpy to get anything done.
Step 14: For 20 seconds, look at a distant object.
Most of the time, we look at objects from a distance of 1–2 feet (30–61 cm).This can cause some irritation to your eyes and reduce your focus.Give your eyes a break and look at a distant object.When you return to your computer screen, you should be able to focus better.If you follow the 20-20-20 rule, you have to devote 20 seconds to look at something that's 20 feet away.
Step 15: Do you remember what you're working towards?
You will be more successful at staying focused if you have a goal in mind.We lose focus because we can't see the point of the task and would rather be doing something else.If you're studying, remind yourself why it's important.It is important for you to succeed in the course that will factor in your quiz or test grade, and it is also important that you get good grades so you can graduate.It's a good idea to remind yourself why your work is important.If the work is a means to an end, remind yourself of all the fun things you can do once you're done working.
Step 16: Pick a goal that you can work towards.
If you're not working towards a single, large goal, it's easy to get bogged down in small tasks.The carrot at the end of the stick is what makes the task worth doing.Do you have a goal for completing your task?Is it to get done with the work, save up money for a boat, or advance your career?If you want to throw a fun party or run for 40 minutes without giving up, your goal could be to clean your house so you can do that.
Step 17: Write down a focus slogan.
When you know your purpose and goal, you can create a focus slogan that you repeat to yourself whenever you get distracted.It is possible to repeat a simple phrase that will get you back in order.If you're going to repeat this out loud, try writing it down on a sticky note and sticking it on your desk.It could be something like, "No more Facebook and no more texting until I get my work done."When I get my work done, I'll be able to ace the chemistry test and get an A in the class.