I know it seems obvious to say but I’ll say it anyway – just as a reminder. Better focus = better results. And it applies whatever task you are doing – whether you’re applying mascara or writing a work presentation. Lose focus and you stab yourself in the eye with the mascara wand or produce a set of slides that ramble and aren’t cohesive. Use these tips and never lose focus again. (Well, ok, it will happen, but these will help you get right back on track when it does.)
1 Find Inspiration in Any Task You Are Doing
Time flies when you are having fun, so if you want to stay focused on a particular task then use your imagination to be able to find inspiration and motivation in something that might otherwise be a mundane activity.
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2 Make Yourself as Comfortable as Possible
Make sure that you have a great chair and table combination for your working hours. Physical discomfort can often be the leading cause of people losing their focus. If your back is hurting, then you are not going to be able to concentrate.
3 A Tidy Environment Equals a Tidy Mind
You need your working environment to be as organized and tidy as possible, as the more clutter there is around you, the more likely you are to be distracted by it and lose your focus.
4 Make Your PC/Laptop Completely Distraction Free
Sign out of your social media platforms so that you won’t be at risk of getting any notifications that could make you take your mind off your work and cause you to lose all focus.
5 Have Lots of Water Close by
Staying hydrated throughout a work day is one of the most important things you can do. Dehydration is one of the leading factors in a person losing focus, because it causes anything from headaches to fatigue.
6 Have Some Snacks on Hand (for Ease)
Build your own mini picnic area nearby filled with healthy and satisfying snacks, so that if you get hungry you don’t have to get up and venture to the kitchen to ease your cravings.
7 Have Some Snacks on Hand (for Motivation)
Keeping food on your desk helps you focus. Why? It’s thought that glucose assists your brain to focus. Ergo, it follows that more food will help intensify your focus. And this will also make you smile because now you have more reasons to have more snack breaks.
8 Write a to-do List and Stick to It
If you are the kind of person that is motivated by a set of tasks to complete, then write a to-do list and keep it nearby so that you can physically see and check off your progress throughout the day.
9 Prioritize the Tasks so Your Day Gets Easier
If you are the type of person that tends to fade as the day goes on, then commit to completing the hardest pieces of work first so that when your focus is tested, you only have small things left to do.
10 Let Your Friends Know That You Need to Work
Tell your friends that this day needs to be dedicated to your work, because if they know you are trying hard, then they will be less likely to message and distract you (hopefully!)
11 Wear Your Headphones, Even if You Aren’t Listening to Music
If somebody sees you wearing headphones, then they are not likely to come up to you to start socializing. Even if you aren’t listening to music, the headphones act as a barrier so that you can stay focused.
12 Set Your Profiles to Away, Busy, Offline Etc
If you can’t quite face signing out completely, then the least you can do is set your profiles to the ‘busy’ settings so that people who want to contact you can see that you are not available right now.
13 Organize Your Emails
When you are trying to work, it might be a good idea to set a filter on your email system that only allows work emails through. Your focus can be gone in a second if you see the latest discount sales emails coming through!
14 Be Strict with Your Phone Use
Rather than checking your phone every twenty seconds, be strict with yourself and only allow phone use as a treat after you have done a solid period of work.
15 Find Some Suitable Music to Listen to
If you like to listen to music as you work, then pick something that isn’t going to distract you too much; music without lyrics is a big favorite of mine for this task!
16 JFDI
This is my personal favorite because it’s what I do. When I have something I don’t particularly want to do or am up against a deadline, I pull out my laminated JFDI sheet and stick it right where I can see it. JFDI? Just F**king Do It!
17 Personalize Your Desk
This might seem counter-intuitive but it can work. Have a favorite photograph on your desk or a stress relief toy, or just something you like to fiddle with. I do this for two reasons: it gives me something to do while I’m thinking – if my hands aren’t occupied, they magically start creeping to the keyboard and the social media pages; and a photo can be motivational and remind you why you’re working.
