Focus on the Task at Hand

Set yourself up for success by preparing your space to be free of distractions.

Neuroscientists have found that focusing deeply on a task leads to a “flow state,” where time seems to pass quickly and productivity increases. Ron Lach/Pexels

There are many different forces vying for our attention these days—whether it be the hypnotic pull of social media algorithms, the beckoning temptations of snacks in the kitchen, interruptions from well-meaning family members, coworkers, or friends, a nightly habit of watching television, the overwhelm brought on by conflicting goals, a noise outside, a sudden emergency, internal resistance, or self-sabotage—it’s amazing that any of us get anything done, ever.

The ability to singularly direct one’s attention seems increasingly rare and akin to having a superpower. For many of us, our focus can often feel like a splintered and fragmented mess. But the ability to thrive in life requires the capacity to direct one’s attention and focus for sustained periods of time.

To handle responsibilities and accomplish goals in the face of modern life‘s demands and distractions, we need to set ourselves up for success. Whether you’re trying to file your taxes, plan your next vacation, clean out the garage, look for a new job, go through that pile of papers on your desk, or even write a helpful article about improving focus—a strategic approach to maximizing focus is in order.

Prepare Your Space

When a chef is about to execute a recipe, he doesn’t begin cooking before his workspace and ingredients have been thoroughly prepared. “Mise en place” is a French culinary term meaning “everything in its place,” and refers to this preparation strategy before cooking begins.

You can translate this practice to any endeavor. Before sitting down to plan your next vacation, for example, prepare your ingredients. Neatly gather any materials you’ll use, including your calendar, your company’s vacation policy, location-specific guide books, a notebook and pen, budgeting resources, schedule details for the people in your travel party, and perhaps a cup of tea and a healthy snack. Clear your workspace of clutter, close out tabs on your computer, disable notifications on your phone, light a candle, open the windows, and set a clear intention for what you aim to accomplish.

In short, make it as easy as possible to begin working and maintain focus.

Remove Distractions

Distractions kill focus. When you encounter a distraction that breaks your state of flow, it can take a surprisingly long time to refocus and return to that state. The more distractions you encounter, the more you’ll find yourself struggling to get back to focused work. It can be very frustrating and discouraging.

While you may not always be able to completely eliminate distractions, you can proactively mitigate them. If possible, alert whomever you share your space with—coworkers, family, roommates—that you plan to work between specific hours and won’t be available. If you’re the mother of an infant or young children, dedicate time during naps to focus on a singular aim. Remove distracting culprits from your purview, such as your phone, your television, or anything else you tend to turn to when avoiding what you know you should be doing.

Set a Timer

Our understanding and relationship to time can be interesting and not at all straight-forward. Consider the idea known as Parkinson’s Law, which states that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. With this in mind, set a reasonable but strict deadline for the completion of your task to avoid taking far too long to get your work done.

Another time management strategy known as the Pomodoro Principle can improve your ability to sustain focus over a longer period of time. This technique involves working in focused 25-minute intervals, called “Pomodoros,” followed by short breaks in between. People have found this method to boost productivity and prevent burnout.

Envision Success

Your mindset plays a huge role in your ability to focus. Envisioning successful completion of your task before starting can boost your motivation, clarify your specific goal, and allow you to anticipate obstacles, mentally preparing you for effective execution. Take a few minutes to envision the ideal outcome—what that would look like, how you’ll feel, and how that will impact you and, perhaps, others.

Snack Wisely

Hunger can be distracting when you’re trying to remain focused on the task at hand. Snacking can be helpful to carry you through, but you want to choose your snacks wisely. Snacks like almonds, walnuts, apples, berries, Greek yogurt, or whole-grain crackers with hummus can offer healthy blends of fats, protein, and light carbs for sustained energy. Avoid sugary or processed snacks that cause energy crashes.

Find Your Flow

The more you train your focus and expand your capacity to direct your attention, the greater your ability will be to experience a state of flow. It will become increasingly clear what conditions support a flow state and you’ll be able to continually improve in that regard.

As you aim to improve your focus, know that it can be challenging at first and don’t cling to an expectation of perfection. Give yourself grace, don’t give up, make incremental improvements over time, and you’ll eventually increase your capacity to focus, to produce great things, and ultimately to live up to your fullest potential.