Focus is priceless in our always hectic, often overwhelming lives. It’s also getting harder and harder to find. Whenever you’re up to your eyeballs on a tight deadline and find yourself wandering off into a social media black hole or a YouTube binge, a single question comes to mind:

Why can’t I just focus already?

Digital distractions are everywhere we look, so it’s easy to blame them as the culprits. Others—perfectionist types—chock up the problem to a lack of discipline or willpower. But the truth is a bit more complicated. Navigating the murky waters of distraction starts with an understanding of our own biology and behavior patterns that might have gone unnoticed for years. With a solid grasp of the problem, we can turn our attention to practical solutions to improve our focus.

1. Not Getting Enough Sleep

There’s a reason why so many professionals constantly talk about how important sleep is. Not only does it help your BODY rest and recharge, but your MIND as well. This means that not getting enough of it can be seriously detrimental to both although your mind takes the brunt of it.

Your focus becomes limited because your brain is tired and confused. It hasn’t had enough time to prepare for the day, and all of the challenges it brings. All it wants to do is to shut down and recover even in the middle of important tasks!

Now, you might think that you get enough sleep yet, you can still find yourself having trouble concentrating. In that case, you may want to check with your doctor whether or not you have a sleep disorder. even if you get the recommended amount of sleep, it might be restless or interrupted. Deep, restful sleep is what you really need, and if you don’t get adequate amounts, you will suffer the consequences. Furthermore, not getting enough sleep can even lead to depression, making it even harder to stay focused.

2. Distraction. 

Most people in today’s age tend to interact with multiple devices at the same — like using their phone and computer while having the TV play in the background. For this reason

We are bombarded by a constant flow of information, whether new or old,  during the process of doing something. Researchers have found that our brains are so primed for this distraction that just seeing our smartphone impairs our ability to concentrate. We constantly assess whether the information is useful, sufficient, or meaningless. For example

When interacting with others whether virtually or in real life — you think you’re giving your undivided attention, but with the TV creating constant background noise or your phone buzzing every few seconds, there are too many sources of stimulation to focus on at once.

Stop and consider how all of your devices might be hindering your ability to focus. It might be helpful to distance yourself from those devices when you have something urgent that needs your full attention. Removing, or at least limiting, these distractions can be a big help.

3. Poor Eating habits. 

What we eat contributes to how we feel, including our mental sharpness and clarity, throughout the day. If we don’t fuel our brains with the proper nutrients, we start to experience symptoms like memory loss, fatigue, and lack of concentration. Low-fat diets can ruin focus because the brain needs certain essential fatty acids. Other restrictive diets may negatively affect concentration by not providing the nutrients the brain needs or by creating hunger, cravings, or feeling of unwellness in the body that are themselves distracting. 

4. Not Getting Enough Exercise

Have you ever noticed how vigorous exercise leaves you feeling more relaxed and energetic throughout the day? When you don’t do physical activity, your muscles can become tense.

Regular exercise not only keeps you healthy, but it’s a great way to stimulate your body.

Yes, it’s much easier to put exercise off due to a full schedule — too many work hours and not enough free time — but a lack of exercise takes its toll on the body and the mind!

Regular exercise promotes brain plasticity, boosts hormones, and reduces stress. It increases sensitivity to insulin and fights off anxiety and depression. All of these factors can affect your focus and concentration!

So even if it’s just taking the stairs instead of the elevator, get some exercise to help your mind and body work more efficiently.

5. Not Dealing With Problems

It’s often said that the person who complains the loudest or the most will get the most attention. When it comes to focusing, the ‘complaint’ is a problem that’s not being dealt with.

If the problem is being ignored or goes unchecked, you can find yourself constantly thinking about it and how you need to address it  but you never do anything about it. These problems will stop nagging us if they're on a list of things to deal with

The key to stopping these problems from continuously popping up in your head is to actually take steps to solve them.

Even if the problem can’t be solved right away, just starting to work on it can clear your mind a bit and recentre your focus.

6. Your Environment. 

Depending on what you are doing, the environment can affect your focus. Obviously, a noise level that is too loud is a problem, but many people also have difficulty concentrating when it is too quiet. It isn’t just the overall noise level but the type of noise that matters: the high-energy, anonymous hum of a coffee shop might bring focus while the overheard conversation of two co-workers derails it. A favorite song quickly has you singing along, happily distracted, while less distinct instrumentals might keep you attuned to the task. Lighting that is too bright or too dim can affect your vision. A room that is too hot or too cold creates discomfort.

Nobody’s workspace can be absolutely spotless, and you’re free to personalize yours, but give yourself enough clear space to be able to easily focus on a given task. 

7. Not Having A Good Plan

This one go hand-in-hand with the previous mentioned points. When you’re dealing with something, don’t just go at it blindly, have a plan on how you’re going to approach it — it’s far easier and more efficient that way.

Mechanics do the same when checking a car, and so do doctor’s when you visit them with a health issue. It can be something simple like making a small checklist for going to the store.

Or something more comprehensive like drawing up the blueprints for your next big home improvement project.

Either way, preparation is key regardless of how you choose to prepare. Going through individual steps and instructions is much easier than trying to take on the entire project all at once.

8. Emotion

Emotion is the on-off switch for learning and for peak performance. Often ignored or taken for granted, your emotional state drives the quality of your focus and thus the results you can achieve. If you work in a fear-driven organization that is low on trust, your performance will necessarily suffer. It’s a neurological fact. But if you work in a group that is high on trust and low on fear, then you can achieve at your best.

The better you understand yourself, your personal psychology, and your emotional hot buttons, the better able you will be to hold yourself in the right emotional state for focus while steering clear of the negative states that render sharp focus impossible. Positive emotion, in turn, galvanizes engagement.

9. Working in a Messy Environment

You may be one of those people who can achieve a lot when surrounded by mess and clutter; you are definitely in the minority. Unless you're an artist who thrives on chaos, you really need some order in your chosen workspace. Clutter and mess may not bother you, but they can still be a distraction for your mind. And whether your desk is filled with toys and games or old take-out wrappers and soda bottles, the end result is the same: you have something else to focus on other than the task at hand. So, clean it up. It doesn't have to be pristine, and it doesn't have to be a completely blank space. Just give yourself, and your brain, the ability to easily focus on just one thing.

10. Working too much 

A good example of this is when the average employee works an extra seven hours a week, almost a full workday, outside of the office.

When you’ve got a lot on your plate, it’s tempting to work more hours, both at work and at home, to get caught up.

But it’s a well-established fact that working longer hours is counterproductive.

Research confirms that most people are able to sustain their focus for just one to four hours of intense work per day. 

If you can work fewer hours, that’s if you are self-employed or the boss, do it.

If you don’t have this option, work on your most demanding tasks when you have the most mental energy. Everyone is different but for most adults, this mental peak occurs in the late morning. 

Its important to take regular breaks during work. Even a mini-break as short as 30 seconds can help you regain your focus.

Conclusion

A lot of people work much more than they should, and their ability to focus is suffering. Stepping away from work every now and then is beneficial for both your mental and physical health.

Working every possible hour you can, is only going to push your focus to deteriorate, and it will lead you to you be less efficient at your job — and any other projects you are working on.

If you want to improve your focus, you need to take breaks. You need to give yourself and your brain some rest. 

Thanks for spending your time with us, we’ll like to hear from you in the comment section, if there are any point on this topic that we fail to mention, and if you enjoyed this video like and subscribe to our channel for more videos like this one.

Author: Bobe Nkwain Chiambah