Productivity

My Secret Weapons for Staying Focused

Sometimes it’s really hard to stay focused. Especially when you work from home and work on a computer for like 10 hours a day and there are so many ways to get distracted on the internet.

Seriously, the internet is both a blessing and a curse — and I’m pretty sure everyone knows that. There are endless opportunities for procrastination! And sometimes it’s fun to wander down a trail of distraction. But I’ve learned from experience that when you lose focus and get distracted, you always feel like crap afterward and regret everything.

So how exactly do you stay focused? Well, it’s different for everyone. But today I’m going to share with you my personal secret weapons for staying focused. These methods (SECRET WEAPONS!) have saved my concentration many a time and, ultimately, saved my life.

You might be able to get motivated for a little while about the project you’re working on. But when the enthusiasm starts to fade and the challenge steps in, you need more than motivation. You need a strategy. A bulletproof plan. SECRET WEAPONS.

Here are mine.

Secret Weapon #1: WORK SPRINTS

Also known as the Pomodoro method, this secret weapon has saved my life. Basically, you set a timer for 25 minutes and WORK WORK WORK and then when your timer rings, you break for 5 minutes.

The logic behind this is that you can’t get distracted with that clock ticking down next to you!! It’s timing you, essentially making a little game in your head of “let’s see how much you can get done in 25 minutes.” This is not designed to push you to your breaking point*, it’s just designed to make you FOCUS hardcore. And it works.

I recommend using a timer app, either on your phone or computer so you hear it ring even if you have headphones in. The app I use on my MacBook is called BeFocused and I would 10/10 recommend it to anyone who is looking to stay focused on any task or study.

*I definitely DON’T recommend trying that at home…or anywhere lol

Secret Weapon #2: FOCUS PLAYLISTS

If you don’t already have an arsenal of quality focus/study playlists in your life, YOU NEED ONE MY FRIEND. Spotify makes tons of great focus playlists and I love them. They really just submerge me “in the zone” and essentially block out any little noisy distractions around me so that I can focus 110% on the task at hand. (Here’s my personal study playlist if you want to check it out!)

Also sometimes I just blast Hans Zimmer and that really intensifies my focus.

Secret Weapon #3: REWARDS

That is, rewards for staying focused. If you stay super on top of everything and don’t waste any time, reward yourself for that! You’re amazing and deserve some kind of reward for slaying it. Even if it’s just a break to chill or read or drink some tea. Put your feet up and let your brain start associating hard, efficient work with an awesome reward.

You’ve probably heard me say in the past that I don’t always subscribe to rewards for working because it makes you look at your work as more of a chore — but if you don’t let this work, reward, work, reward system make you resent your work and instead you let it propel you to work smarter and better so that you can get to the reward sooner, I promise it will help you stay focused.

OTHER HELPFUL ARTICLES ON PRODUCTIVITY + TIME MANAGEMENT:

Secret Weapon #4: HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

I cannot stress enough how important a healthy lifestyle is for your mental health and focus. If you’re not eating the right foods, drinking enough water, and getting some exercise, your brain is not going to give you optimal performance.

Water effects the brain in so many ways. Same goes for healthy foods. When your brain doesn’t have the right nutrients to function, it conserves its resources — and takes away from your ability to concentrate.

Exercise is another incredible secret weapon for staying focused. In his fascinating book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, author John J. Ratey says: “we sometimes lose sight of the fact that the mind, brain, and body all influence one another.” < truer words have never been spoken! Get at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping activity in your daily life and you’ll see a huge improvement in your ability to stay focused.

Secret Weapon #5: GET IN THE ZONE

I don’t have a one-size-fits-all method for this one, because every person’s “zone” will be different. But basically think of your zone as a place where you’re in “flow” — a place where distractions aren’t even appealing anymore because your work is so engrossing.

Maybe you can find your zone at a coffee shop, tucked into a quiet booth with a hot chai latte. Or maybe your zone is outside in the sunshine or in a city park or maybe it’s just making a cup of tea, starting your playlist and timer, and fixing your attention on THIS THING. Wherever you find your zone most easily, GO THERE. Sometimes a change of location works wonders for the focus. Try it!

TALK, BRO

Do you struggle with staying focused? Have you tried any of my secret weapons? What are some of YOUR secret weapons for staying focused? Add to this list in the comments below!