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With the constantly connected nature of the world, it's all too easy to become distracted from a task. Multitasking, or switching between tasks, is known to have a detrimental effect on the quality and efficiency of work. And ‘busyness’ – working hard but inefficiently – can develop from a reactive approach to workload, sometimes called ‘firefighting’. [1]
Maintaining focus and concentrating solely on one task is likely to produce the best results. So, it’s important to know how to do that amid a world full of distractions.
Make a To-Do List
It’s a fundamental pillar of time management thinking, but in the context of maintaining focus, a prioritized to-do list with deadlines achieves two things.
- The first is that it gets everything down in writing, so you’re not trying to remember things, or worrying you’ve forgotten something.
- Secondly, it allows you to plan and prioritize your work. So, you’re not regularly wondering if there’s something else you should be doing instead, or if you’re going to get everything done on time.
A good to-do list gives a feeling of being in control, which contributes to the calmness required for good focus.
Do the Quick Things
Doing the small, quick jobs on your to-do list has benefits for focus. It reduces the volume of jobs on your plate, which helps to counteract any feelings of being overwhelmed with tasks. You'll also benefit from feeling you’ve already accomplished some things right off the bat, which is another psychological bonus.
Dedicate Time
Block out time in your calendar for jobs you need to focus on. Not only does that commit you to the time, but if your calendar is viewable by colleagues, they’ll be able to see you’re busy during that period and should be less likely to interrupt you.
Shut Yourself Away
If necessary, and possible, physically shut yourself away somewhere private if you really don’t want to be interrupted. Close the door and put up a ‘please do not disturb’ sign if that’s what it takes to make sure you’re left alone to concentrate. It might also help to email or message colleagues to let them know you’re going to be busy during that time, and to speak to you before or after if they need anything.
Stay Calm
One of the main reasons for doing a lot of the preparatory work above is this: stress is bad for focus. It releases hormones that are counterproductive to concentration, meaning you end up less focused and in a vicious circle. So instead of trying to force yourself to stay 100% focused, it’s better to take a relaxed approach and accept that your mind will wander now and again. As long as you can nudge it back on topic, that’s fine.
“When you’re not too anxious and you’re not too engaged and you’re kind of in this sweet spot, norepinephrine [a hormone responsible for vigilant concentration] receptors in the prefrontal cortex called the alpha 2-A receptors are on. If you get too stressed they shut off.”Joe DeGutis, cognitive neuroscientist [2]
Understand the Task and Purpose
If you’re not entirely clear what you’re doing, or even why you’re doing it, it’s going to be all the harder to concentrate on getting it done. In fact, you’re likely to put off even getting started. So ,make sure you are clear about what you’re supposed to be doing and why. The confidence and sense of purpose will keep you focused.
Segment Big Jobs Into Small Tasks
Don’t try to climb the mountain in one go – start with the foothills and work from there. In other words, break big, intimidating jobs into smaller ones and take them one step at a time. They’ll be a lot less intimidating and you’ll feel much more capable of dealing with them.
Give Yourself Rewards
Motivate yourself with little rewards as you finish tasks. Whether it’s coffee and a biscuit or a little social media break, reward yourself when you complete a task. Taking little breaks is a good idea anyway – it’s difficult to maintain concentration for prolonged periods of time. So help your brain by giving it a rest periodically.
Make Yourself Comfortable
Are you sitting comfortably? If not, you’re going to find it hard to focus, because you’ll regularly be distracted by your stiff neck or your numb bum. Take the time to set up your workspace in a way that means you can do what you need to do without discomfort. If you can’t manage it yourself, ask about having someone like an ergonomics consultant or occupational health assist you.
Turn Off Distractions
Writers are often advised to work on a computer with no internet connection – because it’s the best way to prevent them from browsing Facebook instead of writing. You may not be able to switch off the internet, but if you lack the willpower to simply ignore electronic communications, you can at least close your browser windows and/or email software, and switch off notifications.
If that's not enough, programs like Freedom or the Chrome extension Social Nanny block social networking sites for specific periods of time, while Isolator (for Mac only) hides everything except the document you're working on.
Practice Mindfulness
Finally, once you’ve done all of the above preparation, you need to get on with it and focus on the task at hand. If you’re an easily distracted person, mindfulness may help you train your brain to stay in the moment. A lot of research has been done into the topic, and it seems that taking time to focus on your surroundings and ‘be present’ in the moment – even to the extent of practicing meditation – can help with concentration. Mindful has good advice on how to get started with practicing mindfulness.
References[1] Joanne Cantor, ‘Mining Your Inner Moron: Why Multitasking is Such a Waste’
here (accessed 12 August 2023).
[2] Caroline Williams, ‘Concentrate! How to Tame a Wandering Mind’
here (accessed 12 August 2023).
