Every day we are flooded with stimuli and distractions. Indeed, items such as cell phones, text messages, iPods, the Internet, e-mail, and television have all made millions of Americans lose focus on tasks at home and on the job. Some studies have shown that it takes approximately eight minutes to get back on task once you have had an interruption. Eight minutes multiplied several times adds up very quickly!
Here's a list of tips to help you stay focused.
Get moving. It sounds counterintuitive to staying focused, but exercise—even a quick 10-minute walk—can help clear your mind. Exercise is known to release endorphins (a natural “feel good” chemical) into your bloodstream, which can help you think more clearly, prioritize tasks, and stick with something that may otherwise be boring.
Treat yourself. Some tasks are more difficult or tedious than others, such as working with numbers or wading through reports. You may be able to get through these items more quickly and effectively if you give yourself a fun task or reward at the end. The reward can be anything from getting up from your desk/station for a little walk to buying a cup of your favorite coffee.
Take it one at a time. Believe it or not, multitasking can actually decrease productivity. So instead of multitasking and working on several things at once, focus on doing your best on just one item at a time. Set a timer for 15-45 minutes for one task, and don’t shift your attention from that item until the buzzer sounds.
Push it. Just as athletes do five more push-ups or chin-ups to develop physical stamina, you too can develop a “mental stamina” to push past frustration and keep focused. The next time you get frustrated or want to quit, do five more of something. If you're reading, read five more paragraphs, if you’re writing a report, work on it for five more minutes.
These tips will undoubtedly help you stay focused. However, it’s important to point out that no matter what, you are certainly going to get distracted and/or pulled away from certain tasks during the day. When you are faced with such distractions, you can still deal with them wisely. Try this tip the next time someone pops by to chat, ask a question, etc: Take five seconds to write down what you were going to do next. That way you can listen to the person with your full attention, knowing you will be able to return to your thoughts.
“Our thoughts create our reality. Where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go.”
—Peter McWilliams |
