Someone tells you something, and meanwhile, your mind wanders a thousand places. You write a note and at the same time answer emails and calls. You hastily complete your tasks while finishing your breakfast. Does it sound familiar to you? With such a hectic life, it is impossible focus your mind.
This, in addition to negatively affect your productivity and the quality of work affects your physical and psychological well-being: it produces stress and prevents you from getting the most out of every moment.
How can you regain focus? Here are some simple techniques that will make a huge difference in your ability to focus.
1. Do one thing at a time
forget about multitasking, it’s overrated. Doing several things at once does not make you a more efficient and productive person; on the contrary, it scatters your mind, stresses you out and prevents you from putting your best self into each task. Make a to-do list for the day; start with the hardest and ends with the simplest. Propose not to start one until you have completed the previous one.
2. Get away from the excess of stimuli
Many times – especially if you work in a noisy environment, such as an advertising or digital media agency – isolating yourself from the environment can be very helpful. When you need to focus, put down your phone, put on some headphones, and listen to soothing music (save podcasts or the latest Muse album for another time). Also, avoid having a television nearby. The less sensory stimuli you have, the better.
3. Take breaks
We know that you are very busy, but taking frequent breaks is not a whim or an excuse to stop working: on the contrary, it is a way of ensure concentration and flow of creativity . Every hour, get up from your seat, stretch, walk, pour yourself a coffee, talk… You will return to your tasks more charged with energy.
4. Meditate
As a result of our busy lives, our minds are scattered in a thousand and one directions. By meditating we learn to control the flow of energy in our body and we can focus it to achieve our goals. Find a quiet space and sit cross-legged. Close your eyes and relax your breathing. A technique to concentrate is to imagine yourself as if you were looking in a mirror, and do it from all possible angles: try to recreate each of your characteristics.
5. Do the most important things first
Leaving the most important tasks for last is a bad habit: at the end of the day you are tired, you feel less creative and you have time on you. Try to start your work day by doing creative work, or solving Tasks that require a high load of concentration.