Author: Shyamsundar Biswal
Starting with an example we commonly use in our daily conversations, when we find ourselves buried under tight deadlines and drifting into social media or YouTube binges, a single question often comes to mind: “Why can’t I just focus already?”
We use the word “focus” daily, but it is a bit complicated. We can derive focus by attention. Focus is simply selective attention in action. It is so important because it affects your ability to think and work efficiently. Our thoughts play an important role in it. So let’s go straight to it. Every thought we have in our mind is attention seekers or wants attention. You’re concentrating on a specific task but also tuning out the countless other stimuli competing for your attention at that moment.
Attention is priceless in our always hectic as well as chorus. It’s also getting harder to find. When you think of the concept. You are probably thinking of an intentional choice. If you plan to practice guitar today, you focus by sitting down and doing it. Researchers describe this type of action as ‘Top-down’. It is intentional, goal-driven, and probably how you’d like to spend more time each day.
Now we have an initial idea about our attention. We move forward, and that information is enough for ourselves. So first, we have to know what makes our attention unstable or we may call it distraction. According to research, a typical student is distracted for at least five out of every 15 minutes. Here are some general reasons:
– Loud or constant noise can make it difficult to focus on a task, but we live in a social world so we have to adjust to that cause it is not controlled by us.
– Smartphones, tablets, and computers can be major distractions.
– Trying to do too many things at once can distract and decrease productivity.
– Stress like feeling overwhelmed or anxious can make it hard to concentrate. Strong emotions such as anger, sadness, or excitement can make it hard to concentrate.
– Discomfort such as hunger, thirst, or pain can make it difficult to focus.
Let’s go straight to how to stay focused and avoid distractions so we can achieve success in our lives. Here are some general activities to focus on and concentrate:
– Plan your day the night before. Setting up your productive planning in the evening will ensure you start every morning feeling focused and productive. By being intentional about where to focus your time, you eliminate distractions.
– The key to staying focused is to have a good night’s sleep every night. A lack of quality sleep can reduce your energy, concentration, and focus. It can also affect your memory.
– Goals improve your focus and concentration; without goals, it’s easy to feel distracted and overwhelmed. Having specific measurable goals increases your focus toward actionable behavior keeping your daily goals list also improves your ability to prioritize.
– You are more likely to stay focused and achieve your goals if you eliminate multitasking; it is stressful and limits creativity and productivity. To increase your productivity it’s important to take breaks as it boosts your energy.
– Creating an environment that helps you stay focused and find a calming space allows you to focus longer.
If you want to stay focused for a long period, it’s essential to stop procrastinating. It takes away your focus from your most important activities. So you have to follow time management. You can focus better for a long period if you set better goals. Prioritize your time and take regular breaks throughout the day. It is not rocket science. So it is effortless for us to follow. At last, just click your accelerator move forward, and make history.
