6 Ways to Regain Focus

        Humans are bad at multitasking. I still find myself attempting to do twenty things at once, though, and to no avail. If you're crazy like me, you strive to knock out too many goals at one time, and usually make little to no progress in all of them. At times like this, it's important to remember that focus is an essential tool to productivity. Many things can distract us from our goals, such as jobs, occupations, errant thoughts, illnesses, etc. but luckily, we can do something about it. Let me show you what I mean:

Sorry, junk food bouquets don't count.

1. Eat! (Easy enough, right?)
     
         Price-worthy and effective brain foods are simply too abundant to not take advantage of. As long as you know where to look. Research shows that fish, nuts, caffeine, blueberries, and other foods are all good for mental health in their own ways (just check out what the professionals say).

2. Repeat, repeat, repeat!

         Nothing fancy or quantitatively scientific here, just plain determination and willpower at work. When you are constantly reminded of your intentions, it becomes easier to invest more energy into them. It's usually not enough to just think about them, however. Stating your plans for the day again and again as soon as you wake up can help drill you into the driven mood, and writing your ambitions and your reasons down where you know you'll see them often (on your door, desk, car) will help to steer you back on track should you become distracted. You'll find that motivation and inspiration come more readily when you solidly know what you want, and why you want it.

3. Narrow your field of view (literally!)

       When staring down a single task at hand, it can be useful to physically stare at it and only it. Use your hands to block off some of your field of vision. This works since your brain and eyes are so interconnected. Also, over time your mind will associate your hands blocking your peripheral vision to your desire for sharper focus (the Pavlov effect).

Feel the invisible block of wood...

4. Meditate

     Focus follows awareness, and meditation is all about awareness. Meditation has been around for thousands of years, and it's proven to heighten mental function. Plus, it has a way of simply making you feel refreshed and ready for more. Take as few as ten or so minutes and zone out everything in your head. If you can't exactly meditate, or would rather just calm yourself, sites like Calm.com are great! (The page even comes in different versions, and guidance; I thought that was pretty nifty.)

5. Get away from your distractions

      While this may seem like common sense, far too many people (including myself) have issues concentrating when around electronics or noisy people. Just being around a computer or TV, without paying much attention to it, can have detrimental effects on your productivity. Think of the high school student who takes six hours to finish a 15 minute assignment because they were popping in and out of Facebook. The solution for some may be as easy as turning electronics off, but for others it may be necessary to be isolated in an outlet-less room. Figure out what works for you, and stick with it despite the temptations of the modern world.

6. Take a break!

    Sometimes, the best way to increase performance is to stop performing for a little while! According to the Pomodoro Technique, we perform our best in 25-minute intervals, so try taking a relaxing 25-minute bath, engaging in a little walk, or playing Chinese Poker with a few friends, and get back to work later. Just make sure not to slack off for too long. ;)