6 Game-Changing Ways to Stay Focused (Credits: Pexels)
Thanks to the reels, shorts and 2x playback speed, our attention spans are shrinking faster than the skip button on ads. Constantly juggling between multiple screens, 50 tabs and pinging notifications, it’s become all the more difficult to focus on one thing at all, let alone at once. Concentrating feels no less than an Olympic sport, thanks to the goldfish attention span.
But to find the silver lining, focus is not a personality trait, it is a skill. Which means you can train, hack and strengthen your concentration overtime. So, cutting out of the doomscroll mess might not be that difficult. Here are 6 game-changing (and actually doable) ways to sharpen your focus when your brain would rather do literally anything else.
1. Try the 20-Second Rule
Your brain actually likes low-effort dopamine. Thus, you need to make distractions harder to access. Put your phone aside for 20 seconds - lock it in a drawer or keep it in the other room. Just this tiny delay will make mindless scrolling less tempting, and you’d, by default, move back to work, the easier option
2. Set a “Focus Window”
Minimize Distraction (Credits: Pexels)
No one can be productive all day, or burnout will follow you like a pet dog. You need a focus window (25-50 minutes) wherein you keep everything else aside and fixate on one task. Pick a time that works best for your brain. It can be anything in the morning, noon or midnight, but you need to go ALL IN. No distractions, no multitasking. Just you and the task
3. Romanticize the Routine
Romanticize the Routine (Credits: Pexels)
The routine can be fun, too; after all, your brain loves consistency. Make focus feel fancy. Light a vanilla-lavender candle, make an iced coffee or simply put on some pop music that sets the tone for focus mode. This tells your brain that it’s time to ‘lock in,’ and makes the goal feel more like a vibe than a punishment
4. Feed Your Brain (Literally)
Food For Brain (Credits: Pexels)
Low energy leads to low focus. So, you need to keep some healthy snacks handy - fruits, nuts, maybe some berries. Also, keep drinking water like it's your job. Dehydration also leads to low concentration levels.
5. The 2-Minute Rule
If there is any task you have been avoiding for centuries, and it can be done in under 2 minutes, do it and get rid of it. Putting away the clothes, replying to an email or creating a to-do list, just do it so you can mentally uncheck what has been taking up your mental space. Clear them out so your brain has room to breathe.
6. Forgive Yourself for Zoning Out
Forgive Yourself For Zoning Out (Credits: Pexels)
Cut yourself some slack and forgive yourself. Even the most productive people in the world zone out. Your workaholic friend does, too. The trick is not beating yourself up over it. Gently pull your attention back without the guilt spiral. Progress > perfection.
