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6 ways to master your focus!
We have all been there, the day at hand is coming to a close and the people around you are slowly gravitating towards their regular peaceful slumber. However for you it’s the time where the feeling of anxiety begins to rise. Whilst others begin to relax you begin to do the opposite. You may try to brush it off by watching TV or surfing the net however it is an unpleasant feeling which becomes hard to shake off. The best way to describe the experience is the feeling of dissatisfaction. The feeling that the day went by without you fully seizing the opportunities that lied within. The feeling which is caused by not being able to achieve the set goals for the day.
Suffice to say it’s not the greatest feeling to have and is one that you could probably do without. I’m here to tell you that you can avoid experiencing those feelings ever again by implementing a few simple steps. However before you can do so you must understand why these steps need to be implemented and to do you first must understand what the core reason is for not being able to achieve our daily ambitions
The most significant reason for not being able to achieve your daily goals is be due to the lack of focus and concentration during the day. To get things done effectively you need to have a controlled focus on your tasks. Without focus you are simply not optimising your valuable energy to its fullest potential. To avoid wasting precious time you need to distinguish what periods of the day are for concentrated action and which ones are not. Basically, without proper focus and concentration you are always going to be left displeased with your efforts at the end of the day.
“Anxiety is caused by a lack of control, organization, preparation, and action.” – David Kekich
My solution is not to increase the amount of hours spent on working or studying during the day or to reduce the amount of leisure time you have for yourself during the day. Rather it is five simple steps whose aim is to externalise the interferences to productivity and here they are:
- Prioritise your goals: by doing this you avoid the feelings of uncertainty and doubt when you undertake a task as you know it is the most important thing to do at the time.
- Remove all distractions: completely remove the possibility of being interrupted by anything unnecessary which will break your focus (mobile phones, computers, friends etc.) before you begin a task
- Have a comfortable environment: make sure to have everything you need ready before you begin a task including quiet space, stationary, desk, paper etc.
- Pace yourself: take regular scheduled breaks suited to you in order to revitalise your energy throughout the day
- Create a distraction log: record any distractive thoughts, ideas or feelings on a readily available notepad whilst undertaking a task to tend to later during a break or after completing the task
- Track your progress: finally make sure you track the periods of the day you had high focus and worked on tasks to give you a greater insight of your day to boost your confidence and satisfaction!
These steps, if implemented regularly, will go a long way in improving your focus and concentration and will help you build to a much more satisfied you at the end of the day.
“The art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it all care and worry is probably one of the secrets of our great men.” – Captain J.A. Hatfield
Bonus tip: make sure to set realistic daily goals so you don’t set yourself up to fail by overburdening yourself and hence again lose focus as a result.