Staying Focused in a Chaotic World

It is getting harder and harder to stay focused on a certain task. This is largely the result of so many things pulling at our attention, from social media to emails to text messages. This is why being able to focus for sustained periods of time is getting more and more valuable. Here are some practical tips that you can use to increase your ability to focus.

*Do one task at a time. Researchers have shown that both your productivity and quality of work goes down when you are multi-tasking. You are not actually multi-tasking but you are task shifting and each time you shift you are wasting time. So put your focus into one task and once you have finished it or have worked on it for a given amount of time then move on to the next one.

*Give your full attention to the people that you are with. If someone is talking with you then put your phone or computer away and be with them. When you do this you are really hearing what you have to say and you are making them feel valued.

*Turn off notifications on your phone for as many things as you can. I have taken off ones from social media, email and most apps. So I am only seeing texts and calls. I will then check my email and social media at a couple specific times.

*Develop a meditation practice. One of the many benefits of meditation is an increase in concentration. Focusing on the breath or staring at an object such as a candle or flower are a great way to improve this.

Decide which one of these four things you are going to be intentional about working on. When you do this you will notice a major difference in how you feel and what you are able to accomplish!