“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.” – Bill Russell
There are many mental building blocks we need to achieve success: positivity, motivation, confidence, and more. But one integral skill that also needs to be mastered sometimes falls to the wayside: focus. If we’re not focused on the direction of our lives, whether personal or professional, things can veer off course.
While focus is extremely necessary to achieve success, it’s also important to know what to focus on. Quite often, people direct their attention toward the results they’re striving towards instead of the work needed to get them there. This dangerous mindset has the potential to set them up for failure, as they’re failing to pay attention to the hard work along the way.
Tips on staying focused
Complete focus on work can be challenging for people whose attention is pulled in multiple directions. Moving from one project or line of thought to another can be extremely challenging and sabotage anyone striving for concentration. Here are some simple tips to build focus and improve performance.
#1. Set a Timer
Having a set timer can increase your focus on a particular job. If you have a task at hand that’s expected to be done in an hour, set a timer to keep yourself focused until it’s done. It’s like setting a deadline to increase your productivity. It’s similar to setting a time on a treadmill or target footsteps on an activity tracker. These self-made deadlines help!
#2. Put the phone away
Our phones are one of the biggest distractions in this day and age, with some even being addicted to checking them. Keep the phone away while at work. Try to keep it at a distance where it’s difficult to reach, maybe another room. You can keep it face down to avoid seeing the notifications that often pop up.
#3. Identify your peak time
Everyone has a time when their mind can work at its best. It’s the peak time for performance or productivity at work. Find your peak time and set the schedule to tick off the most complicated tasks during those hours. For the rest of the day, you can do the easy tasks at your convenience.
#4. Declutter your mind
Remember that it’s difficult to focus if your mind is buzzing around with thoughts and ideas. This is where you need to focus your mind completely. Stress and anxiety have never solved a problem. So, instead of cluttering your mind, list the concerns on a piece of paper and dedicate your free hours to solving them.
Tools to stay focused
Focus is a mental ability, but certain tools can help. For instance, the timer on your phone can be a great tool to increase productivity. It is completely free and can be scheduled as per your requirement.
Quote on staying focused
“At the end of the day, you can’t control the results; you can only control your effort level and your focus.” – Ben Zobrist
You have to give your best and then leave the rest to destiny. Hard work and dedication have never betrayed anyone.