Why do you need to focus on your work?
- Without focus, you will be making mistakes, and you will need to start over again.
- If you cannot stay focused on your work, your productivity will be low.
You might not like your work and, therefore, do not care about it. In this case, it might be a good idea to look for a more interesting job.
However, if you wish to be efficient in your present job, finish your work on time, and do it more efficiently, you need to focus on your work.
In every area of life, those who succeed focus their attention on their work. They look for ways to do it better and focus on solutions and positive results rather than on failure.
Of course, the best way to improve your focus in every area of life would be to train yourself regularly with concentration exercises.
I have written book on this topic for those who wish to delve deeper into this subject.
In this post, I want to focus on simple ways you can adopt to stay focused when working.
14 Tips on How to Stay Focused at Work
Ways to stay focused on your work and job and avoid distractions while working.
1. Clear Understanding of Each Task
You need to understand each task, what you need to do, and what should be the outcome.
This would help you know where to focus your efforts and avoid wasting time guessing what you need to do.
2. Choose a Comfortable Chair and a Good Table
If your posture is uncomfortable, your mind will not be at ease. You will constantly move, trying to have a better sitting position. You will get nervous and tired, and your eyes might ache.
All this would disturb your focus and reduce your day’s work efficiency.
3. Eat Breakfast and Lunch
Don’t go on an empty stomach to work, and don’t starve yourself until you finish your assignments.
Hunger creates nervousness and restlessness, which harm your focus.
It is most recommended that you eat a good breakfast in the morning at home, and also eat lunch on time.
You can also eat something light, such as a fruit a or snack in-between meals.
4. Drink Enough Water
The body needs water to function, and sometimes we forget to drink water. If you don’t drink enough you might suffer from dehydration, which would affect your physical and mental health.
5. Have a Good Night’s Sleep
With good sleep, you will feel refreshed, energetic and ready for the days’ tasks.
Lack of sleep hurt the concentration and the ability to make good decisions and choices.
6. Exercise Your Body
Exercise is important for both the physical and the mental health. It brings fresh oxygen into body and the blood, and improves the cognitive functions.
7. Put Your Phone on Mute
One of the most disturbing factors to concentration nowadays is the smartphone. The Internet, text messages and the social media take so much time and attention, almost each moment of the day.
This shortens the attention span, and makes concentration almost impossible.
If you don’t need your phone for work, then, at least a part of the day, while working on important assignment, put your phone on mute or switch it off.
Reading and answering text messages, and reading what you friends wrote on Facebook or Twitter, distract the attention and disrupt focus.
8. Focus on Each Task
Avoid daydreaming while carrying out tasks, and don’t allow your thoughts to carry you away.
While working, focus on your work. Don’t do one thing, while thinking of something else. Your actions and thoughts should be in harmony.
Always do one thing at a time. Multitasking does not allow you to focus on one task. Instead, your thoughts jump from one thing to another, without the necessary focus.
Multitasking splits your attention, and this can reduce efficiency and productivity.
9. Prioritize Your Tasks
Make a list of the tasks for the day, prioritize them, and then handle one task at a time, without thinking or worrying about the other tasks.
10. Ignore everything around you
Put effort into ignoring everything unrelated to the work you are doing at the moment.
Phone calls unrelated to your work, conversations, and unrelated thinking can wait for later, after you finish what you are doing.
11. Pep Talk
Give yourself a short pep talk before starting a task. Tell yourself how important it is, and that you will be able to carry it efficiently and with great focus.
Repeat these words a few times, and try to believe what you are saying.
12. Take Short Breaks
It’s a good idea to take short breaks once in a while. Get up, walk for a few moments, stretch your body, drink water or eat a snack.
This will reduce the mental and physical tension and refresh your mind.
13. Don’t Procrastination Things for Later
Don’t put off doing what you need to do. Putting things off would not make them disappear. You will eventually need to do them.
Procrastination and putting thing off, create laziness and weaken the willpower. This weakens your control over your mind and harms your focus.
14. Your Mailbox
Avoid reading and answering your private emails while working.
As to your work email, prioritize what you need to do first, and don’t waste your time on useless and unimportant emails.
How to Stay Focused
In this article, I have suggested a few actions on how to stay focused on your work. However, you an use the same tips in other areas of your life.
- Do you wish to stay focused on whatever you are doing?
- Do you wish to have good concentration skills, which you will be able to direct anywhere you want or need?
- How about increasing your attention span?
When you master your mind and your thoughts you start mastering your life.
If you are looking for more guidance to increase your focus and sharpen your concentration skills, read the book Focus Your Attention. You will find in this book guidance and exercises, which will take your focus skills to a higher level.
