Ways to Be Better Focused

When completing tasks in your day to day life, staying focused can be difficult. The world is full of distractions, even in school and work. Using a change in thinking and some planning, you can change the way you focus and the time it takes you to complete your work.

Avoid Distractions

• If possible, take the work to a quiet area away from distractions. This may not be possible in some situations, such as school or work, but eliminating nearby distractions can make the work easier. If people are talking nearby, move to a different area in the room or ask them if they could move. If the work is being done on a computer, avoid looking at websites that take the focus off the work.

Set Goals

• Set frequent goals to stay focused on your work. Small daily goals allow you to maintain a sense of control over your day-to-day life, while long-term goals help you realize the steps you need to take to eventually reach those goals. Set yearly or monthly goals and then set up smaller weekly and daily goals to help you remain focused on getting where you want to be.

Care for Needs

• Take care of your basic needs before beginning your work. Make sure you have eaten, used the washroom and relieved any distracting ailments such as headaches before attempting a task that requires focus. This prevents you from needing to get up and do other things during work or study times.

Work with Your Body's Natural Rhythm

• Figure out the time of day when you are most motivated and energetic, and use that time to focus on important tasks. For some people, the morning is the best time of day and for others tasks are most easily completed during the afternoon or night. Finding what works for you can be key in developing better focus and a longer attention span.

Use Focus Activities

• Develop activities that help keep you focused and prevent your mind from wandering. For example, underlining words while reading or reading aloud ensures that you are really paying attention to the information in front of you. Reading aloud is also helpful when writing work assignments or school papers so that you can listen for mistakes in grammar or factual errors.

Be Aware of Thoughts

• Choose to focus on only one topic at a time. Make a mental note to focus on other topics later and then remind yourself of this each time your mind wanders to other things. Be aware of your thoughts at all times to ensure that you are thinking about the important tasks.

Keep a Journal

• Keep a day-to-day journal to write about your thoughts at the end of each day. Write down all of your thoughts and worries and try to work them out on paper. This helps you to remove distracting thoughts from your mind and only deal with worries once a day, instead of building distracting stress through negative thinking throughout the day.

Make a Schedule

• Scheduling your day can make small and big tasks feel less overwhelming. Schedule when you will accomplish each job you need to get done and use your time to focus on each task when it comes up. You can split activities like work, cleaning, studying and eating into their own time slots and leave periods of time in between for relaxing and taking breaks.

Reward Yourself

• Reward yourself when you complete a job, no matter how big or small. It can be hard to focus if you feel as though your work is meaningless or boring. Take breaks in between work or studying and use your time to laugh and enjoy yourself. This will make going back to work feel easier and motivate you to work harder to reach your break. When you accomplish a large task, reward yourself by going out and doing something fun with family members or friends.