How to Focus on the Areas That I Need

Finding and staying focused on the areas you need in life can be a challenge for even the most centered person. Joseph Cardillo, PhD, reports your brain takes in 11 million bits of information per second, yet you only focus on 40 bits of that. Trying to focus your mind on the important information takes patience, some technique and practice.

Things You'll Need

• Noise reducing headphones
• Music player

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Instructions

Identification of Areas of Need

• 1

  Identifying the areas you need to focus on is the first step.

  Create a tranquil space to sit and think. This area should be free of distractions, such as television, phone and outside noises. If you cannot create an area to sit and think, use noise-reducing headphones and soothing music to block out sounds and help you focus.

• 2

  Think about the areas in your life that need attention. These areas could include family, friends, work, your mental or physical health, children or any other area of your life you would like to focus more time and energy on.

• 3

  Envision the areas you identified in Step 2 as they presently are and how you would like them to be. Picture yourself changing these areas of your life for the better and the steps you would see yourself taking to make these changes happen.

• 4

  Write down the areas you have identified, as well as how you would like to see these areas change. These will be the goals you begin focusing on in the future. Identify two to four steps you can take to start putting these goals into action.

• 5

  Keep the list in an accessible place and consider creating several to keep in different areas. Having the list to look at in your home, at work and on-the-go can help keep you motivated to stay focused.

Finding Focus

• 6

  Return to the tranquil thinking area you created to do your brainstorming. You should do this at a set time during the day, several times per day, if necessary. Keep a copy of the list you created in this spot so you can review it during this time.

• 7

  Read the first focus area and goal aloud to yourself. Focus on the words you hear and envision yourself putting this goal into action. Read the steps you developed during your brainstorming session aloud to yourself. Picture yourself doing the steps as you say them.

• 8

  Share your goals and areas of focus with a family member or close friends. This person can periodically check on you and see how you are faring in staying focused on your life goals.

• 9

  Assess your progress in staying focused on a weekly or monthly basis. You can do this by going over your list to see how much you have accomplished, or you can create a to-do list of a few goals to check off each week.