Focus. This concept is harder than ever today. If you want to succeed in business or life, you need to hone your sense of focus. Below, we have our twelve best tips for boosting your focus.
To start, make sure you’re sleeping well and getting regular exercise. Sleep 7-9 hours every night. Exercise 45 minutes to an hour everyday.
Next, simply look at the color red — just the sight of red can boost performance and focus. Seriously! Watch Tiger on Sundays.
If that doesn’t work, turning up the thermostat in your office is another option. According to research, people who work in a room set to around 77 degrees are more successful and focused than people in colder work spaces. If you work with my wife, she probably already does this, so you’re good.
Now to the list:
1. Sleep.
Yeah, we mentioned it before, but sleep has a direct link to brain functions like the ability to focus and perform. Quality sleep, which is between 7-9 hours, helps us think clearly, remember more and make decisions.
A lack of sleep can result in an inability to pay attention and focus, lower productivity, slower reaction times and forgetfulness. Plus, grumpy people are no fun.
2. Use the ABC method.
According to Harvard Business Review, our brains are constantly distracted by “internal and external environments,” meaning thoughts, sounds or interruptions. One way to prevent distractions is the ABC method. As HBR explains, ABC stands for: aware, breathe and choose.
To start, become aware of your options by choosing whether to pay attention to distractions. Next, breathe and relax while you choose to focus or get distracted. Ever get annoyed at your Apple watch for asking you to breathe? Embrace the breathing! You’ll thank me.
3. Meditate.
I mean full on yoga pants and peyote . . .ok not really. But meditation is truly good for you. Here’s why.
From stress to anxiety, meditation has long been known as an incredible tool in managing emotions. Another advantage of meditation is its ability to help people focus. Researchers found that after three months at a meditation retreat, people came out with an incredible ability to focus and an overall improvement in cognitive functions. Try fifteen minute boosts during the day and start out with a good 10 minutes session when you wake up.
Need more help meditating? Try our four c’s method.
4. Get dressed up.
The saying, “Dress to impress,” stands true. When people dress up in order to prep for a particular project or task, their ability to focus goes up. According to a study, students who wore white lab coats while conducting experiments made half the amount of errors as the students who were dressed regularly. I’m not advocating white coats, but I do think new clothes and accessories (like sunglasses) help build confidence. Even if you are searching for a job, you should still dress the part and stick to a schedule.
5. Don’t multitask.
While multitasking might sound like the more productive thing to do, it actually has a negative effect on your ability to focus. According to the American Psychological Association, multitasking and constantly switching between tasks will actually take away from focus because you’re not allowing yourself time to adjust to one thing. Put down the phone and close the door to drown out distractions. Silence is golden.
6. Turn up the heat.
According to research, a warmer workplace will help you focus better and be more productive. In fact, one study found that a group of workers in a room set to 68 degrees made nearly 44 percent more errors and were half as productive than employees in a 77 degree room. If you live in the South, this will save on electricity bills as well. Wear deodorant.
7. Go green.
Plants around the office have long been known to have a positive effect on employee morale, focus and productivity. However, it turns out you don’t necessarily need actual plants for this. In a study, a group of researchers found that by taking a 40-second break and simply looking at a computerized image of a green roof, employees’ focus on a particular task improved. I have a succulent in my office as well as a bamboo plant. I’e managed to keep both alive for over a year. Do I have a green thumb? Yes, yes I do. (ignore the dead plant in my backyard)
8. Look at the color red.
Whether it’s the color of your bedroom walls or the background image on your computer screen, color has a major effect on us psychologically.
A 2009 study published in Sciencefound that when people saw the color red while they were focusing on certain tasks, their performance, memory and attention to detail improved. Worked for Tiger Woods.
9. Use natural light.
Working 9-to-5 in a windowless room with artificial light is far from motivating and in fact can be downright distracting. A study found that people who work in offices filled with natural light experience substantially less eye strain, headaches and blurred visions, all of which deter focus and performance. Stand by the window or go outside. If you can swing it, walk for 5-10 minutes every two hours. Plus, you’ll get a tan.
10. Get your cardio in.
From better sleep to lower stress levels, exercise has many benefits, and that includes improved focus and performance too.
In an article published in Harvard Health, researchers found aerobic exercise increases the size of the area in a person’s brain called the hippocampus, which in turn results in better memory and thinking skills. Go run a mile. If you can’t do that, work towards it. 365 miles in a year will do wonders.
11. Take a break.
It might sound ironic, but taking breaks can actually help improve focus. Research shows that short breaks restore a person’s motivation and help them achieve long-term goals.
Mental breaks help you recharge and refocus. If you’re having trouble with a task or paper (or blog) try taking a 5-10 minutes break. If that doesn’t work, take a power nap.
12. Listen to classical music.
Save your favorite rock or rap album for after work. Researchers from Stanford University discovered that classical music in particular triggers the part of the brain used for paying attention and focusing. Why classical? According to the study, people’s minds tend to wander while listening to music but because classical music features many “transitional points” where there is silence, it helps keep people aware and attentive. Brittany does this and she’s basically a genius. I prefer an eclectic mix of music from different genres.
Stay rational.
-B&T