WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN'T FOCUS

 WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN'T FOCUS

Focusing is a key to succeeding in life. The majority of people consider focusing a way to measure how intensely you can concentrate on something. That is but just one way to think of focusing. It is not the whole picture. 

Some people require total and complete silence and a clutter-free workspace. Some need music or a loud TV, while still others need personal momentos or art that has significance on their desks to get in the right mindset. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a productive work environment. Each of us must figure out what works best for us and make that happen, even if we must spend a little money to make that happen. It will be worth the effort.

Without the skill of focusing, distractions can quickly control productivity. We know that we all live in a busy loop. We juggle our lives between all kinds of events that may include, family, work, health and relationships. We all want to keep everyone happy by doing a lot but in reality we rarely get it all done. To me, it is a little like treading water. The real issue is not the time we have but our focus and energy and where we place it.

All of us eat, sleep, wake and repeat almost 90% of the same tasks every day. That alone does not lead us to productivity. Distraction kicks in and we tend to start procrastinating. Then the focus is gone, as well as our energy. No amount of time would be enough. I know for myself that if I do not have the right focus and energy that I will never learn to spend time effectively.

When my focus is split between multiple things, I am not concentrating on anything. At one point, I thought that I was concentrating on numerous things at the same time. WRONG! The human brain is not designed for that. Actually FOCUS  =  INTELLIGENCE! Intelligence is the ability to interpret and apply information in order to manipulate our surroundings. Intellectual people, on average, have a better ability to concentrate.

Focusing boils down to external and internal distractions not allowing us to focus. Multitasking is never helpful. 

There are foods that can help us focus better such as adding more water, salmon, coffee, blueberries, green tea, walnuts, broccoli, avocados and my favorite - dark chocolate to our diets.

Also, there are particular playlists that can help those who enjoy background music. Loud music with lyrics usually do not help in concentration and focusing. More instrumental tunes such as the soundtrack to Zelda or Pirates of the Caribbean, nature sounds can help with distractions and being able to focus better. Also, white noise, classical or acoustic guitar music seem to work best for most people. Try them out just to see what fits your own style.

Some of these strategies have helped me improve my focus and I hope will help you become more engaged also. It is an ongoing piece of work for me. I can forget easily and begin to multitask before I suddenly realize that I am going nowhere fast. Sometimes I must take a deep breath, slow down, and reflect why small steps seem to work better on the strategies toward focusing.