Focus can be a valuable reserve that can be used to actually get things completed. The capability to focus intensely a longer period of time on one activity is unquestionably vital to every person who wishes to entice copiousness and outcomes.
Our brain is a complex mechanism that mostly works without our awareness. The subconscious mind, the place where all our memories, feelings, and connotations are stored can either be our best friend or worst enemy.
Despite, the goals, profession, or work you are at present chasing, a methodical mindset is dire for your success. That’s why, in today’s article, I’m presenting 10 ways to train your brain to be focused and productive.
Strategize and Envision Some Acute Tasks Everyday
Your thoughts shape your reality. Why? Because our thoughts cause feelings, these feelings lead to an act, and this act leads to results.
For instance, for your morning routine, begin one to three precarious tasks that should be done during the day. Don’t think of them hastily. Envision them and feign the feelings you’ll have after concluding each task. If you think about your day’s accomplishments, your subconscious will do it’s best to help you turn your thoughts into reality.
Discover Your Proficient Hours
Some people accomplish better in the day, whereas others do great at night. To discover your most proficient hours — the “peak hours” — you must vigorously measure your productivity during the hours of the day.
You must pay attention to your energy, thought patterns, distractions, motivation, and moods whilst testing diverse work hours. Be certain to allow at least a week to establish these proficient hours. Try to get your important tasks done from 8 AM to 10 AM, test it for a week. Coming week, focus your attention on dire tasks beginning from 10 AM and ending at 12 PM.
Say No to Multitasking
Multitasking has been confirmed to decrease our cognitive capabilities due to the fact that our brain can only fully focus on one task at hand. Considering, multitasking can be advantageous in numerous circumstances, one should evade it as much as possible when dealing with important tasks. Give your undivided attention to the task at hand to better the value and speed of work!
Your Mind is a Muscle treat it like one
What does one do when you want muscles? You exercise. Not once, but habitually. Working out your brain to stay focused is a practice. Every time you get diverting thoughts, you have to recognize them for what they are — time and attention killers both.
If you feel like you “must stop working”, push yourself a little further. If you have trouble focusing right now, you should avoid work for 60 minutes straight. Build your levels of focus slowly. For the first two weeks, try focusing for 20 minutes, take a 5-minute break, then start again. In two months’ time, you will be able to stay focused for 60 minutes and get things done!
Build your Determination and Discipline
Few of us are making real decisions. A decision is a deal with your brain that regardless of what happens, your decision sticks. Thus, when you say, “I should exercise”, you should immediately replace the “should” with “must”. Otherwise, your mind won’t take your resolve seriously and it won’t “care” to help.
Determination and self-discipline are two correlated qualities that should be established at the same time. Your determination is the fuel of your actions. Your discipline is your aptitude to go beyond disturbing thoughts, comfort zone, and idleness.
Here’s what some people tell you: these abilities require regular practice, building them isn’t easy, and giving up isn’t an option.
Accept the Need to Evade Pain and to Gain Pleasure
When we do something, we do it because we pursue pleasure or because we want to avoid pain. If you think about it — when students do their homework, they procrastinate because their subliminal minds indicate incoming pain. When the deadline is near, they’ll take action in order to evade the pain of getting a bad grade.
Take this example and coordinate it with your life. Every time you want to double down on a task, admit your immediate response. Are you trying to evade pain? Or you’re looking for pleasure? When you become the observer, you’ll be the one in charge.
Avoid Disruptions
You can’t train your brain to stay focused unless you safeguard that your external situation also lacks disruptions. Your phone, for example, should never interrupt your attention. Turn off notifications, say “NO” whenever someone disturbs you, and be dedicated to cut off every conceivable disruption around you.
Influence the Power of Habits
If you build enabling habits, you’ll no longer have to use your motivation and determination to be focused. Your mind will recognize the pattern and make your job easier. For instance — when you wash your teeth and face in the morning, you’re doing so automatically without any significant amounts of focus, energy, and motivation. Enabling productive habits is like teaching your mind how to act at different yet precise times.
Exercise Mindfulness
Mindfulness infers self-awareness. Exercising mindfulness is simply directing your undivided attention on the present moment. Your present thoughts and feelings, the environment that’s around you, your breath, your heartbeat…your choice. As long as you’re “here”, “now”, it doesn’t matter what you focus on — your mind is present.
You can exercise mindfulness in several situations: while reading, working, studying, washing dishes, walking in the park, and so on. When your focus is prioritizes, you’ll perform better in most of the situations.
Become Self-governing
Self-governing is the practice that entails aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Most people lack self-governance, which translates that their emotions aren’t in agreement with their thoughts, nor with their actions.
For instance, if you want to read a book today but you feel that it will be boring, you’ll never actually read that book then. However, if you ponder over something and you acquire positive feelings as a reaction, then taking action won’t be difficult.
If you’re mindful of this, you can effortlessly implement it. As a result, staying focused on your responsibilities and work will be a piece of cake.
About the Author: Arham Usmani is the co-founder of the PACE blog. He lives a diversified life as a freelance content creator/designer by day and a formula student enthusiast, working on his own Formula style car, by night. If you’re intrigued, find him on Twitter @arhamus004.
