The current generation is characterised by a lack of focus. Gone are the days of engrossing ourselves in the task at hand. Instead, we engage in a constant cycle of context-switching and cheap dopamine hits.
Our environment has conditioned us to seek constant stimulus while reducing our attention-span to mere minutes. Many of us can no longer bear to devote our full attention to the task at hand without some sort of stimulus to ease the pain.
1. Get rid of your damn phone
First things first, get rid of your damn phone. Put it in a different room, or better yet, a different building.
Even having my phone in sight makes entering a state of focus more difficult. A 2017 study from the University of Texas at Austin supports this claim. Environment is underrated, ruthlessly remove distractions and temptations from your office space, keep your phone in a different room while working.
2. Brown Noise
It helps to eliminate auditory distractions and focus on the task at hand. I think Iâve also subconsciously associated the sound of brown noise with work and entering into a productive state.
3. Must-complete list
Focus is best accompanied by intent. Start your day by writing down a list of 1-3 tasks that you must complete for the day. Write the tasks down in the past-tense, as if they are already done, to further emphasise that their completion is non-negotiable.
If you find yourself mindlessly switching through applications with no clear goal in mind, take a step back and write down a list of clearly defined tasks. If youâre still wandering despite having a task list, you probably made the tasks too general.
Itâs incredible how much more effective you can be by simply breaking down tasks into digestible components. Another bonus of the âmust-complete listâ is that you can use it to give clear and concise stand-up updates.