HOW WE'RE CREATING MORE FOCUS IN AN ALWAYS-ON WORLD

Sheer will power not cutting it for you? Sometimes regaining your focus isn't about a lack of control, but a lack of clear imposed boundaries. If you work on building better habits you can improve your focus instead of losing it to distractions. If you actively implement these tips, your level of focus will increase:

Practice the one screen rule:

Your brain can only focus on one task at a time. Having your phone and laptop open at the same time is not going to make you efficient at multitasking. If anything, you are going to get derailed by an influx of notifications and temptations like Youtube and other apps on your phone. Have clear-cut functions for your device like the laptop exclusively being for work and your phone being for leisurely activities. It may also help to have zones for your devices. Only use your laptop when you are at your work desk and never use your phone while in bed.

Keep a notepad for your thoughts:

When you have an impulsive thought, jot it down. Sometimes it's not technology - it is your brain filling your head with distractions and telling you that there are more important things to pay attention to. A text you forgot to send your coworker. An email you forgot to write. A business idea. A creative thought. Instead of acting on the thought, write it down. When you write it down, you can come back to it later. Suppression doesn't work and often the more you try and tamp down on a thought, the more your brain feels inclined to return to it. 

Give your brain periods of peace:

From the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, your brain is overwhelmed with information. Give your brain respite - time to recover from all the noise and stimulation. When was the last time you sat in silence? Went on a walk? Stood quietly in the kitchen getting a cup of tea? Don't take these moments for granted. Make them intentional moments of peace. When you come back to your tasks you will feel refreshed.

Start your day distraction-free:

How you start your day determines how the rest of it will go. Opening up your phone to endlessly scroll through social media tells your brain that this is the task that takes the most priority. Spend the first thirty minutes or hour of the day doing something intentional. Meditate. Hydrate. Do a bit of reading. Your day will feel much more balanced.

Log the things that actually held your attention:

Don't think in terms of productivity or what you got done that day - look at the things that held your attention throughout the day. What held your attention the most or the least. Doing this is a good way to track where your distractions lie, and what activities are actually holding your focus and keeping you present. Don't stress yourself out with the numbers. Instead of measuring your time in hours, measure it in what tasks kept you fully engaged.

Design your environment for focus:

A brain looking for stimulation will try and find it everywhere. That cupboard that needs tidying up all of a sudden feels like top priority. The pens inside of your desk mug become a fascinating subject. A front facing window makes your attention wander outside. Your environment can either help or harm your focus. Take the things that take your focus away out of your sight. TVs? Phones? A noisy device? Turn them off or put them in another room.

You've got a lot of energy, and it needs somewhere to go. By rewiring your brain and practicing organization you can recenter your focus. Keep it from deviating. You may struggle to implement these rules for yourself but that is to be expected! If you mess up, simply start again. Keeping your attention is equal parts practice and persistence.

Sources:

Medium, "How the “One Screen Rule” Changed My Relationship with Technology" via Pulkit Grover

Medium, "Learn How to Control Your Thoughts by Writing Them Down" via Buck Stewart