4 Simple Tweaks to Boost Your Focus and Productivity
Today was the day. Ben was finally going to stick to his routine. He blocked time off, prioritized his tasks, and was feeling ready to go! He woke up feeling refreshed and decided to jump start his day. He skipped breakfast and headed into work early. As the day went by, an unexpected meeting popped up. There went his lunch break. Ring, ring! There’s his boss with several items to complete before the end of business. Ben needs to stay late, he’s feeling exhausted and he can’t seem to focus on a task. He’s only had a donut from the lounge and his cheery morning self is a distant memory. When he finally gets home, he turns on the TV, orders take out, and skips his evening routine. This was his time, and he was going to stay up late and enjoy the end of his day. He’ll try again tomorrow.
Like Ben, many of us have great intentions and plan to complete a long list of tasks, whether they are planned or unexpected. When it is time to sit down and complete work, we need to tap into our sustained attention. Sustained attention allows us to focus for a prolonged period of time effectively. It helps promote consistent routines and consistent routines promote sustained attention. The two go hand in hand and allow us to not only tackle large projects or focus on a task for a long period of time but give us the structure to keep our attention engaged and execute tasks efficiently.
Simple tweaks to our daily routine can help foster sustained attention. If we are not feeling our best it is more likely that we give into temptations or distractions. Our brain needs fuel and rest to work at its best.
Incorporate the following into your daily routine to build daily consistency and support brain function:
ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleep is crucial to our productivity and mental health. Listen to your body; if you are not feeling well or not able to focus for an extended period of time, sleep might be the cure. Plan to move up your bed time by 15 minutes each evening until you find the sweet spot. Be patient - adjusting your sleep routine will take time.
PROPER NUTRITION
Many individuals, especially ADHDers struggle to eat regularly. They either forget to eat or do not build in enough time to prepare healthier options. Set an alarm before your desired meal time to cook or plan to meal-prep on the weekends.
TAKE BREAKS
Sustained attention is contingent on rest. Blocking your time into active work and rest periods can help limit distractions during your work blocks.
STAY MINDFUL
Regular mindfulness meditation is a great way to improve sustained attention. Staying aware of how you get distracted and being able to return to the original task or thought is crucial.
If we reflect on Ben’s day, some of the above tweaks could have helped his day and productivity. If he did not skip breakfast, he probably would not have had so much trouble focusing in the afternoon. If he had meal-prepped, he would not have needed to order take out. If he was able to focus more in the afternoon and leave work sooner, he could have stuck to his bedtime routine, and not stayed up late - getting adequate sleep for the new day ahead. Routines do not need to be perfect, they just need to be consistent.
Try incorporating one of the above tips into your daily routine and take note of your attention throughout the day.
If you are looking for more tips to build sustained attention and healthy routines, reach out to our expert coaches to schedule a session today!
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