At times, we tend to lose focus and let our minds wander off. It’s okay, it happens-we are human after all. Especially now, maintaining focus can be tricky since many are forced to work from home currently when they used to go into the office to work. Having a wandering mind is not a bad thing, especially for creatives, as it can provide sudden bursts of inspiration. However, there comes a time when we need to focus on the task at hand, but it seems impossible. Your mind is not working with you and gets distracted by every shiny object in your immediate environment. Okay, we aren’t crows, but you get the idea. There can be a plethora of distractions around us, especially at home, so it can be hard to stay vigilant and remain focused. We need to tame our wandering mind, so learning how to stay focused is an excellent skill to have under your belt because you will need it.
The mind tends to wander, which is okay, but learning how to control your mind so you can remain focused is necessary if you want to be successful. If you need some assistance in learning how to stay focused, check out these helpful tips that can help you control your mind so you can get things done.
• If the sound of silence, or maybe the sounds of housemates, distracts you, then add a distraction by playing music. While this may seem counterintuitive, playing music without lyrics may help drown out the distractions around you, and can help boost concentration. Just ensure that you are only playing music without lyrics. Otherwise, you might find yourself concentrating on the words.
• Make sure you get a good night’s sleep every night. Getting adequate sleep each night is vital to your physical and mental health. Otherwise, if you work when you are exhausted, it’s hard to concentrate, and you are bound to put yourself to sleep. Doing any form of work exercises the brain, you are thinking after all, and if you are lacking in sleep, this kind of activity will wear you out. It can be challenging to concentrate when you are tired, so make a sleep schedule and stick to it. Having a routine, on top of getting adequate sleep each night can go a long way in helping you stay focused.
• Make a list of what you need to accomplish the night before. This way, you already know the tasks at hand right off the bat. Of course, you can add anything new onto that list that may pop up during the day. But the night before, make a list and keep it ordered by importance and priority. High priority tasks should be at the top of the list, and low at the bottom. While you might be able to keep this organized in your head, the act of seeing the list, reading the list, and marking off each task completed can give you motivation and a sense of satisfaction as you physically cross out each item.
• Besides getting a good night’s sleep so your mind is rested and alert for the daily tasks at hand, fueling your body correctly is also essential. If you are working and are hungry, it can be very difficult to focus and stay focused. So before you set off to complete your work for the day, make sure you fuel your body properly so you have the energy to tackle the tasks at hand. If you have a full day worth of work on your plate, then schedule in a lunch break so you can refuel mid-way. There is also nothing wrong with snacking if you have the ability to, depending on what kind of work you are doing. So make sure you keep some healthy snacks on hand.
• While this suggestion may seem counterproductive, especially since this article is about finding ways to focus our wandering mind, but sometimes letting your mind wander can be a good thing. However, try to think of it as a meditation, just sit back and allow thoughts to enter and leave your mind. Work can be stressful, so it is important to take a step back and take shorts breaks when you are feeling burnt around the edges. By doing this, and giving your mind and emotions a break, it can help boost your focus when you get back to work. To ensure you don’t spend too much time doing this, set an alarm on your phone to help you remember, or even schedule in break times on your to-do list for the day.
