Hard to Stay Focused?

Life is filled with various tasks. We inevitably hope we can do as many tasks as possible in a limited time. So we choose to multitask by shifting our focus from task A to task B or even more tasks. During this process, the brain has to refocus again and again, which will increase the cognitive burden. After a few hours of multitasking, most people can't complete all the tasks well. Subsequently, the body is tired, and the brain is fried.

In addition, a recent study conducted by Stanford University discovered a negative relationship between chronic multitasking and working (and long-term) memory. In other words, if we get used to multitasking, we may find it harder to remember goal-relevant information^[1].

You may say, "I don't have enough time to complete the tasks one by one." Actually, if you try to prioritize your tasks accordingly and only focus on one task at a time, you will achieve your goals more effectively. To some extent, multitasking lowers our intelligence. Researchers from York University found that students who were multitasking on laptops during a class had lower scores on comprehension tests compared to those who did not multitask^[2]. In terms of the brain structure, chronic multitasking decreases the gray-matter density in your anterior cingulate cortex, which will negatively influence the ability of cognitive control^[3].

But even you know it is good to focus on one thing at one time, you may notice it is not easy to do so. There are many distractions from the surroundings or your inner mind, which grab your attention constantly.

A bit hot or cold, noise around you, unorganized desk, and people who bother you, all these external distractions will reflect on your brain. If your brain is not habituated to them, they will keep distracting you from your tasks and make you consume more energy to identify them.

Sometimes, even though we are in a great environment for focusing, we still feel uneasy and have difficulty sitting quietly for a while. You are more sensitive to the changes around you. For example, people are walking through the room from time to time. You did not notice it in the past, but today you feel too anxious because of it. So you may move to another place, which does not help you to stay focused. Then, you should be aware of whether you are influenced by internal distractions.

Start from the body. You can feel your body to see if you are experiencing bodily discomfort. Or, are your moods swinging because of thoughts and other things? These mental processes will stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which increases the heartbeat and muscle tension.

So how to stay away from these distractions? The following is a list of 5 tips to help you get rid of them and transform yourself into a state of focus and concentration.

1. Find a suitable environment for yourself to stay focused more easily.
2. Do Not Disturb mode. Turning off your notifications and avoiding talking to others.
3. Deep breathing. Taking a few sets of deep breaths and let the length of inhalation longer than the length of exhalation. This can calm you down quickly by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system^[4].
4. Prioritization with a clear hierarchy of importance. Arranging your tasks accordingly, and giving up less important things, can help you utilize your time and energy more effective.
5. White noise. You can choose a sound that makes you feel peaceful from various sound scenes in Tide app.

With a prepared state of the mind and body, setting a time and turning yourself into the 「FOCUS」mode, let yourself fully immersed in doing your tasks.

Author: EVEN

Photo: Unsplash