Solutions for When You Can’t Focus at Work

We’ve all been there – you get an intense work project and right when you need laser point precision, your focus begins to waver from the task at hand. Suddenly, you find yourself in a rabbit hole of distraction. Without notice, the day has slipped away without a single thing to show for it. It’s not a good feeling, and at times you can even feel helpless. However, with the right course of action, you can begin to improve focus and increase productivity.

The good news is, you’ve identified that there’s a problem, so you’re already on the right track. It may not feel like you are in control, but you always have the ability to create new habits for yourself. Implementing healthy habits will positively impact your life and work performance. 

 
Creating a Designated Workplace to Increase Focus

Working from home comes with flexibility and comfort, but it also comes with a greater opportunity for distraction. Working where you live and living where you work means there’s a lot of crossover, and little clarity. Having separate physical spaces for work and life gives your brain mental cues. Your brain can begin to easily identify when it’s time to concentrate and when it’s time to relax. It’s understandably tempting to work from a comfy couch or cozy bed. However, research actually suggests that working while laying down has negative effects on your productivity and your posture. 

Thus, it’s vital to create a clear distinction between work life and home life. Carving out a designated space for where you complete your work is the first step to overcome distractions and to increase focus and productivity. Identify an area in the home that is quiet, isolated, and provides little distraction. Then, invest in a desk and chair setup that you’re comfortable working on. When finding a work setup up, you should consider the ergonomics. Research has shown that a standing desk, like this one, not only promotes productivity, but also reduces back pain and improves health. 

Carving out a designated space is half the battle to improve focus and productivity. The other, and arguably more difficult half, is carving out the actual distractions that are impacting your focus in the first place. 

Limit Distractions When You Can’t Focus at Work

It’s important to acknowledge that there is always going to be an opportunity for distraction, especially when working from home. We have television, podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. It’s basically a war on your ability to focus, and the enemy has pinpoint algorithms that are specifically designed to scream for your attention. In fact, these algorithms are so advanced and calculated, they feed us content that directly appeals to our dopamine receptors and create an addictive relationship. Social media makes us feel good for short periods of time, so we keep going back to get that sweet hit of dopamine. A study found that 56% of workers report social media being a distraction while working. 

Social media is a pervasive distraction that impacts many, but just like with any other toxic relationship, the first step is to set boundaries. Setting boundaries with how and when you use social media will allow your brain to stay on task and improve overall productivity. The following suggestions are ways that you can limit the distractions that your phone and social media pose:

• Leave your phone in a place where you will not see or hear it 
• Set time limits on how long you spend on social media – and follow them!
• Impose a “no phone” rule in your workspace 
• Break the habit of checking your phone when you wake up and before bed 
• Mute or disable push notifications to your laptop/computer

Implementing these suggestions will reduce the clutter in your brain and allow yourself the ability to focus without distraction. These behaviors will also allow you to foster a healthier relationship with social media and break the toxic dopamine cycle. 

Maintaining these habits not only improves your focus, but it can also improve your quality of sleep. Getting quality sleep plays an influential role in your ability to focus and stay on task. 

Improving Sleeping Habits Improve Poductivity

Sleep is an essential human process that makes a huge impact on our day to day lives. In fact, we spend nearly half of our lives sleeping. Despite this, many of us don’t engage in behavior that allows our bodies and brains to get into the REM sleep cycle. Experts say this is the most important cycle to achieve when sleeping. 

Getting into REM sleep makes all the difference in performance, mood, and sharpness. The Sleep Foundation states that REM sleep is vital for brain development, memory consolidation, and emotional processing – all of which are factors that are important while working. So how do you improve your likelihood of achieving REM? 

It involves implementing a number of behaviors that positively affect your sleep cycles, and subsequently, improve focus. 

• Maintaining a regular and consistent sleep schedule 
• Engaging in regular exercise 
• Avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine in the evening
• Keeping phones and screens outside of the bedroom 

These are all small behavioral changes that can have a huge impact if done with consistency. However, implementing all of these changes at once can feel overwhelming. It’s okay to start small and work your way up. Start with the change that seems easiest to implement into your current bedtime routine and challenge yourself to stay consistent. Once the behavior becomes a habit, you will start to see the positive impact the habit has on your life and your ability to focus. 

And remember, everyone, even the CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies lose focus sometimes and get distracted. The human brain was not designed to handle so much information at one time, and we’re living in an age with a seemingly never ending stream of information. So give yourself some slack and go step by step to apply some minor behavioral changes. You will begin to notice a huge impact on your ability to focus and be productive in work and in life.